Having "empty" filter value

[Alexander Obuhovich]

Right now all grid filters only are applied if non-empty value is entered.

This makes searching for empty values (e.g. field value wasn't entered) very hard. Right now I'm forced to do a descending sorting to reveal all such records on top. But there still no way to see records with several fields empty.

I'm proposing to review each of grid filters individually and add "Not Entered" and "Entered" options to them.

For "grid_options_filter" and "grid_multioptions_filter" it's pretty easy to do, because they have predefined option list from which user must make a selection. We just add a sepcial options on top of that list having "__ENTERED__" and "__NOT_ENTERED__" values (for not to overlap with existing values in that field options) and filter by these.

For free-input filters, like "grid_range_filter", "grid_like_filter", "grid_date_range_filter" it would be harder because user is typing value there manually.

Maybe we should think of that as a separate setting panel for each filter, that slides down below it and reveal additional non-obvious filtering options.

Thinking more about that raises additional question: do we really need per-column filter be placed right above that column OR maybe we can take all filters from the grid and move them up into a special sliding (over the grid) toolbox window where no width-restriction applies to filter design?

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[Dmitry A.]

Hi Alex,

Long overdue topic with no easy solution.

I think it's a bit premature to more Filters to new place in current Admin Interface. I would start with looking around to see how this EMPTY filters values are handled in other pieces of software/scripts

DA

[Phil]

I'll prefer to have ability to hide filters, but keep them in current top column space, where I find them very practical and professional.

About ways to find empty values, I've already met this need, and I though that it could be great if we could use wildcards, at least asterisk one, and escaped to keep ability to search for asterisk content. So I propose to use \* to search for an empty value.

Envoyé avec Sparrow

[Alexander Obuhovich]

I'll prefer to have ability to hide filters, but keep them in current top column space, where I find them very practical and professional.

If we are about to keep current place, then I don't see how to add new features into filters knowing how little space there is.

About ways to find empty values, I've already met this need, and I though that it could be great if we could use wildcards, at least asterisk one, and escaped to keep ability to search for asterisk content. So I propose to use \* to search for an empty value.

Wildcards, like

• * - any symbols (zero or more)
• ? - any symbol (one)
  

were working all the time for filters that allow free text entry.

[Phil]

ok, but why not creating a wildcard like \b (for blank), and we are done... I've also proposed \* .

Envoyé avec Sparrow

[Alexander Obuhovich]

Maybe we can add 2 checkboxes on the right of each filter:

• exclude empty
• invert filter

Check only "exclude empty" checkbox to see only records, where value is entered.

Check both checkboxes to see only records where value is not entered.

Check only "invert filter" checkbox to show all records not matching entered keywords.

Sounds very powerful and easy to implement. Checkbox description would be shown as a hint when user moves mouse over corresponding checkbox.

[Phil]

two checkboxes could look weird. I propose either a tree-state checkbox, or a button that open an overlay div with complete option name + checkbox (like filter for other options).

Envoyé avec Sparrow

[Alexander Obuhovich]

Actually idea with overlay was suggested in some other discussion as well.

Here we must also think about range filters, that have arrow icon (to expand them) near them. Then we need to add new options icon (that will open overlay) under it.

[Phil]

a down arrow icon would look intuitive...

Envoyé avec Sparrow