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Filtered search

Filtered search enables to search for free text in combination with structured search criteria. The criteria are any numbers of criterion objects with a name and a value.

Usage

Filtered search

When to use

  • When users may not know exactly what they are looking for and want to explore options by selecting different filters.
  • Use it when free-text search alone isn't enough, and structured criteria add value to the search process.
  • Use it to create filter formulas by adding or excluding conditions.
  • Use it where there is enough horizontal space to display filter options without cluttering the interface.
  • If users need to apply many filters, especially with nested or hierarchical structures, consider other filter patterns.

Best practices

  • Use filtered Search with simple filter patterns (e.g. string, enumeration, integer, date/time) only.
  • Always use strict criteria functionality and provide an explicit list of criteria.
  • Ignore punctuation within searches.
  • Consider adding other search capabilities according to project needs (e.g. use quotes to search for exact matches).

Design

Elements

Filtered search elements

  1. Placeholder, 2. Container, 3. Search button, 4. Clear button

Interaction states

The filtered search container color should always be in contrast with its surrounding background. Use background-2 or background-1 according to that.

Filtered search states

Filter anatomy

Filtered Search is used in combination with the Filter Pills. The filter can be composed of three different elements:

  • Key: Targeted property or category.
  • Value: Specific value of the property you are looking for.
  • Operator: The intended relation between Key and Value (=, >, <, etc).

Combine the elements according to the complexity needed.

Filter elements

Filter patterns

Character value (string)

It allows to input text to find content without a predefined set of options.

Filtered search free text

Numeric value (integer / float)

It allows to input numbers. Usually has an operator and allows range filtering.

Filtered search free text

Enumeration

Enumeration contain a predefined set of values, from which the user can select one option (single selection) or many (multi-selection). Combine with a typeahead behavior so users can enter the search value.

Filtered search enumeration

If more than one value is selected, an item count shall be shown in the filter pill.

Filtered search pills

Code

Assume you are searching for a person of a specific company and location. Company and location are criteria with possible options like Siemens, Maximago or Munich, Zug, etc. You can define possible search criteria by providing these criteria with the input [criteria] as one object. On pressing return, the (doSearch) output callback event will provide you with an object describing the selected criteria and the additional string, the user entered.

The Criterion type is used as input and output data type for this component. It always has a name and optionally a label that is used for displaying to the UI. As an input object, the options property is used to specify, which options the users can select as value for the criterion. These options can be an array of strings or an array of OptionCriterion which allows to specify a value for the label and different value for doing the search. When search is activated, the callback sets the selected option (the value itself or the value property if OptionCriterion is used) as value in the Criterion object.

For more advanced use cases, custom comparison operators (e.g. > or !=) can be used besides of the standard equal operator, while also restricting the input to match a certain data type (e.g. string or integer). See the custom operators example for details.

By default, the user is allowed to enter additional criteria and criterion values than initially configured. Additional criteria can be created by adding a : after the written criteria (e.g. additional:).

Also good to know is that Criterion values are editable after they're created. So you don't have to drop the whole Criterion.

This component uses CSS Variables to make sizes and colors adjustable on the fly. Use the variable --filtered-search-font-size in combination with --filtered-search-line-height to adjust the size of the component.

Usage

import { SiFilteredSearchComponent } from '@siemens/element-ng/filtered-search';

@Component({
  imports: [SiFilteredSearchComponent, ...]
})

Filtered search - Basic

The following provides a basic example with pre-configured criteria and their options. At a minimum, you must define the criteria. Other optional parameters to define are:

  • (doSearch) output for handling when user submits search criteria
  • [placeholder] input for placeholder (empty string by default)
  • [submitText] input for configurable 'submit' text ('Apply search criteria' by default)

Filtered search - Basic with predefined search criteria

This sample extends the first one by preselecting criteria.

Filtered search - Lazy loaded criteria values

In many cases, your application defines the criteria, but the values need to be loaded from a server. In this case you can provide an function that returns the possible criterion options as an Observable.

Filtered search - Lazy loaded criteria and category values

In addition to lazy loaded value, you can also lazy load the criteria itself.

Filtered Search - Strict criteria

If you only allow the criteria defined, use [strictCriterion] to specify it.

