Comparison Field

Editor for a comparison field value in a filter condition.

Remarks

The Comparison Field editor is a UI component used within filter condition editors (such as Comparison Editor) to present and manage the value input for a field being compared in a search filter. It adapts its input controls and validation to the data type and configuration of the selected field, supporting text, numeric, date, and timespan values, as well as advanced date functions.

Purpose and Functionality

The Comparison Field editor enables users to:

• Enter or select a value to compare against, with input controls that adapt to the field's data type (e.g., text box, number input, date picker).
• Toggle between direct date entry and date function input (such as "now", "add", or "sub" for date math) using the {Function} button when applicable.
• View tooltips and contextual help for the selected field, including field type, formatting instructions, and additional guidance.
• Benefit from automatic formatting, alignment, and disabling of the input when the filter is set to a null comparison.

The editor ensures that the value entered matches the requirements of the field, including type, formatting, and alignment. For date and timespan fields, it provides additional guidance and toggles for advanced input scenarios.

UI Components

• Value Input: Input control (text box, number input, date picker, etc.) for entering the comparison value. The control adapts to the field's type.
• {Function} Button: Toggles between standard value input and date function input for date fields.
• Tooltip Area: Displays field-specific help, type information, and formatting instructions (such as timespan format guidance).

Example

The following diagram illustrates the typical layout of the Comparison Field editor:

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ {Value Input}   {Function}                    │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

• {Value Input}: Input for the comparison value, adapting to the field's type.
• {Function}: Button to toggle date function input (visible for date fields).
• Tooltip area provides context, help, and formatting instructions.

Usage Guidance

• Use the Comparison Field editor to enter or select the value for a filter condition.
• For date fields, use the {Function} button to switch between direct date entry and date function input.
• Refer to the tooltip for formatting instructions, especially for timespan or specialized field types.
• The input is automatically disabled if the filter is set to a null comparison.

Command Buttons

Button	Shortcut Key		Summary
function function			Toggle between a date picker and a date function.
menu menu			Open the menu.
delete delete			Delete this condition.
open_jam add_parent_group			Add a new parent group above this condition.

Used By

Comparison Editor