Creating a data object filter

You can create a data object filter at any time. A data object filter excludes data objects (such as, tables, schemas, stored procedures and user-defined functions) from the Data Definition view or the Database Explorer view.

You can use one or more percent sign (%) characters for a wildcard search character in the data object filter. The asterisk (*) wildcard character is not supported. By default, a filter excludes tables from the view that do not match your filter. After the filter is defined, you can edit its properties to apply it to databases or schemas, or to make it an inclusion filter instead of an exclusion one.

To create a data object filter:

  1. Click the Menu button in either the Data Definition view or the Database Explorer view, and select Filters to open the Data Definition Filters window.

  2. Click Add Filter to create a filter element. The Add Filter window opens.

  3. In the Select field, select the target database object (such as database, table, schema).
    Restriction: In the Add Filter dialog, you cannot specify a target database object of "view". However, when a target of "table" is specified, the filter is applied to tables, aliases, synonyms, and views.

  4. In the where name field, select the predicate of either LIKE or NOT LIKE. The default is LIKE. The matching test (LIKE) checks to see whether the data value in a column matches a specific pattern. The NOT LIKE predicate checks to see whether the data value in a column does not match a specific pattern.

  5. In the field to the right of the predicate, type the name of the filter. The name can include one or more percent sign (%) wildcard characters. Any target data objects that match the specified filter are either included or excluded, based on the value of the predicate.

  6. Click OK. The filter element is added to the last entry in the Data Definition Filters table. After a filter is defined, it is available whenever you define a database connection. You can enable or disable a filter from the Data Definition Filters window by clicking on the Enabled column for a particular filter element and selecting the filter from the drop-down list.

  7. Optional: Change the AND operator to an OR operator by clicking on the Operator column and selecting from the drop-down list.

  8. Optional: Change the order position of the filter element in the Data Definition Filters table by selecting the filter element that you want to move and then click either Move up or Move down. The order of the filter elements in the Data Definition Filters table determines the order that filters are applied. Filter element at the top of the table are run first; the element at the bottom is run last. To The connection filter element moves up or down one position.

  9. Click OK.

 

Parent topic

Data object filters