[rt-users] Query Builder documentation

[Stephen Hancock]

Matthew,

The QueryBuilder  doesn't like to mix AND and OR. I have had to get
several statements up with the QueryBuilder and then go to the
Advanced Menu to finish the statement. The Advanced menu will accept
mixed statements just fine. I would suggest saving some  typical
queries as templates and then allow users to load them and plug in the
valuses they want.


On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 17:46:13 +1100, Matthew Watson
<matthew.watson at staff.netspace.net.au> wrote:
>  
>  
> 
> Hi, 
> 
>   
> 
> FYI. RT 3.2.2 
> 
>   
> 
>  I was wondering if anyone has written up documentation for using the Query
> builder (couldn't really find anything useful in the wiki). 
> 
>   
> 
> I somewhat understand how it works, although it still seems to do unexpected
> things at times, or just plan refuses to do them at other times, and if I'm
> having issues then I'm sure our accounts people are too J 
> 
>   
> 
> It seems fine for doing a query full of "AND"'s or "OR"'s, but once you
> start mixing them, you need to shuffle it around a lot to get the query how
> you want it, and sometimes it seems impossible to get it how you want it.. 
> 
>   
> 
> Even using the advanced builder doesn't always do what I would expect, 
> 
>   
> 
> An example, I would think I should be able to build this 
> 
>   
> 
> Owner = 'Nobody' 
> 
> AND ( Status = 'new'  or Status = 'open' ) 
> 
> AND (  Queue = 'Bugs'  
> 
> OR Queue = 'Faults'  ) 
> 
> AND (  LastUpdated < 'Today'   
> 
>           OR ( Due > '1970-01-01'  AND LastUpdated > 'Yesterday' ) ) 
> 
>   
> 
> However, when I apply this, I end up with 
> 
>   
> 
> Owner = 'Nobody'  
> 
> AND ( Status = 'new'  or Status = 'open' ) 
> 
> AND ( Queue = 'Bugs'  OR Queue = 'Faults' ) 
> 
> AND ( LastUpdated < 'Today'  AND ( Due > '1970-01-01'  AND LastUpdated >
> 'Yesterday' ) ) 
> 
>   
> 
> Almost there, except the OR between LastUpdated and Due has been converted
> into an AND, and nothing I do will let me change it back. Perhaps its just
> that nesting like that is not allowed, but if that is the case, an error
> would be nice rather than it happily changing the query? Actually building
> this query using the "graphical" builder is a major lesson in frustration,
> as bits of the query jump all over the place while trying to group parts of
> the query and  "AND"'s turn to "OR" and visa versa for no apparent reason. 
> 
>   
> 
>   
> 
> So, the question really is, I'm I just not understanding how to correctly
> use the query builder, or is it flawed (and if so, is it fixed in 3.4)? If
> it's the former, does anyone have the documentation so I can explain to all
> our staff how to successfully build complex queries? 
> 
>   
> 
> Ps.. sorry for the rant J 
> 
>   
> 
>   
> 
> Regards 
> 
>   
> 
> -- 
> 
> Matthew Watson 
> 
> Netspace Online Systems 
> 
> (03) 98110010 
> 
>   
> 
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