Filtered search - Strict category values

If you only allow the criteria options defined, use [strictValue] to specify it.

[strictValue] enforces [strictCriterion] to true automatically.

Filtered search - Trigger search value input

[doSearchOnInputChange] filters not applied explicitly ("Apply search criteria") only but implicitly while typing or selecting the search criteria.

You can use [searchDebounceTime] to change the delay between the key stroke and the search emission.

Filtered search - Custom operators

For more advanced use cases, the Criterion type also allows to specify custom comparison operators via the operators property. The operators are an array of strings like !=, <, >, etc. The selected operator is then saved in the operator property. To restrict the type of value, the validationType property can be set to any of these values: string, integer, or float. See the following example on how these properties can be used to filter for a certain temperature range:

Filtered search - DatePicker

The following example shows the datepicker's use:

Filtered search - Multi Select

The following example shows the use of multi select criterion:

SiFilteredSearchComponent API Documentation

selector
si-filtered-search

Input Properties

Name Type Default Description
clearButtonLabel
TranslatableString $localize`:@@SI_FILTERED_SEARCH.CLEAR:Clear` Clear button aria label. Needed for a11y
colorVariant
BackgroundColorVariant 'base-1' Color variant to determine component background
criteria
CriterionDefinition[] [] Predefine criteria options.
disabled
boolean false Disable any interactivity.
disableFreeTextSearch
boolean false Disables the free text search to only use the criterion for filtering.
disableSelectionByColonAndSemicolon
boolean false By default, the Filtered Search will treat : as a special character to submit the current input in the freetext and immediately create a criterion. Use this input to disable this behavior.
doSearchOnInputChange
boolean false If this is set to true , the search triggers for each input (implicit search). By default, the search is triggered when the user submits by pressing the search button or by pressing enter.
exclusiveCriteria
boolean false Opt-in to search for each criterion only once.
freeTextCriterion
CriterionDefinition Criterion definition for free-text pills. When set, free-text values will be added as a pill with this criterion. If not set, free-text pills are disabled.

Enabling this will only emit valueChange events when the free-text pill is created. When the text input is blurred and there is text inside, a free-text pill will be created.
itemCountText
TranslatableString $localize`:@@SI_FILTERED_SEARCH.ITEM_COUNT:{{itemCount}} selected` Items count text appended to the count in case of multi-selection of values. Translation key, {{itemCount}} in the translation will be replaced with the actual value.
lazyCriterionProvider
(typed: string, searchCriteria: SearchCriteria) => Observable<CriterionDefinition[]> In addition to lazy loaded value, you can also lazy load the criteria itself
lazyLoadingDebounceTime
number 500 Custom debounce time for lazy loading of criteria data.
lazyValueProvider
(criterionName: string, typed: (string | string[])) => Observable<OptionType[]> In many cases, your application defines the criteria, but the values need to be loaded from a server. In this case you can provide a function that returns the possible criterion options as an Observable.
maxCriteria
number undefined Limit the number of possible criteria. The default is undefined so that any number of criteria can be used. For example, setting the value to 1 let you only select one criterion that you need to remove before being able to set another one.
maxCriteriaOptions
number 20 Defines the maximum options within one criterion. The default is 20 and 0 means unlimited.
onlySelectValue
boolean false Limit criterion options to the predefined ones and prevent typing. [onlySelectValue] enforces [strictValue] and [strictCriterion] to true automatically.
optionsInScrollableView
number 10 Defines the number of criteria, criteria values and operators visible at once.
placeholder
string '' The placeholder for input field.
scrollStrategy
() => ScrollStrategy defaultConnectedOverlayScrollStrategyFactory() Factory for CDK scroll strategies used by filtered-search overlays.
searchCriteria
SearchCriteria { criteria: [], value: '' } The current selected search criteria and entered search text.
searchDebounceTime
number 0 Custom debounce time (in mills) to delay the search emission. (Default is 0 as in most cases a users manually triggers a search. Recommended to increase a bit when using doSearchOnInputChange=true)
searchForFreeTextLabel
TranslatableString $localize`:@@SI_FILTERED_SEARCH.SEARCH_FOR_FREE_TEXT:Search for "{{query}}"` The value to be shown for creating free-text pills. Use the {{query}} placeholder to show the user input in the label.
searchLabel
TranslatableString $localize`:@@SI_FILTERED_SEARCH.SEARCH:Search…` Search input aria label, Needed by a11y
strictCriterion
boolean false Limit criteria to the predefined ones.
strictValue
boolean false Limit criterion options to the predefined ones. [strictValue] enforces [strictCriterion] to true automatically.
submitButtonLabel
TranslatableString $localize`:@@SI_FILTERED_SEARCH.SUBMIT_BUTTON:Apply search criteria` The accessible label of the search button.
typeaheadOptionsLimit
number 20 Limit on the number of criteria/criteria value to be displayed by the typeahead

