The Query Builder Window uses simple or complex criteria to find items in the Cimera Database.
The Query Builder Window can be launched by
•Selecting Query name
•Selecting
•Selecting Advanced from the Simple Query window
•Selecting Edit from the Manage Queries window
Name
A query can be saved by giving it a name a pressing Save. It will then be available from the Main menu by selecting Name
It can also be accessed from the Manage Queries window
Save Query
Save the current query
It is saved on the local machine in the client settings under C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Propel Systems\Cimera\CimeraClient.config
This means that (currently) queries are specific to a user and a machine though they will be more flexible in a future release.
Run Query
Query the Cimera Database for all Items of the selected Item Type meeting the specified criteria.
Item Type
Select the Item Type you wish to search. The Item Type selected will determine which attributes are available to specify criteria against.
Some Item Types are Inherited by other Item Types (see Item Type Inheritance), if the selected Item Type is inherited then all its descendant Item Types are also searched.
For example select Item Type "Computer" to search all "Desktops", "Laptops" and "Servers"
If an Item Type is not creatable (see Item Type Inheritance) then it will appear in italics.
Items
If the Item Type selected is not versionable then the Items option will always be selected (see Versions)
Items or Versions
If the Item Type selected is versionable then there will be an Items or Versions option.
Select whether you are searching for Versions or the Item Stems of Versions.
If Items is selected then only the Stem attributes will be available.
If Versions is selected then the attributes of both the Item Stem and the Version will be available to specify criteria against.
•If Stem fields are selected then if an Item Stem meets the criteria then all its versions will be included.
•If Version fields are selected then all Versions that meet the criteria, irrespective of the Stem, will be included
•If both Stem and Version fields are selected then the Versions will only be included if their Stem meets the Stem criteria and the Version meets the Version criteria.
Clear
Remove all criteria
Query Syntax
The Cimera Query Builder uses a kind of polish notation (or prefix notation) to specify the criteria. i.e. the operator is specified BEFORE the operands it applies to, and not in between them.
For example
instead of a sum being written as 1+2+3 it would be specified as +1 2 3
the expression
reference=123 AND (colour=green OR day=Monday OR Status=Closed)
would be expressed as
AND reference=123 OR (colour=green, day=Monday, Status=Closed)
or with different formatting
AND reference=123
OR colour=green
day=Monday
Status=Closed
Boolean Expressions
The Query Builder only uses the boolean operators AND, OR, NOT so expressions are in the format:
BooleanOperator (condition1, condition2, condition3,…)
Where "condition" returns either TRUE or FALSE
For example
AND (2>1 , 3>4 , 6>5) returns FALSE
OR (2>1 , 3>4) returns TRUE
AND (Condition1, Condition2, OR (Condition3, Condition4, Condition5))
returns TRUE if Conditions 1 and 2 are both TRUE and at least one of Conditions 3, 4 or 5 are TRUE
AND (9>8, OR (2>1 , 3>4) , 6>5) returns TRUE
Building the Query
There are 3 main parts to an expression
AND
OR
Condition
Add AND
Create a new boolean AND statement (See Boolean Expressions below).
This option is only available if an "OR" statement is high lighted (it makes no logical sense in any other context)
Add OR
Create a new boolean OR statement (See Boolean Expressions below).
This option is only available if an "AND" statement is high lighted (it makes no logical sense in any other context)
Add Condition
Create a new condition for the parent AND or OR statement (See Boolean Expressions below)
This will bring up the Add Condition window which will allow the user to select
1.the field they wish to test
2.the condition
3.the value to compare it against.
The latter 2 are customised depending on the Attribute Type of the field selected.
NOT
Negate the selected condition.
For example if you wanted the Items with Names that did not start with an "a" then set the condition to be "Name starts with a" and then negate it.
Remove
Delete the selected boolean condition
Search Results
A list of all Items meeting the criteria, populated when the Run Query button is pressed.
The Filter affects what is displayed, it does not affect what is returned from the Database. See Item List Filter
Note
The Query Builder Window only searches the Cimera Databases, it does not search the Item Library which holds file attachments.
It does not search long text fields such as the History Box and Text Box (See Attribute Types)
See Also
