Use > Inventory Tools > Analysis Workbench Overview > Filtering

Filtering

You can use filters to narrow down and highlight items of particular interest.

Each of the main windows in the Analysis Workbench can have one or more filters applied to them. Each window can have one or more filters applied to them. Filters are used for the following purposes:

To limit the number of items that are displayed in a window.

To view the impact of a selection in another window. This is done in conjunction with Global tags. For example, if a file has been tagged with a Global tag in the Files window, then to see which directory it is located in, you can apply a File filter to the Directory window.

To narrow down and highlight items of particular interest in charts and exports.

ClosedSetting a Filter for a Window

Select the filter to be applied to the window from the Filters toolbar drop-down menu, or select one of the icons on the window toolbar to apply the following:

  • Files filter
  • Directories filter
  • Application filter
  • Machines filter
  • Local Tags filter

When a filter is active in a window, visually this is indicated as by a check mark in the Filters toolbar menu and on the icon. The exception to this is the Local Tags filter icon, which is highlighted in yellow.

To deactivate a filter either click on the icon again or deselect the filter from the Filters toolbar drop-down menu. The appropriate check marks are cleared.

ClosedMachines Window Filter

The following filters can be applied from within the Machines window:

Machine Select - Displays any tagged machines in the Machines window.

  • Application Select - Displays any machines that contain tagged applications. It shows any machines that have the application installed.

    • It does not show machines that have a partial installation (in other words, machines where a license is not needed).

  • Directory Select - Displays any machines that contain tagged directories.
  • File Select - Displays any machines that contain tagged files.
  • Local Select - Displays only those entries in the Machines window that have Local tags enabled.
ClosedApplications Window Filter

The following filters can be applied from within the Applications window:

  • Machine Select - Displays any applications that are contained on tagged machines.
  • Application Select - Displays any tagged applications in the Applications window.
  • Directory Select - Displays any applications that occur in tagged directories.
  • Main File Select - Displays any applications that contain tagged main files.
  • Local Select - Displays only those entries that have Local tags enabled in the Applications window.
ClosedFiles Window Filter

The following filters can be applied from within the Files window:

  • Machine Select - Displays any files that are contained on tagged machines.
  • Application Select - Displays any files that are contained in tagged applications.
  • Directory Select - Displays any files contained in tagged directories.
  • File Select - Displays any tagged files in the Files window.
  • Local Select - Displays only those entries that have Local tags enabled in the Files window.
ClosedDirectories Window Filter

The following filters can be applied from within the Directories window:

Machine Select - Displays any directories that occur on tagged machines.

Application Select - Displays any directories that contain tagged applications.

Directory Select - Displays any tagged directories in the active window.

File Select - Displays any directories that contain tagged files.

Local Select - Displays only those entries that have Local tags enabled in the active window.

ClosedClearing Every Filter in All Windows

The Edit menu has a Clear all filters option for globally clearing the filters for all information windows. This can be very useful when you do not have all the windows displayed in the workspace, and you want to ensure that none of the items in any of the information windows are filtered (even if the windows are not displayed).

Tagging and Filtering Examples

ClosedThe Effects of Global Tags, Local Tags and Filters

Preliminary Settings

  1. Equalize all the windows (files, Directories, Machines and Applications, by selecting the Equalize command from the Window menu.
  2. In each of the windows, select the LTag column from the Columns toolbar menu. This ensures that the local tag column is displayed in each window.
  3. From the Edit menu select the Untag All|Both option. This will clears any existing tags (both global and Local) in each window.

  4. Select the Clear all filters option from the Edit menu. This ensures that no filters have been applied to any of the windows.

Tag Selection

  • Part 1

    • This part of the example shows the effect of applying a filter to reduce the display information.

    1. In the Files window, select the Use Local Tags from the Tag toolbar menu.
    2. Apply a Local tag to a file which has a Status of 1 Main.

    Note the number of files in the top left corner of the Files window in square brackets [ ].

    1. Apply a local filter in the Files window, either by clicking the icon or by selecting the Local select option from the Filters toolbar menu.

    The result is that the number of files displayed is reduced to a single entry (that is, the one file that you tagged).

  • Part 2

    • This part of the example shows that Local tags do not affect the other windows.

    Apply a File filter to the other windows, either by clicking the icon or by selecting the File Select option from the Filters toolbar menu in each window. All windows now become empty.

    In the Applications window, this option is actually Main File Select.

  • Part 3

    • This part of the example shows that removing a filter will restore the window to it’s previous state.

    Remove the File filter in the Files window only.

    The selected file reappears in the Files window.

  • Part 4

    • This part of the example demonstrates how a Global tag affects the other windows.

    1. In the Files window, set the Use Global Tags option in the Tags toolbar menu.

    2. Now set a Global tag on the file. The Directories, Machines and Applications windows all now display entries:

      • Directories window displays the directories containing the file.

      • Machines window displays the machines containing the file.

      • Applications window displays the applications which contain the Main file.

      • If the Local tag is removed from the Files window, while the Local filter is still active, the file disappears. The Local filter has to be removed for the file to be redisplayed. The other windows remain unaffected.

 

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