Skip to main content

i4connected Knowledgebase 5.6

The Object Filter

Abstract

The Object Filter is the most complex filter tool of the i4connected portal. Learn more details about it by reading this article.

The Object Filter is the most complex filter tool of the i4connected portal and can be used in multiple analysis panels, by clicking the Open filter button.

Open_filter_button.jpg

The Open Filter button

Once the Open filter button is clicked, the Object Filter panel is opened in a dedicated panel.

Object_Filter_panel.jpg

The Object Filter panel

After selecting the desired objects of the filter, the user can proceed as follows:

  • Apply and Close - Applies the filter selection and closes the Object filters panel.

  • Apply - Applies the filter selection, without closing the Object filters panel.

  • Close - Closes the Object filters panel, without applying the filter.

Applying Object filters

The Object filters panel allows users to apply advanced filtering criteria, for multiple object types, such as Organizational Units, Areas, Sites , and Devices. These object types can be enabled or not, for an Object filter panel, depending on the scope of each list to be filtered.

The Object filters panel is structured as follows:

  • The Search field - is the search box where the user can type in numerical or textual information, that will be compared against the listed items, filtering the list to only display the corresponding results.

    search_area.jpg

    The Search field

    Tip

    When using the search field, to search for devices, the system will check the search criteria against the devices name, alias, and description fields.

  • The Object selectors - are the toggle buttons representing the available object types (Organisational Units, Areas, Sites , and Devices). The user can click on the object selectors in order to enable/disable them. The red highlight marks the selected objects.

    Object_selectors.jpg

    The Object selectors

    The enabled objects will display object type-specific lists, whereas the list for disabled objects is not even displayed. The picture below demonstrates an Object filter panel having the Sites object types disabled.

    Object_tabs.jpg

    Example of enabled versus disabled objects

  • The list view contents - the list of actual objects that can be selected as filters. The Organizational Units, Sites, Areas, and Devices as divided into separate tabs, that the user can enable or disable.

    Objects_list.jpg

    The Object Filters of the list view contents

  • The Selected Items count - the area where the counter for selected items is displayed. The user can select multiple objects belonging to multiple object types, considering the maximum and minimum amount of allowed Items.

    Items_count.jpg

    The Selected Items counter

    As the user selects the listed objects, the value of the selected items is increased.

    Items_count_increased.jpg

    The selected items counter

  • The Advanced filter button - opens a collapsible settings area where the user can choose further advanced search options.

    Adv_search.jpg

    The Advanced Search button

    • Advanced site scope filtering settings

      Site_filter.jpg

      The Site scope filtering settings

      • Site type - opens a drop-down list displaying all the Site Types available in the system.

      • Site metadata filter settings - lists all the site metadata, having the Searchable flag enabled.

    • Advanced area scope filtering settings

      Area_filtering.jpg

      The Area scope filtering settings

      • Select scope - opens a more granular Object filter panel, listing only objects of type Sites that can become an area's filtering scope.

      • Area metadata filter settings - lists all the area metadata, having the Searchable flag enabled.

    • Advanced organizational unit scope filtering settings

      OU_filtering.jpg

      The Organizational Unit scope filtering settings

      • Organizational Unit metadata filer settings - lists all the organizational unit metadata, having the Searchable flag enabled.

    • Advanced device scope filtering settings

      Device_filtering.jpg

      The Device Scope Filter advanced filter settings

      • Select scope - opens a more granular Object filter panel, listing only objects of type Sites, Organizational Units, and Areas that can become a device's filtering scope.

      • Device settings - lists all the device-specific filtering options:

        • Device type - opens a panel where all the Device Types available in the system are listed and available for selection. The list allows the user to select one or more entities.

        • Manufacturer - opens a panel where all the Device Manufacturers available in the system are listed and available for selection. The list allows the user to select one or more entities.

        • Model - opens a panel where all the Device Models available in the system are listed and available for selection. The list allows the user to select one or more entities.

        • Data source type - opens a panel where all the Device Adapters available in the system are listed and available for selection. The list allows the user to select one or more entities.

        • Data source name - opens a panel where all the Device Adapter Names available in the system are listed and available for selection. The list allows the user to select one or more entities.

        • Show hidden devices - opens a drop-down list where the user can select the view method to be applied for the hidden devices. The user can select to Show all, Hide or Show only hidden devices.

        • Show entity variable devices - opens a drop-down list where the user can select the view method to be applied for the entity variable devices. The user can select to Show all, Hide or Show only entity variable devices.

        • Show inactive devices - opens a drop-down list where the user can select the view method to be applied for the inactive devices. The user can select to Show all, Hide or Show only inactive devices.

      • Device metadata filter settings - lists all the device metadata, having the Searchable flag enabled.

Setting up favorite filters

After applying the desired filters, the user can also decide to preserve the currently used filtering criteria, by clicking the Save filter button.

Save_filter_button.jpg

The Save Filter button

The Add filter panel features the following parameters:

Add_filter.jpg

The Add Filter panel

  • Name - the filter name.

  • Description - the filter description.

  • Filter type - the user can set the filter as Personal or Shared. Saving Object filters as Shared is possible only for the users having the Manage shared filters permission enabled.

Reusing favorite filters

Filter criteria that have been previously saved as a predefined favorite filter can be reused by the users, by clicking the Open favorites filter button.

Open_favourites_filter.jpg

The Open Favourites Filter button

The Filter list panel displays all the favorite filters available for the currently logged-in user, regardless if these are Personal filters or Shared filters.

Filter_list.jpg

The Filter List panel

In this view, the user can select the desired filter which will be automatically applied to the Object Filters list. Additionally, by clicking the Edit button, the Edit filter dialog is opened, allowing the user to change the general settings of the predefined filter or remove it.

Edit_filter.jpg

The Edit Filter panel