Data filtering options
This page appears as part of the Advanced Print Wizard and the Job Creation Presets Wizard.
The Data Filtering Options page is used to filter records to prevent them from
being printed. Conditions are evaluated on each record, and can be based upon such diverse data as the data fields used in records or the physical printing options for a record.
The rule(s) apply at a Group level. There may be one rule or many rules at the same level, and there may be groups within groups, providing the ability to create quite complex nested logical structures.
Group
A group consists of one or more rules with a logic operator. Four logic choices are available at the Group level. These are:
- All of the following.
This equates to the logical operator (... AND ...)
If all of the associated criteria are met, then this group resolves to TRUE. - Any of the following.
This equates to the logical operator (... OR ...)
If any of the associated criteria are met, then this group resolves to TRUE. - Not all of the following.
This equates to the logical operator (NOT(... AND ...)).
If any (but not all) of the associated criteria are met, then this group resolves to TRUE. - Not any of the following.
This equates to the logical operator (NOT (... OR ...))
If none of the associated criteria are met, then this group resolves to TRUE.
The top level is always a group. A group can contain one or more Rules and/or Groups.
Rule
A Rule is a logic expression using a single operator or function, and their associated operand(s). The number and type of operands is dependent upon the operator or function chosen.
Rules can also have different types. The available rule types depend upon the context where the Rule Editor is used. For instance, within Job Creation, there can be data rules that are based on record data belonging to a content item, but there will also be "location rules" that deal with the position of a document within the job.
The Rule types are as follows:
- Data Rule: This rule operates upon Data entries. Select the Data Field, then select the logical test and the associated test value(s). The options available will depend upon the Data Field type (they are "type aware"), but all have at least "is equal to" and "is not equal to" to another entry as an option.
The data type specific options are as follows:- Alphanumeric data field specific selections: Whether the alphanumeric string "contains", "does not contain", "starts with" or "ends with" another string value.
The "is like" and the "is not like" selections allow the use of "*" wildcards.
The comparison string could be a manually entered string, or it could be another textual data field. The data field could be from the data model, or it could be a runtime parameter entered as part of Job Creation. Runtime parameters are expressed as "params.xxxx", where the xxxx is the name of the runtime parameter.
In the Data Filtering Options rules editor the comparisons are always case sensitive. In other rule editors there is an option to turn of case sensitivity. - Date data field specific selections: Whether the date field is "before", "after", "not before" or "not after" another date entry, or "is between" two other date entries. The comparison dates can be a manually entered dates, or date data fields (either from the data model or runtime parameters).
The date value should be in ISO 8601 format. When entering dates manually it is best to select the date using the
date selection option. - Boolean data field specific selections. Check whether the selected Boolean data field "is true" or "is false", or whether it "is equal to", or "is not equal to" a Boolean runtime parameter.
- Numeric data field specific selections: Whether the numeric fields is "less than", "less than or equal to", "greater than" or "greater than or equal to" another number entry. The comparison number could be a specified number, or it could be another numeric data field (either from the data model or runtime parameters).
- Alphanumeric data field specific selections: Whether the alphanumeric string "contains", "does not contain", "starts with" or "ends with" another string value.
- Media Rule: This rule operates on either the Media Name or coating (either Front Coating or Back Coating) .
For the Name value, the choice is a straight binary option based upon the selected Media Name.
For the Coating values, the choice is about what type of coating applies (with an "Unspecified" option as a fall back). - Binding Rule: This rule operates upon the binding that applies to the record.
The options are based on the Style, Side, Location or Angle of the binding. The logical operators that apply are dependent upon the type of Binding the test is being applied to. - Duplex Rule: This rule operates upon the record Duplex settings. This is a binary choice between Duplex or non-Duplex.
- Size Rule: This rule operates upon the size of the selected group. This could be the amount of sub-groups contained within, or the amount of physical Sheets, Pages or Sections. The logical operators that apply are dependent upon the group that the size test is being applied to.
- Property Rule: This rule compares a job Property value (such as Control Scripts set within Designer) against a selected string. The comparison operators that are available for this rule are the same as those for Alphanumeric Data Rules.
Preview
This box displays a textual representation of the logical conditions set within the data filtering table.