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Filters and Search Boxes

A browse view gives visitors three ways to narrow a catalogue: filters in a panel on the left, a search box that finds records as they type, and a Sort By list. This article covers how each is configured and how it behaves, including the limits worth knowing before you promise a particular filter.

Where to find it

Architect Panel → Layout & Pages:

  • Browse Views — open a view in the Browse View Builder; filters, search and sorting are set per field in Field Configuration

Filters

Choose a Filter Mode for a field in Field Configuration. The filter panel appears only when at least one field has a filter, and each filter is headed with the field's name.

  • Tickbox List: a checkbox per value. Offered for text, dropdown, pills and radio fields, and for numbers. For a dropdown, only the options actually used by records are listed, by name; for pills, the pill titles in use.
  • Range Slider: a slider between the lowest and highest values present, with a "min - max" readout. Use it on number and slider fields.
  • Toggle Switch: offered for tickbox and toggle fields, but at present it draws only its heading, with no control. Do not use it; a Tickbox List on the same field is not offered either, so leave yes/no fields unfiltered or convert them to pills.

Ticking several boxes in one filter shows records matching any of them; filters on different fields must all match. A filter with nothing ticked has no effect. There is no "clear all" button: visitors untick boxes or reload the page.

The search box

  1. Tick Include in Search for the text fields to search.
  2. Write the Search template under Item Appearances: one short line per result.
  3. Visitors type in the box above the listing; results drop down beneath it after a brief pause, best match first. Each word is matched from its start, so "lond" finds "London".

Search works separately from the listing: it ignores the filters and sort, and its results drop down rather than replacing the cards. When nothing matches it shows "Sorry we could not find any results." Searching needs a full-text index on each searched field, which the hosting administrator creates; without one, search fails with a configuration error.

Sort By

Each Sortable field adds two choices: "(A-Z)" and "(Z-A)" for text, or "(Low to High)" and "(High to Low)" for numbers. With location switched on, Nearest First is added. The first choice in the list is the default order, and there is no blank option.

Standing filters

The Filter Data card holds conditions every listing obeys whatever the visitor chooses, such as "Published is Yes" or "Status is Open". Visitors cannot see or remove them.

What goes wrong and how to tell

  • "Invalid filter information submitted" after ticking a box: a Tickbox List on a free-text field whose values are words rather than numbers. Use a dropdown or pills field for anything visitors filter on.
  • "The search facility for this page has not been configured yet, please contact the website owner.": no field is ticked Include in Search.
  • Search shows an error: the searched fields have no full-text index. Ask the hosting administrator.
  • A Toggle Switch filter shows only a heading: see above.
  • A slider will not reach a value: the slider spans only values present in the records, in whole numbers.

Worked example

A training catalogue filters on Subject (a dropdown, Tickbox List) and Level (pills, Tickbox List), with a Range Slider on Duration in hours. Title and Summary are included in search, and Title and Price are sortable, so Sort By offers "Title (A-Z)" first. A visitor ticks Health and Safety and First Aid under Subject and Beginner under Level, and sees beginner courses in either subject.

Recommendations

  • Filter on dropdowns and pills, not free text.
  • Check which choice heads the Sort By list, because it is the default order.
  • Keep search to the few fields people actually type, such as titles.
  • Use Filter Data for what must never be published, not a visitor filter.