Add extra filtering tools to the Public Talk Manager

[Andrew Truckle]

The Public Talks Manager lacks filtering tools. I created a ticket on GitHub:

https://github.com/ajtruckle/meeting-schedule-assistant-support/issues/174

[Andrew Truckle]

I am implementing some additional filters that give you more power:

What I am now thinking is to move the two filter controls that are on the top row (on the right) to the bottom row (on the left). Then, maybe add a new check option to the menu:

We would add to the menu:

Advanced Filtering

When ticked, it would enable the additional filtering controls.

[Andrew Truckle]

I have made the following changes:

I feel that this is more logical and user friendly:

• Category
• Filter menu
  • Choose Advanced on the menu to enable the extra controls (not yet coded)
  • Choose the Filter Mode:
    • Date
    • Number
    • Text (this is the default)
  • Choose the comparison operator
  • Specify the filter value
• Click Clear Filter to reset the menu and disable the extra filter controls

[Fahd Touma]

By adding "Text" it means that the application will search for a specific text in the talks?

[Andrew Truckle]

Hi

By adding "Text" it means that the application will search for a specific text in the talks?

Correct. The filtering works with the same principles as the Search feature So:

• Number: Talk number, Count
• Text: Theme, Notes
• Date: Outline, Last given, Exclude from

[Andrew Truckle]

I have a new beta available for testing.

[Andrew Truckle]

Updated help topics:

• https://github.com/ajtruckle/meeting-schedule-assistant-support/wiki/msa-talkdb-manage-public-talks
• https://github.com/ajtruckle/meeting-schedule-assistant-support/wiki/msa-talkdb-manage-pt-filters#ADDITIONAL_FEATURES

[Andrew Truckle]

How about changing from Field Type to Field?

So the list changes from:

1. Date
2. Number
3. Text

To:

1. Notes
   
2. Theme
3. Talk number
4. Talk count
5. Outline date
6. Last invited
7. Next invited
8. Excluded from

This way you can get the advanced filtering to limit the list based on a chosen field. 

Thoughts? 🤔

[Andrew Truckle]

Updated:

This is better because now you choose which field to specifically filter with.

I still need to add the list of fields and operators to the STRINGTABLE    for localization and then I think we are done with this feature.

But, there is one aspect of the UX that I am still not happy about. It is when filtering number fields. I don't like it doing a live update every time the spinner changes. This makes it very show if you want larger numbers. Perhaps the Clear Filter button on the right should be changed to a Apply Filter menu button? If clicked it will update the display. If we make it a menu button them we can introduce Clear Filter there.  I think this is the best UX. We update the filter on demand when we are ready. The menu toggles could adopt this approach or continue to update live. I am open to comments.

New betas on their way to you for testing.

[Andrew Truckle]

Here is the final Advanced Filtering controls:

What's changed?

• Widened the default size of the window to give us room for the additional button.
• Added the new Apply button.
• Toggling the standard filter options will continue to perform an immediate filter.
• Toggling the advanced filter option will now change the availability of the extra filter tools.
• The Filter Type combo has changed to a Field combo.
• The wording of the operators has been updated. But they are hardcoded in English. Do you think we need to localize them? 🤔
• Click the new Apply (tick) button to perform the advanced filtering.

I have continued to make some improvements to the help topic but still need to document about the new Apply button.

> Is it possible to filter for talk outlines that are still 45 minutes in duration?

This is one way to achieve this:

1. Identify which outlines are still 45 minutes in duration.
2. Add a note indicating this. Eg: "45 min".
3. Now you can filter on Notes using "45 min".

Example:

[Andrew Truckle]

45 Minute Outlines

According to my JW Library, these are the outlines that have not been shorted yet to 30 minutes:

• 42
• 57
• 59
• 63
• 70
• 82
• 83
• 84
• 85
• 87
• 91
• 92
• 94
• 97
• 99
• 102 - 112
• 114 - 120
• 122 - 128
• 130 - 139
• 141 - 149
• 151 - 152
• 154 - 159
• 161 - 168

The above is for English, and based on the S-34 2022. I don't know if there is a new version? (please don't share any updated document here) Anyway, this is what I found, for those who are interested.