Search-based filtering for property grids

Abstract

Technologies for search-based filtering of a property grid. Such filtering allows a user to enter a search term into an easily recognized search text box, or apply a user or pre-defined term to a property grid, thus reducing the set of properties visible so that the user has a smaller list to search to find the one on which they desire to operate. The search term is typically applied to all properties shown in the property grid. Elements that match the search term are made visible in an updated property grid while those that do not match are not presented. Also, the search term may be applied to more than just the name of the property. It may be applied to a category within which the property appears, the type of the property, or any of a number of attributes or tags that may be applied to the property.

1 . A method of filtering a property grid based on a search term, the method comprising:
 determining, by a computer and based on applying a filter to the property grid, that at least one of a plurality of categories of the property grid corresponds to at least one predicate parsed from the search term;   filtering the property grid wherein the filtering comprises marking the corresponding at least one of the plurality of categories;   displaying, by the computer, the filtered property grid wherein the displaying comprises displaying the marked at least one of the plurality of categories but not displaying any unmarked of the plurality of categories of the property grid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the applying the filter includes testing for a category match between multiple pieces of category metadata of each of the plurality of categories and the at least one predicate parsed from the search term. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the determining is further based on the category match. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the applying the filter includes testing for a property match between multiple pieces of property metadata of each property of each of the plurality of categories and the at least one predicate parsed from the search term. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the filtering further comprising marking, in response to the testing for a property match, each property that corresponds to a property match. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the filtering further comprises marking every category of the plurality of categories that includes at least one of the marked properties. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the marked properties. 
     
     
         8 . At least one computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of filtering a property grid based on a search term, the method comprising:
 determining, based on applying a filter to the property grid, that at least one of a plurality of categories of the property grid corresponds to at least one predicate parsed from the search term;   filtering the property grid wherein the filtering comprises marking the corresponding at least one of the plurality of categories;   displaying the filtered property grid wherein the displaying comprises displaying the marked at least one of the plurality of categories but not displaying any unmarked of the plurality of categories of the property grid.   
     
     
         9 . The at least one computer storage medium of  claim 8  wherein the applying the filter includes testing for a category match between multiple pieces of category metadata of each of the plurality of categories and the at least one predicate parsed from the search term. 
     
     
         10 . The at least one computer storage medium of  claim 9  wherein the determining is further based on the category match. 
     
     
         11 . The at least one computer storage medium of  claim 8  wherein the applying the filter includes testing for a property match between multiple pieces of property metadata of each property of each of the plurality of categories and the at least one predicate parsed from the search term. 
     
     
         12 . The at least one computer storage medium of  claim 11  wherein the filtering further comprises marking, in response to the testing for a property match, each property that corresponds to a property match. 
     
     
         13 . The at least one computer storage medium of  claim 12  wherein the filtering further comprises marking every category of the plurality of categories that includes at least one of the marked properties. 
     
     
         14 . The at least one computer storage medium of  claim 12  wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the marked properties. 
     
     
         15 . A system for filtering a property grid based on a search term, the method comprising:
 a computer,   a filter method implemented by the computer and configured for determining, based on applying a filter to the property grid, that at least one of a plurality of categories of the property grid corresponds to at least one predicate parsed from the search term;   the system configured for filtering the property grid wherein the filtering comprises marking the corresponding at least one of the plurality of categories;   the system further configured for displaying the filtered property grid wherein the displaying comprises displaying the marked at least one of the plurality of categories but not displaying any unmarked of the plurality of categories of the property grid.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the applying the filter includes testing for a category match between multiple pieces of category metadata of each of the plurality of categories and the at least one predicate parsed from the search term. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the determining is further based on the category match. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the applying the filter includes testing for a property match between multiple pieces of property metadata of each property of each of the plurality of categories and the at least one predicate parsed from the search term. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the filtering further comprises marking, in response to the testing for a property match, each property that corresponds to a property match. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the filtering further comprises marking every category of the plurality of categories that includes at least one of the marked properties, and wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the marked properties.