IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus Version 8.1

Filter Builder

Use this window to define SQL queries (or WHERE clauses) for filtering alerts in the event list. You can use the Filter Builder to set up and maintain these filters for your event data.

The Filter Builder contains the following areas:

Filter setup area (top panel)
Button bar (panel below the filter setup area)
Graphical display area (top left panel below the button bar)
Element definition area (top right panel below the button bar)
SQL display area (bottom left panel)
Metric area (bottom right panel)

Filter setup area

Use this area to define a name and to set permissions for the filter.

Complete this area as follows:

Name: If you are creating a new filter, overwrite the current name with a unique name for the filter. This name is used to select the filter in event list menus. If you are editing an existing filter, you do not need to make an entry in this field.
Editable: If you have the relevant administrator permissions, select this check box to allow other users to edit this filter, or clear the check box to protect the filter from modification.
Restriction: This setting applies only if the filter is saved as part of an event list configuration (.elc file).

Button bar

Use these buttons to define filter elements.

Complete this area as follows:

Condition: Click this button to create a condition element. Condition elements allow you to make comparisons between fields and values. The Condition button creates the WHERE clause and allows value specification; for example: where Node = 'link1'
Negate: Click this button to insert a logical NOT operator in front of the element that is currently selected.
Leading Logical: Click this button to insert a logical element in front of the element that is currently selected. You can use logical elements to combine two elements for more complex comparisons.
Trailing Logical: Click this button to insert a logical element after the element that is currently selected.
Sub Query: Click this button to create a query within a condition. Subqueries are more complex conditions that you can use to match a value with the results of another SELECT statement.
Delete Element: Click this button to delete the element that is currently selected.
Delete Tree: Click this button to delete the current element and all of its child elements.
Edit SQL: Click this button to open the Filter SQL Edit window to edit the SQL directly. When you click OK to save and return to the Filter Builder, the SQL expression is automatically parsed and added to the condition element in the graphical display area. If you enter invalid SQL text in the Filter SQL Edit window, you are required to correct the syntax before exiting the window.

When you click any of these buttons:

A graphical representation is displayed in the graphical display area in the top left panel below the button bar.
The SQL syntax is displayed in the SQL display area in the bottom left list box.
Element-specific fields appear in the element definition area in the right panel.

Note: The availability of these buttons depends on the element that is currently selected, and the operations that are valid with the element.

Graphical display area

This area displays the element definitions for the current filter in a graphical tree structure that shows how the elements relate. You can add elements to the tree by using the buttons in the button bar. The element that is currently selected is shown with a red border around it. Editing is relative to the current element. When you select an element within this area, its details are shown and can be edited in the element definition area.

Element definition area

This area displays the details of the element that is currently selected, and enables you to specify a different set of values. Your selections are reflected in the graphical display area and the SQL display area.

If you clicked the Condition button to create a condition element, complete the fields as follows:

Expression Type

Select one of the following options from this list:

Simple: Select this option to use simple expressions in the condition element.
Complex: Select this option to use complex expressions that allow two database columns or two expressions to be compared.
FreeForm: Select this option to specify expressions that allow the use of the advanced features of the ObjectServer SQL.

Column

From this list, select a database column that you want to use in the comparison.

By default, the list contains the names of the columns in the alerts.status database table. The Filter Builder automatically determines which columns are available. There are situations where this list will be different.

Note: The Column list is not displayed if you selected the FreeForm option from the Expression Type list.

Operator

Select a comparison operator from this list.

The range of comparisons available is determined by your selection from the Column drop-down list. Some comparisons are unavailable for certain columns. For example, it is not possible to have a LIKE operation on a numeric column such as Severity.

Note: The Operator list is not displayed if you selected the FreeForm option from the Expression Type list.

Value data type fields

The fields that appear here are dependent on the option that you selected in the Expression Type list.

If the Expression Type is Simple, then the value fields that appear depend on whether the database column selected in the Column list is of type string, integer, or time.

If the Expression Type is Complex or FreeForm, then an Edit button is provided to allow you to edit the SQL directly within the Filter SQL Edit window. When you click OK to save and return to the Filter Builder, the SQL expression is automatically parsed and added to the condition element in the graphical display area. If you enter invalid SQL text in the Filter SQL Edit window, you are required to correct the syntax before exiting the window.

If you clicked the Leading Logical or Trailing Logical button to create a logical element, complete the fields as follows:

Logical AND: Select this option to add an AND operator to a filter definition. This is the default option.
Logical OR: Select this option to add an OR operator to a filter definition.

If you clicked the Sub Query button to create a subquery element, complete the fields as follows:

Column

From this list, select the database column to be used in the search.

Operator

Select either of the following options from the list:

In: Use this option to search for the contents of the column.
Not In: Use this option to search for the absence of the contents of the field.

Select

Select the column to be used when building the list, against which the In or Not In operation is to be performed. The options in this list are determined by the option that is selected in the from list.

from

Select the database table from which to derive the information. This can be alerts.details, alerts.journal, or alerts.status.

SQL display area

The SQL display area shows the SQL as you build the filter. You can click Edit SQL in the button bar to edit the SQL directly within a Filter SQL Edit window.

Type the filter query by using valid SQL syntax, and click OK to save your entry and return to the Filter Builder. The Filter Builder attempts to parse the SQL text and build a filter tree. If the SQL is invalid, an error message is displayed, and you must correct the errors in the Filter SQL Edit window before you can continue.

Metric area

Use the metric buttons to apply a measurement to the filter so that it calculates a useful figure. For example, a Sum of Tally metric gives the total number of deduplicated alerts in the ObjectServer.

Complete this area as follows:

Metric

Use the first list to choose the measurement to be used:

Select Average to return the average value of the selected field for all alerts that match the filter.
Select Count to return a count of all the alerts that match the filter. The selected field is not used for this calculation.
Select Sum to return the sum of the selected field for all alerts that match the filter.
Select Minimum to return the lowest value of the selected field in alerts that match the filter.
Select Maximum to return the highest value of the selected field in alerts that match the filter.

Use the second list to select a field to which the measurement is applied. Only the integer and time fields in an alert are available for the metric calculation.

Tip: The metric value will be displayed in monitor boxes in the Event List monitor box window.

Applying and saving your filter settings

After defining or modifying the filter settings, you can apply, save, or cancel changes made by clicking the relevant button as follows:

Apply: Click this button to apply changes to the filter without saving it.
Close: Click this button to close the window and discard the changes.

You must save filters with a .elf file extension.

Note: On UNIX, when the Filter Builder is run from the Conductor, the Apply button does not appear. In this case, you must save all filters by selecting File > Save or File > Save As from the UNIX Filter Builder.

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