Filter Control - Data Source Specific Filter Expression

This demo illustrates the ASPxFilterControl's ability to generate database system specific filter expressions. The ASPxFilterControl provides the following methods whose return values can be used as filter expressions ('WHERE' clauses) for the corresponding data source types:

• GetFilterExpressionForAccess()
• GetFilterExpressionForOracle()
• GetFilterExpressionForMsSql()

In addition, the obtained filter expression can be validated for completeness by using the IsFilterExpressionValid method, which is available both on the server and client sides. This method checks whether all expression conditions are filled and indicates whether it's safe to apply the expression.

In this demo, a standalone ASPxFilterControl is used to compose MS Access specific filter criteria. These criteria are applied to data which is obtained from an .MDB file using an AccessDataSource and is displayed by an ASPxDataView control.

The text of the filter expression being composed is displayed by a label to the right of the ASPxFilterControl. If a filter expression is not valid, this is indicated by the corresponding label text.

Clicking the Apply button validates the current filter criteria and applies it to data by assigning it to the data source control's SelectCommand property. Alternatively, you can generate the filter criteria via the GetFilterExpressionForDataSet method call and assign it to the data source control's FilterExpression property.