API: FieldSearch

The FieldSearch action is an advanced search. It provides a UI to allow specification of a value and operator for each searchable field. Text fields can be searched using operators such as “Begins With”, “Ends With”, “Contains”, “=”, “>=”, etc.

action_group global local

Set this property so link is included in a group of links.

columns local

The set of searchable columns. This list defaults to the textual database fields.

config.field_search.columns = :user_type, :widget_id, :name, :owner, :status

For virtual columns you must also set the “search_sql” option or the field will not appear on the search form.

config.columns[:admin_roles].search_sql = 'users.role_id'

The value of “search_sql” will also be available in the Search Overrides condition_for_x method in case you need to customize the search SQL.

default_params local

Set the default params for some fields.

formats

Active scaffold supports html, js, json, yaml, and xml formats by default. If you need to add another mime type for field search, you can do it here. The format is then added to the default formats.

Examples:

config.field_search.formats << :pdf
# or
config.field_search.formats = [:pdf]

full_text_search global local until v2.2

A flag for whether the search should do full-text searching in the database (LIKE ?) or assume that search tokens will match the beginning (LIKE ?%). Default is :true.

Since v2.3 is replaced with text_search

group_options local

An array of column names so user can pick one column to group by it and get aggregated list. The values can be symbols of column names, which will display the column’s translated name, or an array of label and column name. Instead of column name, a `#` string can be used, to group by column using SQL function. See Grouped Searches for a further explanation.

grouped_columns local

An array of column names to replace `config.list.columns` when using a grouped search. If not defined, it will default to include all columns from `config.list.columns` which have calculation defined. The group column is always added at the beginning.

human_conditions global local

Enable it to display a message with humanized search conditions instead of default filtered message.

link global local

The action link used to tie the Search box to the List table. See API: Action Link for the options on this setting.

optional_columns local

Put some rarely-used columns in a hidden group.

reset_form global local v3.7.3+

When enabled, reset link will clear input fields in the search form, instead of refreshing the list without search and closing the form.

text_search global local v2.3+

A flag for how the search should do full-text searching in the database:

• :full (LIKE %?%)
• :start (LIKE ?%)
• :end (LIKE %?)
• false (LIKE ?)

Default is :full.

When a drop down (select) is used, the “false” option will use LIKE with no wild cards, which is fast!

config.field_search.text_search = false

API: Column related methods

search_ui local

To customize the search form columns, use search_ui (similar to form_ui). Note that we can’t use a :checkbox search_ui because it’s not possible to determine whether or not to search for that field (:checkbox will silently render a :boolean search_ui, which is displayed as a select)

Examples:

Field Search Example (with dropdown for user type)

class UsersController < ActionController::Base
  active_scaffold :users do |config|
     config.actions = [:nested, :list, :show, :field_search]
     config.columns[:user_type].search_ui = :select
  end
end

module UsersHelper
  # display the "user_type" field as a dropdown with options
  def user_type_search_column(record, input_name)
    select :search, :user_type, options_for_select(User.user_types), {:include_blank => as_(:_select_)}, input_name
  end
end