Output Properties

Name Type Description
doSearch
SearchCriteria Output callback event that provides an object describing the selected criteria and additional filter text.
interceptDisplayedCriteria
DisplayedCriteriaEventArgs The interceptor is called when the list of criteria is shown as soon as the user starts typing in the input field. The interceptor's DisplayedCriteriaEventArgs.allow method can be used to filter the list of displayed criteria.

Note: The interceptor is called as long as the searchCriteria does not exceed maxCriteria . Further, the interceptor is not called when using the lazyCriterionProvider .

Example: <​si-filtered-search [criteria]="[{ name: 'foo', label: 'Foo' }, { name: 'bar', label: 'Bar' }]" (interceptDisplayedCriteria)="$event.allow( $event.searchCriteria.criteria.some(s =​> s.name === 'foo') ? $event.criteria.filter(c =​> c !== 'foo') : $event.criteria )"​> <​/si-filtered-search​>
searchCriteriaChange
SearchCriteria The current selected search criteria and entered search text.

Attributes and Methods

Name Type Default Description
deleteAllCriteria(...)
(event: MouseEvent) => void Deletes all currently selected criteria and effectively resets the filtered search.

Parameters

Types Documentation

Represents a translatable string. This can either be a translation key, e.g. ACTIONS.EDIT that will be automatically translated when displayed on the UI or a pre-translated string, e.g. Edit . Equivalent to a normal string in usage and functionality.
("base-1" | "base-0")
Use this type with filter components colorVariant to render component variants based on background of container
A CriterionDefinition is the definition of criteria in the SiFilteredSearchComponent . It defines the type and based this further attributes like multiselect and available options.
Properties
Optional configuration object for the datepicker.
datepickerConfig?: Omit<DatepickerInputConfig, ("enableDateRange" | "enableTwoMonthDateRange")>
An optional label, which is used in the user interface.
label?: TranslatableString
Defines whether multi selection of the options is possible in a typeahead. Setting it to true enables the checkbox besides the option values. When multiSelect is true , the value input field will be readonly, allowing user to select the values only from the typeahead.
multiSelect?: boolean
The mandatory name of a criterion.
name: string
Limit criterion options to the predefined ones and prevent typing. onlySelectValue enforces strictValue to true automatically.
onlySelectValue?: boolean
This provides possible operators that the user can select for this criterion.
operators?: string[]
The options provide possible values that the user can select for this criterion.
options?: OptionType[]
Limit criterion options to the predefined ones.
strictValue?: boolean
This provides the value type of the input field.
validationType?: ValidationType
On search, the filtered search component emits a SearchCriteria object. It consists of all user selected criteria and the free text input value.
Properties
The selected criteria of the filtered search. Each criteria has a name and a value.
criteria: CriterionValue[]
Additional unstructured free text, which the user entered in the search.
value: string
Event allows to intercept and change the displayed criteria before shown in typeahead.
Properties
List of criteria names to display in typeahead.
criteria: string[]
Current search criteria.
searchCriteria: SearchCriteria
Methods
(criteriaNamesToDisplay: string[], freeText: boolean) => void
Interceptor function allows to reduce the list of displayed criteria.
Parameters
list of criteria names to be displayed.
criteriaNamesToDisplay: string[]
indicates whether free text pills are allowed.
freeText?: boolean
Properties
Similar to dateTimeFormat , but used when only a date is displayed (e.g. when showTime === false or disabledTime === true ). Only numeric date formats are supported.
dateFormat?: string
A custom date/time format according the Angular date pipe (see https://angular.dev/api/common/DatePipe ). Only numeric date formats are supported. The format is used to render the time of a date-time criterion. If not specified, mediumTime is used if the showSeconds flag is true, otherwise shortTime as default. For the date-only case, 'shortDate' is used.
dateTimeFormat?: string
Defines the time is disabled when visible. Will also be updated on user change. Default is false .
disabledTime?: boolean from disabledTime
Text or translation key for the disabled disable time. Default is Ignore time .
disabledTimeText?: TranslatableString from disabledTimeText
Options to turn on date range selection.
enableDateRange?: boolean from enableDateRange
Text or translation key for the enabled disable time. Default is Consider time .
enabledTimeText?: TranslatableString from enabledTimeText
Consider time with minDate and maxDate
enableTimeValidation?: boolean from enableTimeValidation
Option to use two months view for date range picking.
