Setting Up a DataView Filter

  1. To launch the DataView Filter Setup form, click Filter on the DataView IDO Setup form.
    Note:  You cannot open this form directly.
  2. In the Property Name field, specify the IDO property for which you want to set up the filter.
  3. Specify the operator to use for the filter. If you select IS NULL or IS NOT NULL, the comparison field and value need not be specified.
  4. Select the comparison type:
    • Literal: The property value is compared to a hard-coded value.
    • DataView Property: The property value is compared to another property value from the DataView.

      This can be useful when you want to use a comparison of two properties to control what records are returned. For example, if you wanted to see which orders do not have the full number of items shipped, you could set up the property comparison QtyShipped < QtyOrdered. Or suppose you wanted to know which orders were not shipped on time, you could set up the property comparison ShipDate > DueDate.

    • Form Property: Use this option in cases where the DataView is embedded on a form and you want to filter the DataView based on properties from the form's IDO collections.

      For example, you could use this option to filter the DataView's customer number property by the form's customer number property. When you then add the filter clause, the resulting syntax might look something like this: CustNum = FP(CustNum)

  5. In the last field on this row, specify the comparison value to be used for the corresponding comparison type.
  6. Optionally, use Steps 2 through 5 to specify additional filter clauses.
  7. Optionally, if using multiple filter clauses, to instruct the system to treat the clauses as Boolean OR comparisons rather than Boolean AND comparisons, select the check box labeled OR Instead of AND with Previous Clause.
  8. To add the filter clause to the list of clauses in the display panel, click Add.

    The clause is added to the list, formatted with the proper syntax.

  9. Optionally, to remove all filter clauses and start over, click Remove.
    Note:  You cannot selectively remove individual filter clauses: If you choose to remove one, you remove them all.
  10. Click OK.

For complex comparison logic, it might be necessary to add parentheses around filter clauses, to make sure they are evaluated properly. To accomplish this task, manually edit the data in the display list.

Note:  To get a better understanding of how filters can be used, look at the vendor level DataViews provided as part of the application installation.