topic Re: Grid widget simple filter box - how does it work? in ThingWorx Developers

Grid widget simple filter box - how does it work?

steve237 — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:21:26 GMT

I can't find an explanation of how this filter works in order to explain to users how to use it. If I type "abc" into it will it return all rows where any cell has a value starting with abc?

Re: Grid widget simple filter box - how does it work?

steve237 — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:23:02 GMT

this is from the help center, but not really helpful

Re: Grid widget simple filter box - how does it work?

Rocko — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:05:33 GMT

It works for me, I didn't do anything else than 1) bind the datasource and 2) check the "showfilter" box.

Note this does not re-execute the service that delivers the data. It is a filter working only on the data you already loaded.

If you want to re-execute the service to only give you the filtered rows back, you need to use either the Chip Based Data Filter, or maybe the method described here: https://support.ptc.com/help/thingworx/platform/r10.1/en/index.html#page/ThingWorx/Help/Mashup_Builder/Widgets/SortingSearchingAndFilteringInAdvancedGridAndTreeGrid.html

Re: Grid widget simple filter box - how does it work?

steve237 — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:53:48 GMT

thanks Rocko, but I'm not having issues with it working. As I type values into the filter box the grows in the grid are indeed being filtered.

What I didn't understand is how the value typed into the box was being used by thingworx to filter the grid. I mean, I could type "WHITE" into the filter and magically only rows having Finish Color = WHITE and then if I type F14 in the filter, the grid would update and only show rows having Product Code that starts with F14. I didn't understand how thingworx knew which field I wanted it to filter on.

Like I asked in my initial post, I was guessing it was filtering on every column. So, if any cell has a value starting with the values I type into the filter, that row would be displayed. I did a lot more testing and found that it does filter every column but the row is displayed if any cell "contains" my value, not just "begins with". I guess this type of filtering is broadly termed "Simple Search" or "Linear Search" or "Sequential Search". I learned something! Now I understand why "Simple" is included in the heading in the help center "Adding Simple Filter Box".