enableTwoMonthDateRange?: boolean from enableTwoMonthDateRange
endTimeLabel?: string from endTimeLabel
hideLabels?: boolean from hideLabels
Configuration for hiding week numbers. Default is false .
hideWeekNumbers?: boolean from hideWeekNumbers
hoursAriaLabel?: string from hoursAriaLabel
hoursLabel?: string from hoursLabel
hoursPlaceholder?: string from hoursPlaceholder
Hides disable time switch in the timepicker part and includes mandatory the time in the picker.
mandatoryTime?: boolean from mandatoryTime
Maximal (latest) selectable date.
maxDate?: Date from maxDate
meridians?: string[] from meridians
meridiansAriaLabel?: string from meridiansAriaLabel
meridiansLabel?: string from meridiansLabel
millisecondsAriaLabel?: string from millisecondsAriaLabel
millisecondsLabel?: string from millisecondsLabel
millisecondsPlaceholder?: string from millisecondsPlaceholder
Minimal (earliest) selectable date.
minDate?: Date from minDate
minutesAriaLabel?: string from minutesAriaLabel
minutesLabel?: string from minutesLabel
minutesPlaceholder?: string from minutesPlaceholder
Only month and year are selectable.
onlyMonthSelection?: boolean from onlyMonthSelection
secondsAriaLabel?: string from secondsAriaLabel
secondsLabel?: string from secondsLabel
secondsPlaceholder?: string from secondsPlaceholder
Defines the timepicker milliseconds visibility . Default is false .
showMilliseconds?: boolean from showMilliseconds
Defines the timepicker minutes visibility. Default is true .
showMinutes?: boolean from showMinutes
Defines the timepicker seconds visibility . Default is false .
showSeconds?: boolean from showSeconds
Defines the timepicker visibility. Default is false .
showTime?: boolean from showTime
startTimeLabel?: string from startTimeLabel
Text or translation key for today button title. Default is Today .
todayText?: TranslatableString from todayText
Defines the starting day of the week. Default is monday .
weekStartDay?: WeekStart from weekStartDay
Type for options
("string" | "integer" | "float" | "date" | "date-time")
A CriterionValue is the input/output value of the SiFilteredSearchComponent , containing the user input.
Properties
If the criterion was defined as date or date-time this field will contain the value das js Date.
dateValue?: Date
The mandatory name of a criterion.
name: string
This property holds the selected or entered operator of the criterion.
operator?: string
The value property holds the selected or entered value/values of the criterion. The value can also be passed as an array of strings. When multiSelect is enabled, the items in the value array will be shown as selected values in value input and the typeahead.
value?: (string | string[])
Properties
Defines the time is disabled when visible. Will also be updated on user change. Default is false .
disabledTime?: boolean
Text or translation key for the disabled disable time. Default is Ignore time .
disabledTimeText?: TranslatableString
Options to turn on date range selection.
enableDateRange?: boolean
Text or translation key for the enabled disable time. Default is Consider time .
enabledTimeText?: TranslatableString
Consider time with minDate and maxDate
enableTimeValidation?: boolean
Option to use two months view for date range picking.
enableTwoMonthDateRange?: boolean
endTimeLabel?: string
hideLabels?: boolean
Configuration for hiding week numbers. Default is false .
hideWeekNumbers?: boolean
hoursAriaLabel?: string
hoursLabel?: string
hoursPlaceholder?: string
Hides disable time switch in the timepicker part and includes mandatory the time in the picker.
mandatoryTime?: boolean
Maximal (latest) selectable date.
maxDate?: Date
meridians?: string[]
meridiansAriaLabel?: string
meridiansLabel?: string
millisecondsAriaLabel?: string
millisecondsLabel?: string
millisecondsPlaceholder?: string
Minimal (earliest) selectable date.
minDate?: Date
minutesAriaLabel?: string
minutesLabel?: string
minutesPlaceholder?: string
Only month and year are selectable.
onlyMonthSelection?: boolean
secondsAriaLabel?: string
secondsLabel?: string
secondsPlaceholder?: string
Defines the timepicker milliseconds visibility . Default is false .
showMilliseconds?: boolean
Defines the timepicker minutes visibility. Default is true .
showMinutes?: boolean
Defines the timepicker seconds visibility . Default is false .
showSeconds?: boolean
Defines the timepicker visibility. Default is false .
showTime?: boolean
startTimeLabel?: string
Text or translation key for today button title. Default is Today .
todayText?: TranslatableString
Defines the starting day of the week. Default is monday .
weekStartDay?: WeekStart
It allows to specify a different value between the one which is rendered and the one which is used for the search.
Properties
The icon to be displayed besides value in the typeahead
iconClass?: string
The label to show
label?: TranslatableString
Shows whether the option is selected in the multi-select dropdown
selected?: boolean
The value to use on searching
value: string

