Applying filters to objects

Wherever you can select a query data set to apply to an object on the dashboard, you can also apply a filter by pressing the data filter button ( ). Filters can be static, for instance if you want to create a chart that shows orders for a specific country, or linked to a filter parameter or tree view panel, in which case the user can change the filter dynamically by changing the selection in objects on the dashboard.

There are two ways you can define a filter for an object on the dashboard, by using the filter builder or by assigning a tree view selection panel. Each of the three methods is described in detail below.

Using the filter builder

To define a filter using the filter builder, follow these steps:

1. Select the Filter Builder tab.
2. Press Add to open the define filter condition window and create a new condition (described in more detail below).
3. Repeatedly add conditions until your filter is complete
4. To group conditions, select multiple conditions and press the Group button.
5. Press OK to finish.

The Define Filter Condition window allows you to define three types of condition, a simple fixed value condition, a list of fixed values condition or a filter parameter condition. Each is described in more detail below.

To define a simple fixed value condition, follow these steps:

1. Select the logical operator (and/or)
2. Select the column you want to apply the condition to.
3. Select the operator to use to compare the column.
4. Select or enter the value to compare the column to.
   
   

To define a list of fixed values condition, follow these steps:

1. Select the logical operator (and/or)
2. Select the column you want to apply the condition to.
3. Select the operator to use to compare the column.
4. Press the list button
5. Repeatedly select or enter a value and press Add to add it to the list.
   
   
   

To define a filter parameter condition, follow these steps:

1. Select the logical operator (and/or)
2. Select the column you want to apply the condition to.
3. Select the operator to use to compare the column
4. Press the filter parameter button ().
5. Select the filter parameter you want to use.

The filter parameter list may also contain values linked to the user. For more details, contact your administrator. If you create a condition that is linked to a filter parameter, and the filter parameter object is deleted from the dashboard, the condition is changed to be a fixed value condition with the fixed value being the last known value of the filter parameter.

Applying a tree view filter panel filter

As we described earlier in this lesson, tree view filters can be applied to objects from the Tree View Filter Panel Editor window. We can also apply tree view filters to objects from the Define the data Filter window. If an appropriate tree view filter panel (one for which all the columns in the tree view are represented in the objects data set) exists, the Tree View Selection Panel tab will be offered in the Define the data Filter window. Follow these steps to apply a tree view filter to an object:

1. Selection Panel tab.
2. Select the treeview in the available list you wish to apply
3. Press the add button to move the treeview to the selected list