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Version: 12 - TBD

Advanced Search

The advanced search allows filtered search for all records in an Engine workspace.

To access the advanced search, first open the quick search popover by clicking into the quick search bar in the top navigation. Then click on the "Advanced Search" button.

the advanced search button in the quick search popover

note

Your search filters are stored in your browser (in localStorage), not in the URL. They persist automatically across page reloads and navigation, and stay private to your browser. Because the filter is no longer part of the page URL, bookmarking or sharing the URL will not carry your query. Some links do embed filter parameters — for example, the Advanced search button on an object template's custom-object list — and opening such a link imports those filters into your browser, replacing the currently stored filter.

The advanced search screen is structured into three tabs: Resources, Executions, and Messages.

There are a wide number of possibilities to filter the search results.

the advanced search filters

Simple Filters​

You can search by name, filter for type (e.g. Flow or Setting), and select if trashed items should be shown. For these filters you don't need to click on the search button, the search will be automatically performed.

Name Filter​

Limits the search to contain only records with names that contain the given string. For example, the string "test" will yield results like "test-flow", "run-tests".

Type Filter​

Limits the search to specific types.

the type filter

hint

You can also filter for types by using the name of the type in the search bar.

E.g. when you enter "flow" into the search bar, a second button appears with the text "Search for all flows". Click on it to set flow as a type filter.

the alternative type filter

Record Status Filter​

Limit the search to trashed or non-trashed records.

the record status filter

Advanced Filters​

Engine allows you to use complex filtering logic to find records that fulfil very specific criteria.

Adding Filters​

You can start adding filters by clicking on "Add filter".

the add filter button

Alternatively, you can right-click on a field of a record in the list view, then click on "Add as a filter"

the pop-over to add a filter

From here on, you can specify attributes to filter by, change the AND / OR logic, add more filters or groups. Once you're ready, click on "Search" to perform the query.

from here on you can specify the filter

Using AND / OR Logic​

You can combine AND / OR operators and nest them in any combination. An operator is applied to every filter within its group. Clicking on "Add filter" adds a filter to the current group. Clicking on "Add group" creates a new group within the current group i.e. nesting.

Let's look at some examples to understand this better.

example 1: Simple AND

Here's how we can filter for records that are read-only and are created after a certain time.

  1. Select Is readonly from the attribute dropdown and set it to True.

  1. Add a filter to the current group.

  1. Select Created at from the attribute dropdown, then select After and set it to a time.

This filter would be equivalent to the following python code (using str instead of datetime for simplicity):

is_readonly is True and created_at > '2000-01-01 12:00'
example 2: Simple OR

To switch this logic to find records that are read-only or are created after a certain time, simply change AND to OR from the operator dropdown

  1. Follow the same steps as in the previous example but select OR from the operator dropdown.

This filter would be equivalent to the following python code (using str instead of datetime for simplicity):

is_readonly is True or created_at > '2000-01-01 12:00'
example 3: Combining AND and OR

For the final example, let's combine the two operators. This will also show us, how to nest operators using groups.

We will now create a filter that shows records that fulfil at least one of two conditions:

  • are read-only and are created after a certain time,
  • are not read-only and are created before that certain time.
  1. Start with an empty filter and set the operator to OR.

  1. Add a new group to create a nested condition. Now this group also has the button to add filters or new subgroups.

  1. Delete the attribute dropdown from the top level so the operator dropdowns are on the same level, next to each other.

  1. Add a filter to the subgroup with the AND operator. This subgroup will define the first condition.

  1. Add a second subgroup to the top group.

  1. Add a filter to the second subgroup. This subgroup will define the second condition.

  1. Now that you have the logical skeleton, fill in the attribute dropdowns.

This filter would be equivalent to the following python code (using str instead of datetime for simplicity):

(is_readonly is True and created_at > '2000-01-01 12:00')
or (is_readonly is False and created_at < '2000-01-01 12:00')

Direct vs. Indirect Filters​

You can find records by attributes that are directly or indirectly associated with them. Indirect attributes are distinguishable by their ending: "(all attributes)"

An example for a direct filter would be finding records that are in a specific project (here we can directly filter by the project_id of the record)

here is a direct filter

An example for an indirect filter would be finding records that are in a project that was created by a specific user (here first we find projects that were created by a user with a specific id. Then we can see which records have those project_ids)

here is an indirect filter

Filtering Custom Objects by Attribute Values​

Custom objects carry user-defined attributes, declared on their object template. In addition to a custom object's built-in record fields, you can filter custom objects by the values of these attributes.

