Add Any as an option for connection fields used in search forms

Feature Requests
1

Other fields allow the use of Any in the search form pull-down options. This is not the case with fields that are Connections.


2

Hi Henry - a Search view now allows multiple matches in the search filter field settings. You can choose between "Records can match any option" or "Records must match all options".

3

There is a workaround for this, but its a temporary solution that requires additional maintenance. Here's the scenario:

  • Two Tables: Products and Materials
  • Connection: Materials -> Products. A Product is made of one Material, a Material can be used in many Products
  • Search Page for Products with several pull-down search filters for other mult-choice fields, one of them is Materials

Issue: Materials is a Connection type field so the pull-down control on the search page looks very different from the other multiple-choice field pull-down controls. Also, the Connection type filter does not support 'Any' filter value.

Workaround:

  1. Create a new Text Combo field 'Materials-TC', set its default value to Materials -> Material
  2. Create a new Multi-Choice field 'Materials-MC', set its default values to 'Materials-TC'. Also include one choice for every type of Material
  3. Update the Search interface to include a filter on 'Materials-MC'
  4. Make sure Material-MC and Material-TC fields do now show up on any Edit/Create views for Products

Advantage, you can now filter on Materials using a control that looks like all the other multi-choice controls, plus you have the filter option of 'Any'. Materials-TC and Materials-MC are always set to be value of Materials connection field.

Drawback: When a new material is added to the Materials table, you need to remember to update the Material-MC with the new value so that it will appear on the search pull down. This is only required to maintain searching. Data integrity is guaranteed because of the default values.