The GlideFilter API enables filtering queries to determine if one or more records meet a specified set of requirements.

Methods for this API are accessible using the GlideFilter global object.

Case sensitivity

The GlideFilter API is case-sensitive by default. Use the setCaseSensitive() method to enable or disable case sensitivity. GlideRecord queries are case-insensitive.

The following example shows how a GlideRecord query is case-insensitive and results in the same user record with upper or lower case.

var gr_Query = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
gr_Query.addQuery('first_name', 'Abel');
gr_Query.query();
while (gr_Query.next())
  gs.info("Upper case query: " + gr_Query.getDisplayValue());

var gr_Query = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
gr_Query.addQuery('first_name', 'abel');
gr_Query.query();
while (gr_Query.next())       
  gs.info("Lower case query: " + gr_Query.getDisplayValue());
GlideRecord.query() output shows the same results display regardless of case.
Upper case query: Abel Tuter
Lower case query: Abel Tuter

The following example shows how GlideFilter only retrieves the matched value of the record for the upper case condition. The lower case condition does not provide a match.

// Matches the 'Abel Tuter' user record
var gr_Query = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
gr_Query.query();
var condition = 'first_name=Abel';
var glideFilter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
while (gr_Query.next()) {
   if (glideFilter.match(gr_Query, true))
        gs.info("Upper case condition: " + gr_Query.getDisplayValue());
}

// The following code does not match 'Abel Tuter' user record
var gr_Query = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
gr_Query.query();
var condition = 'first_name=abel';
var glideFilter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
while (gr_Query.next()) {
   if (glideFilter.match(gr_Query, true))
        gs.info("Lower case condition: " + gr_Query.getDisplayValue());
}
The output reveals that the filter only returns upper case results with default case-sensitivity:
Upper case condition: Abel Tuter

The following example shows how to disable GlideFilter case-sensitivity with the setCaseSensitive() method. The filter matches the condition even though the case does not match the field value.

// Matches the 'Abel Tuter' user record
var gr_Query = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
gr_Query.query();
var condition = 'first_name=Abel';
var glideFilter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
while (gr_Query.next()) {
   if (glideFilter.match(gr_Query, true))
     gs.info("Upper case condition: " + gr_Query.getDisplayValue());
}

// The following code disables case sensitivity and matches the same record
var gr_Query = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
gr_Query.query();

var condition = 'first_name=abel';
var glideFilter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
glideFilter.setCaseSensitive(false);

while (gr_Query.next()) {
  if (glideFilter.match(gr_Query, true))
    gs.info("Lower case condition: " + gr_Query.getDisplayValue());
}
The output reveals GlideFilter case-insensitive results:
Upper case condition: Abel Tuter
Lower case condition: Abel Tuter

Filter null values

To exclude null values from GlideFilter query results, add ISNOTEMPTY to the query condition. The following example shows how using the same encoded query with GlideRecord and GlideFilter produces different results.
var insertRecordsGr = new GlideRecord('u_test_table');
insertRecordsGr.deleteMultiple();
var dates = ['', '2021-01-29', '2021-01-30', '2021-01-31'];
dates.forEach(function(val) {
  insertRecordsGr.initialize();
  insertRecordsGr.u_date_field = val;
  insertRecordsGr.insert();
});

var now_GR = new GlideRecord('u_test_table');
now_GR.addEncodedQuery('u_date_field<javascript:gs.beginningOfToday()');
now_GR.query();

// Encoded query includes null values with GlideFilter, which might cause unexpected results
var condition = 'u_date_field<javascript:gs.beginningOfToday()';

var grWithGlideFilter = new GlideRecord('u_test_table');
grWithGlideFilter.query();
var filter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
  
var countWithGlideFilter = 0;
while (grWithGlideFilter.next()) {
  if (GlideFilter.checkRecord(grWithGlideFilter, condition))
     countWithGlideFilter++;
}

gs.info('Record RowCount: ' + now_GR.getRowCount() + ' - Filter Count: ' + countWithGlideFilter);
The output shows that GlideRecord returns three records, skipping empty date values. The GlideFilter query counts the empty date value and returns a count of four records.
Record RowCount: 3 - Filter Count: 4
To exclude null values from the GlideFilter results, add an AND condition ISNOTEMPTY to the queried field.
// Encoded query includes null values with GlideFilter
var condition = 'u_date_field<=javascript:gs.beginningOfToday()^u_date_fieldISNOTEMPTY';
Output shows that the GlideFilter encoded query skips the null date value and counts three results.
Record RowCount: 3 - Filter Count: 3

GlideFilter – GlideFilter(String filter, String title)

Instantiates a GlideFilter object.

Table 1. Parameters
Name Type Description
filter String Encoded query string in standard Glide format. See Encoded query strings. Results are case-sensitive, unless disabled using the setCaseSensitive() method.