Attribute filters become available once the search is scoped to a single object template — that is, the filter contains an object template condition selecting exactly one template. The quickest way to get there is the Advanced search button on an object template's custom-object list, which opens the advanced search already scoped to that template. You can also add an object template filter yourself and set it to the template you want.

Once the search is scoped, that template's attributes appear as additional fields in the filter's field dropdown, each labelled with its attribute display label. Every attribute filters with a value control matched to its datatype:

  • Text attributes offer the string operators (contains, equals, …).
  • Number attributes offer numeric comparisons (equals, greater than, …).
  • Date / time attributes offer Before / After.
  • Boolean attributes offer a true / false choice.
  • Dropdown (allowed-values) attributes offer the attribute's own list of allowed values to pick from.

For example, scoping to an operator-task template lets you add a filter such as Status Is in-progress, or combine Priority Is high and Status Is not done using the usual AND / OR logic described above.

note

Attribute filters are offered only for custom objects, and only while the search is scoped to a single object template — a search across mixed record types cannot know which attributes apply. Under the hood each attribute is matched on the custom object's stored value.<attribute> path.

Beyond a record's own attributes and indirect (foreign-key) attributes, you can filter for records based on whether they have a related record that itself matches a condition — for example, "all custom objects that have a metadata entry marking them as a temporary test record", or "all custom objects that do not have any git-sync log".

Click "+ has related record" inside a filter group. This button appears only for record types that expose related records (for example on the Resources tab).

the "+ has related record" button, next to "+ Add filter" and "+ Add group"

A related-record filter has three parts:

  1. Has related / Has no related — choose whether the record must have at least one matching related record (Has related), or must have no matching related record (Has no related).
  2. Relation — the kind of related record to look at (for example Record metadata, Record log, or Record tag for a resource). This is required.
  3. A nested condition — once you pick a relation, a nested filter builder appears. Add one or more filters, combined with the same AND / OR logic, that the related record must satisfy. The condition is scoped to the related record's own fields.

a "has related record" filter: resources that have a Record metadata entry matching a nested condition

note

The nested condition currently requires at least one filter. To match records that have any related record of a given kind regardless of its contents, add a trivially-true condition on the related record.

tip

Looking for a record by any word it contains rather than by precise field criteria? Use Full-Text Search instead — it searches every indexed record type at once and ranks results by relevance.

Customizing displayed columns​

Every resource list — the Resources tab, an Advanced Search result, and project or bundle listings — lets you choose which columns are visible. Open the column selector (the columns icon above the table) and toggle individual columns, or use one of the two buttons at the bottom of the selector:

  • Show All — display every available column for the record type.
  • Reset to defaults — restore the record type's default set of columns, discarding your customization. Your page size and sort order are kept.

Your column choices are remembered per list in your browser, so a list keeps your selection the next time you open it. Reset to defaults clears that stored selection for the list.

Custom object attribute columns​

When a custom-object search is scoped to a single object template — the same condition that unlocks attribute filters, an object template condition selecting exactly one template — that template's attributes are also available as columns. The first few attributes are shown automatically, and the full set appears in the column selector alongside the built-in record columns, each labelled with its attribute display label; selecting one adds a column that shows each custom object's value.<attribute> value. These attribute columns are sortable, so you can order the results by an attribute such as Priority or Status.

For example, scoping to an operator-task template lets you display a Status and Priority column next to the built-in Name and Modified at, and sort by either.

note

Like attribute filters, attribute columns are offered only for custom objects and only while the search is scoped to a single object template — a search across mixed record types cannot know which attributes apply.

Learn More​

Full-Text Search
Projects
Trash (Deleted records)