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Add Filters

A filter is a statement instructing a search to extract objects of a certain type with a specific property having a specific value or a value within a defined set. You can add a number of filters to a Model Search or Document Generation, to more precisely define the objects or information to extract from the model.

Access

Filters can be applied to a model search, and also to document generation to filter the elements that are reported on.

Model Search

In search window | <select search> : | Query Builder :

Document Generation

In 'Generate Documentation' dialog | Element Filters : Add Filter

Add filter criteria to a model search or a document report template

Option

Action

See also

Active Filter Set

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the type of object to search for. Initially, when there are no other filters selected, the drop-down list provides the full range of top-level objects.

The object type defines the filter set and once you have selected the object type the drop-down list subsequently only includes objects subordinate to that set. For example:

  • If the initial selection is set to search on 'Element', the drop-down list for subsequent filters on the search will show a list of element properties that you can filter more specifically on
  • If the initial filter is set to search on 'Diagram', the list for any subsequent filters for the search only contains the 'Diagram' option, as there are no other filters that can be applied to a search on diagrams

Add Filter

Select the checkbox corresponding to each field that the search is to evaluate.

Required

Select the checkbox if the object must have this property to be included in the search results.

Field

Provides the name of the field to be checked in the search.

Condition

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the condition that the field value has to satisfy. That is, the field value:

  • Contains
  • Is exactly Equal to
  • Is anything other than (Not Equals) or
  • Is one of a subset of values from

the text string in the '<Search Term>' field for the search, or a more specific value defined in the 'Value' field.

Value

If the search is to look for a value provided by the person running the search, leave this field at the default value of '<Search Term>'.

Otherwise over-type the field with a specific value or, if the 'Condition' is 'One Of...', type a selection of values separated by commas.

For some filters and conditions, the 'Value' field contains the button. Click on this to display a selection dialog. This dialog varies dependant on the information required.

Check All

Click on this button to select all of the 'Add Filter' checkboxes to include all filters in the search definition.

You might then deselect specific checkboxes to remove a small number of filters from the search.

Uncheck All

Click on this button to clear all selected 'Add Filter' checkboxes to omit all filters from the search definition.

You might then select specific checkboxes to include only a small number of filters in the search.

OK

Click on this button to apply the filters to the search definition.

The selected filters are displayed in the 'Query Builder' tab for the search definition.

Cancel

Click on this button to close the dialog and cancel the changes you have made.

Notes

  • You can add multiple search definitions as necessary; however, if you select the 'Required' field in multiple definitions the search rapidly becomes impractical
  • Multiple search definitions are better for 'and/or' searches

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