("monday" | "saturday" | "sunday" | undefined)
Wrapper around an actual translation framework which is meant to be used internally by Element. Applications must not use this service.

Use injectSiTranslateService to get an instance of the translation service.
Constructor
() => {}
Properties
The currently used language.
currentLanguage: (string | null)
documentRef: Document = ...
prevent$LocalizeInit?: boolean
translationChange$: Observable<void> = NEVER
Accessors
The available languages.
get availableLanguages: readonly string[]
set availableLanguages: (languages: string[])
If the underlying translation library supports switching the language and/or updating the translation texts, this observable will emit. There is no initial emit.
get translationChange: Observable<void>
Methods
The language to be used as default.
Returns The code of the default language.

getDefaultLanguage: () => (string | null)
Sets a new language to be used. If needed, loads the language file.
Returns An observable that emits when the new language is loaded and activated.
Parameters
The language to be used.
lang: string
The language to be used as default.
Parameters
The language code.
lang: string
Parameters
lang: string
(key: string, value: string) => void
If supported by the underlying translation library, this method can be used to add a translation for a specific key.
It is intended to be used for adding the english default value.
It will be called whenever a key within element is resolved.
An implementation of this method must check that it does not override an existing translation.
Parameters
key: string
value: string
<(T: (string | string[]))> (keys: T, params: Record<string, unknown>) => (TranslationResult<T> | Observable<TranslationResult<T>>)
Translates the key(s) by using the underlying translation library.
Returns Returns the translated key or an object with the translated keys. Depending on the underlying translation library (sync/async) the result will be wrapped in an Observable.
Parameters
A single translation key or an array of keys.
keys: T
Parameters to be replaced within the translation text.
params?: Record<string, unknown>
<(T: (string | string[]))> (keys: T, params: Record<string, unknown>) => Observable<TranslationResult<T>>
Translates the key(s) by using the underlying translation library in an asynchronous manner. It will emit each time the active language is changed.
Returns Returns the translated key or an object with the translated keys wrapped in an Observable.
Parameters
A single translation key or an array of keys.
keys: T
Parameters to be replaced within the translation text.
params?: Record<string, unknown>
<(T: (string | string[]))> (keys: T, params: Record<string, unknown>) => TranslationResult<T>
Translates the key(s) by using the underlying translation library in a synchronous manner.

Warning: The caller of this function needs to make sure the translation file(s) are already loaded. It is generally not recommended to use this function unless you know exactly what you are doing.

Returns Returns the translated key or an object with the translated keys.
Parameters
A single translation key or an array of keys.
keys: T
Parameters to be replaced within the translation text.
params?: Record<string, unknown>

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