Creating Custom Filters with Expressions

Create custom filters with "filterType" and "optionType" properties for single/multi-select or hierarchical filters, with personalization and restrictions.

If you desire to establish special filter categories based on values from a question, you can construct your own filter.

Basic custom filter properties

filter filterType [identifier] {
    // where filterType ::= singleselect | multiselect | hierarchy
    // identifier is optional. If you want to refer to the filter value
    // it must have a unique identifier label: "Filter label"
    option optionType [optionIdentifier] {
        // where optionType ::= checkbox | radio, depending on filterType
        label: "Option 1" // optionIdentifier is optional
        value: condition // e.g. survey:q1 > 7
    }
    ...
}

Singleselect example

layoutArea toolbar {
    filter singleselect period {
        label: "Reporting period"
        option radio s1 {
            label: "Last quarter"
            value: InQuarter(survey:interview_start, -1, 0)
        }
        option radio s2 {
            label: "Last 6 months"
            value: InMonth(survey:interview_start, -6, 0)
        }
        option radio s3 {
            label: "Last 11 months"
            value: InMonth(survey:interview_start, -11, 0)
            }
        option radio s4 {
            label: "Last 12 months"
            value: InYear(survey:interview_start, -1, 0)
        }
    }
}

Multiselect example

layoutArea toolbar {
    filter multiselect {
        label: "Account Rating"
        option checkbox {
            label: "Gold"
            value: accounts:TotalAccountValue > 200000
        }
        option checkbox {
            label: "Silver"
            value: accounts:TotalAccountValue >99999 AND accounts:TotalAccountValue
            <199999
        }
        option checkbox {
            label: "Bronze"
            value: accounts:TotalAccountValue < 100000
        }
    }
}

Hierarchy filter example

config hub {
    hub: 1169
    table hier = dbdesigner.364 // table id
    table survey = p1079889.response
    // the relationship between hierarchy and survey must be defined
    // as between any other two tables
    relation oneToMany rel4 {
        primaryKey: hier:id
        foreignKey: survey:q1
    }
}
layoutArea toolbar {
    filter hierarchy {
        label: "Hierarchy filter label"
        hierarchy: hier:174 // hierarchy id
        optionLabel: hier:language_text
        root: 45
        default: 45
    }
}

You can specify a default selection for a hierarchy filter by using the "default" property and referencing the id of the desired hierarchy node.

You can also restrict filtering to only a part of the hierarchy, such as a specific country, by utilizing the "root" property. This will conceal the rest of the hierarchy, allowing the user to only set a filter from that node and downwards in the hierarchy.

These properties can also be dynamically obtained from a hub table, such as Node Assignments from Hierarchy Management, to offer personalized filter capabilities. For example, when reporting on employee data in a contact database.

config hub {
    hub: 129227
    table hierarchy = dbdesigner.19423
    table userNodes = Hierarchy11148.NodeAssignments
    table employees = p1867705701.response
    relation oneToMany {
        primaryKey: hierarchy:id
        foreignKey: employees:hierarchy
    }
    userProperty claim nodeId {
        joinKey: userNodes:UserName
        value: userNodes:NodeId
    }
}
layoutArea toolbar {
    filter hierarchy {
        label: "Hierarchy"
        hierarchy: hierarchy:19423
        optionLabel: hierarchy:language_text
        default: @currentUser.nodeId
        root: @currentUser.nodeId
    }
}

Similar to any other applied filters, Custom filters will appear in the filter summary.

For details of the properties and settings, refer to filter in the CDL Reference Guide.