To exclude null values from GlideFilter query results, add ISNOTEMPTY to the query condition.
title String Descriptive title for the filter.

Example

The following example shows how to filter the number of users named Rebekah.

var now_GR = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
now_GR.query();
var condition = 'first_name=rebekah';
var filter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
filter.setCaseSensitive(false);
  
var countResults = 0;
while (now_GR.next()) {
  if (filter.match(now_GR, true))
     countResults++;
}

gs.info('Number of users named Rebekah: ' + countResults);
Output:
Number of users named Rebekah: 2

GlideFilter - checkRecord(GlideRecord now_GR, String filter, Boolean match)

Compares a specified filter to the contents of a specified GlideRecord.

If the specified filter contains one condition, the method returns true if the record meets the condition.

Filters support multiple conditions, for example "active=true^number=abc^category=request". You can use the match parameter to define whether all conditions must be met to determine a match or just a single condition.

Table 2. Parameters
Name Type Description
now_GR GlideRecord GlideRecord to evaluate.
filter String Encoded query string in standard Glide format. See Encoded query strings.

To exclude null values from GlideFilter query results, add ISNOTEMPTY to the query condition.

Note: The filter values are case-sensitive. In addition, you cannot use setCaseSensitive(false) to change the change the case-sensitive value.
match Boolean Optional. Flag that indicates whether all conditions must be met if the filter parameter contains multiple conditions.

Valid values:

  • true: All conditions must be met for the method to return true.
  • false: Only one of the conditions must be met for the method to return true.

Default: true
Table 3. Returns
Type Description
Boolean Results of the filter comparison.
  • true: Filter conditions were met.
  • false: Filter conditions were not met.

Example

The following example shows how to display true for each record in the Incident table that meets the filter condition. False otherwise.

var rec = new GlideRecord('incident');
rec.query();

var bool = true;
 
while(rec.next())
{
   bool = GlideFilter.checkRecord(rec, "active=true");
   gs.info("number "+ rec.number + " is " + bool);
}
Output:
number INC0000060 is false
number INC0009002 is false
number INC0000009 is false
...
number INC0000015 is true
number INC0000016 is true
number INC0000017 is true
...

GlideFilter - match(GlideRecord now_GR, Boolean match)

Evaluates a filter against a specified GlideRecord.

Table 4. Parameters
Name Type Description
now_GR GlideRecord GlideRecord to evaluate.
match Boolean

Flag that indicates whether all filter conditions must match.

Valid values:
  • true: All filter conditions must match.
  • false: Filter condition match is not required.

Default: false
Table 5. Returns
Type Description
Boolean Results of the match check.
  • true: Filter conditions were met.
  • false: Filter conditions were not met.

Example

The following example shows how to ensure the filter conditions match against the GlideRecord provided.

var now_GR = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
now_GR.query();
var condition = 'first_name=rebekah';
var filter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
filter.setCaseSensitive(false);
  
var countResults = 0;
while (now_GR.next()) {
  if (filter.match(now_GR, true))
     countResults++;
}

gs.info('Number of users named Rebekah: ' + countResults);
Output:
Number of users named Rebekah: 2

GlideFilter - setCaseSensitive(Boolean caseSensitive)

Enables or disables case-sensitive filter results.

Table 6. Parameters
Name Type Description
caseSensitive Boolean Flag that indicates whether the filter is case-sensitive.
Valid values:
  • true: The filter is case-sensitive.
  • false: The filter is case-insensitive.

Default: true
Table 7. Returns
Type Description
None

Example

The following example shows how to disable case-sensitive results.

var now_GR = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
now_GR.query();

var condition = 'first_name=rebekah';
var filter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');

// Disable case-sensitive filtering
filter.setCaseSensitive(false);

while (now_GR.next()) {
  if (filter.match(now_GR, true))
     gs.info(now_GR.getDisplayValue());
}

Output shows that the filter retrieves upper case results with a lower case condition.

Rebekah Padley
Rebekah Lindboe

GlideFilter - setEnforceSecurity(Boolean enforceSecurity)

Enables or disables sandboxed evaluation of the filter string.

Table 8. Parameters
Name Type Description
enforceSecurity Boolean

Flag that indicates whether to evaluate the filter in the sandbox.

Valid values:
  • true: Evaluate the filter in the sandbox.
  • false: Don't evaluate the filter in the sandbox.

Default: false
Table 9. Returns
Type Description
None

Example

The following code example shows how to call this method.

var now_GR = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
now_GR.query();
var condition = 'first_name=rebekah';
var filter = new GlideFilter(condition, 'filterCondition');
filter.setEnforceSecurity(true);
  
var countResults = 0;
while (now_GR.next()) {
  if (filter.match(now_GR, true))
     countResults++;
}

gs.info('Number of users named Rebekah: ' + countResults);

Output:

Number of users named Rebekah: 2