How to Filter / Search Ref column be it's label text ?

[kvngo94]

Hi guys, 

I'm trying to search filter Ref column by text. 1 works, 1 doesn't work, but both are Ref column

Not sure why

Hope you help explain

1 that not works

1 that works

[dbaum]

A Ref type column's values are key (i.e., not label) values from the referenced table--even though the displayed values are the referenced table's label (i.e., not key) values. If your Suppliers table's key column is also it's label column but that's not the case for your Styles table, then that's likely the explanation.

[kvngo94]

Thank you but what confuses me is my supplier table key is UNIQUEID() column

It's the same with the Style table, but why I can filter Supplier by certain text but not with the Style 

[dbaum]

The [Supplier] column in your screenshot is populated with the values from the [Supplier] column in the table referenced by the [Material] column (per the App formula expression); it's these values that the search/filter function is based on. If those values are not also key values in the Company table's key column, then the [Supplier] column in your screenshot is not configured appropriately to serve as a reference to the Company table.

[kvngo94]

But in Material table, Supplier column is also Ref type to Company table

Sorry if I don't understand you, but are there any work around or method to search The Style column ? Create a Virtual Text of the Style column to search ?

[dbaum]

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@kvngo94 wrote:

Sorry if I don't understand you

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At a minimum, it is I who doesn't understand your app configuration. If you examine the values in the data sources for the relevant columns, that may answer your original question of why you're able to search/filter one column but not another. If you share examples of those values here, someone may be able to advise regarding that question.

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@kvngo94 wrote:

are there any work around or method to search The Style column ?

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If the Style column contains UNIQUEID values but you need to be able to search/filter other values, then you may indeed need an additional column. It could have an App formula like [Style].[Style LabelColumn].

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@kvngo94 wrote:

Create a Virtual Text of the Style column to search ?

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You could indeed use a virtual column. Nonetheless, if the only time the value of the additional column would change is when the row is otherwise edited, you may prefer to add instead an actual data source column to minimize the impact on sync times.