The State Changers discussed a specific issue related to OData filtering, focusing on how to create a dynamic variable to simplify sorting and filtering across various categories. The context used was a pet database, where they may want to filter for specific attributes like species, breed, or gender. They eventually want these filters to apply to clients at specific hospitals or with certain parameters.
The team explored the creation of a function that takes inputs (criteria) as key-value pairs within a JSON object. These inputs are then converted into an array, which allows them to loop through each criterion and create a string expression for each. These expressions are then joined together with 'AND' allowing them to be utilized as a filter. The output of the function is the newly created filter, which can be passed to the OData filter. The State Changers also discussed the use of 'Publish' in Xano and when to use it. Although they noted this solution may not address all possible scenarios (it primarily handles text and hasn't dealt thoroughly with alternative Boolean options), it's effective for the majority of their situations. By combining this general approach with a few specialized solutions, they can cover most of their requirements efficiently. Throughout the process, they used various data manipulation techniques, loop manipulations, function stacks, and debug steps to iteratively build and test their solution. The team was satisfied with the progress attained during the meeting.
(Source: State Change Office Hours 6/15 )
