FilterExpression

The FilterExpression object represents the expression that is used to 'find' an item that matches its defined condition. A FilterExpression object contains two fields, an operator and optional a Boolean flag that indicates whether the condition should be evaluated negatively.

Supported Platform(s)

- BlackBerry OS 5.0+

- Ripple Emulator

View Supported Platform Table

API	BB5.0	BB6.0	BB7.0	Ripple
blackberry.find.FilterExpression	Y	Y	Y	Y
leftField	Y	Y	Y	Y
negate	Y	Y	Y	Y
operator	Y	Y	Y	Y
rightField	Y	Y	Y	Y

Configuration Document Settings

To use all of the API described for this object, you must ensure the following settings are in your configuration document:

You must declare the feature element(s) below in your configuration document:

Feature ID	BB5.0	BB6.0	BB7.0	PB1.0	PB2.0	BB10	Ripple
<feature id="blackberry.find" />	Y	Y	Y				Y

Permission Elements (PlayBook and BlackBerry 10+)
This API does not require a <permission> element to be declared in the configuration document of your BlackBerry WebWorks Application.

Constructors

blackberry.find.FilterExpression

Properties

Object	leftField
Boolean	negate
Object	operator
Object	rightField

Constructors

blackberry.find.FilterExpression (leftField : Object, operator : Object, rightField : Object, [negate : Boolean])

The FilterExpression object is an instance object, where if a new instance is desired, it must be created using the new keyword.

Supported Platforms
	- BlackBerry OS 5.0+
	- Ripple Emulator

Parameters
leftField	an object of String or FilterExpression class.
operator	the operator used for comparing or combining.
rightField	a value of to be comared or an object of FilterExpression class to be combined.
negate	optional (default value is false), the flag that indicates whether the condition of the FilterExpression object should be evaluated negatively.

Code Example:

<script type="text/javascript">

  // Find all appointments with "start" date later than current time
  var d = new Date();
  var fe1 = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("start", ">", d);
  var appt = blackberry.pim.Appointment.find(fe1, 10);

  // Find all contacts with "firstName" lead by "John"
  var fe2 = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("firstName", "REGEX", "John[a-zA-Z_0-9 ]*");
  var result = blackberry.pim.Contact.find(fe2);
  for (i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
    alert(result[i].firstName);
  }
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">

  // Find all contacts except "John Smith"
  var feFirst = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("firstName", "==", "John");
  var feLast = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("lastName", "==", "Smith");

  // Create a FilterExpression with "feFirst && feLast", with negateExpression set to "true"
  var feNotJohnSmith = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression(feFirst, "AND", feLast, true);

  // result contains all contacts except "John Smith"
  var result = blackberry.pim.Contact.find(feNotJohnSmith );
  for (i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
    alert(result[i].firstName);
  }
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">

  // Create a FilterExpression with "firstName" equals to "John" and "lastName" equals to "Smith"
  var feFirst = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("firstName", "==", "John");
  var feLast = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("lastName", "==", "Smith");
  var feJohnSmith =  new blackberry.find.FilterExpression(feFirst, "AND", feLast);

  // Create a FilterExpression with "firstName" equals to "Jack" and "lastName" equals to "Brown"
  var feJackBrown = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression
                          (new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("firstName", "==", "Jack"),
                           "AND",
                           new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("lastName", "==", "Brown"));

  // FilterExpression can be nested or combined
  var feCombined = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression(feJohnSmith, "OR", feJackBrown);

  // Find all contacts either "John Smith" or "Jack Brown"
  var result = blackberry.pim.Contact.find(feCombined);
  for (i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
    alert(result[i].firstName);
  }
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">

  // Create a FilterExpression with "firstName" equals to "John" and "lastName" equals to "Smith"
  var feFirst = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("firstName", "==", "John");
  var feLast = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("lastName", "==", "Smith");
  var feJohnSmith = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression(feFirst, "AND", feLast);

  // Find all contacts either "John Smith" or with the firstName of "Jack"
  var feCombined2 = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression(feJohnSmith, "OR", new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("firstName", "==", "Jack"));
  var result2 = blackberry.pim.Contact.find(feCombined2);
  for (i = 0; i < result2.length; i++) {
    alert(result2[i].firstName);
  }
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">

  // Create a FilterExpression with "Business" being one of the categories
  var fe = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("categories", "CONTAINS", "Business");

  // Find all contacts that belong to the "Business" category
  var result = blackberry.pim.Contact.find(fe);
  for (i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
    alert(result[i].firstName);
  }
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">

  // Create a FilterExpression for uncategorized items
  var fe = new blackberry.find.FilterExpression("categories", "==", null);

  // Find all uncategorized tasks
  var result = blackberry.pim.Task.find(fe);
  for (i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
    alert(result[i].summary);
  }
</script>

Properties

readonly Object leftField

1. (Either) contains the interested field for "Find." It supports "." to define the subfield to be matched, for example "homeAddress.zipPostal" for a find towards pim.Contact; It also supports the JAM predefined fields for the attribute of Date type (using "."), so the user can "find" towards a Date attribute to match "any appointments that start at 12 o'clock" or "all reminders that will alarm in Oct" without creating complex expression objects.

For example, for a find towards pim.Appointment, if its "start" attribute is a Date of "Dec. 4, 2008 16:30:00"
start.Year - returns a string of 4 digits of the Year value of the date attribute: "2008"
start.Month - returns a string of the Month value: "12"
start.Day - returns a string of the Date value: "4"
start.Hour - returns a string of the Hour value: "16"
start.Minute - returns a string of the Minute value: "30"
start.Second - returns a string of the Second value: "00"

2. (Or) contains another FilterExpression object to be combined with "rightField."

Supported Platforms
	- BlackBerry OS 5.0+
	- Ripple Emulator

readonly Boolean negate

The Boolean flag that indicates whether the condition of the FilterExpression object should be evaluated negatively. This should only be used when you have nested expressions. On regular field/value comparisons, negate isn't necessary as the != is sufficient.

Supported Platforms
	- BlackBerry OS 5.0+
	- Ripple Emulator

readonly Object operator

Contains the operator, which is either an integer or a string, used for comparing or combining:
0, "!=" - Not equal
1, "==" - Equal
2, "<" - Less than
4, ">" - Greater than
3, "<=" - Equal | Less than (Less or Equal)
5, ">=" - Equal | Greater than (Greater or Equal)
8, "REGEX" - Regular expression. Please refer to java.lang.String.matches() API for details of how to create the correct regular expression and expected behavior.
16, "AND" - AND
32, "OR" - OR
64, "CONTAINS" - CONTAINS

Supported Platforms
	- BlackBerry OS 5.0+
	- Ripple Emulator

readonly Object rightField

1. (Either) contains the value that used for comparing with the field that is specified by "leftField."
2. (Or) contains another FilterExpression object to be combined with "leftField."

Supported Platforms
	- BlackBerry OS 5.0+
	- Ripple Emulator

Documentation generated by JsDoc Toolkit 2.4.0 on Mon Feb 11 2013 14:51:07 GMT-0500 (EST)