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I really love filter web parts and I really love connections. I've always looked at this functionality is SharePoint and dreamed of the incredible hybrid interface holy grail that together it could achieve. Imagine a page that everyday delivered you a single view onto the information you need to do your job, regardless of where the data was stored or how many logins you needed to access it. Imagine being able to mix and match these building blocks in any which way you like, tuning the information, and taking you to a place where you are able to make decisions the instant an opportunity presents itself.
Ok, I'm getting a little carried away, but this is the first in what will be a series of simple filter web parts that in their own small way move us toward this vision.
The zevenseas Choice Column Filter web part does three simple things:
- It pulls the choices from a choice column
- Displays them in a list of option buttons (drop down box to come, just I find options buttons so much more intuitive)
- Passes the value you select to other web parts via a connection
Here is a simple walk through that shows you how:
1. First I added a new column called “CompanyName” to the standard “Contacts” list in SharePoint as follows:
2. Then I added in some sample data, and added a List View Web part for the list onto a new Web Part Page like so:
3. Everything is pretty simple so far, but his is where the Choice Filter web part comes in. The Choice Filter web part is attached to the “CompanyName” column, pulling out its values, creating a list of option boxes, and allowing you to sort the list at a single click. Here we add the Web Part, and the open the tool pane:
4. At the top of the tool pane we can select the list we want to attach to, and then any Choice fields that exist within the list, here we have changed it to point to our Contacts list:
5. When you have finished, click on “OK” to save the changes. The Choice Filter web part will now render with each choice appearing as an Option button:
6. All that remains is to connect up our new Choice Filter web part to the existing “Contacts” list view web part. First, make sure the page is in “Edit Mode”, then click on the “Choice Filter” edit drop down and select the following meni tree: “Connections” –> “Send Choice Filter To” –> “Contacts”, you will then have the following pop-up appear:
7. Match the “Choice Value” to the field you connected to earlier, in this case “CompanyName” and you are ready to go.
We have made it available via our CodePlex community solution site as a ready to install solution, or if your the developer sort, with full source code. Let us know what you think.