How do I prompt a user for a value when running a View filter?

In Quality Window, you can configure a View filter so the user is prompted to enter a value each time the View is run. This allows a single View to be reused across different batches, lots, or identifiers without creating duplicates.

How it works

Instead of entering a fixed value in the filter, you can use a prompt. When the View runs, Quality Window will ask the user to enter the value before displaying results.

Step-by-step: Add a runtime prompt to a View filter

1. Open your application in Quality Window
2. Click the Filter button in the toolbar or Filter Tab in View manager

4. In the Filter designer:
   • Select the Variable you want to filter (for example, Batch Number)
   • Choose the appropriate Condition (for example, =)

5. In the Value field, enter: ?
6. Save the View

When the View is run, the user will be prompted to enter a value before the data is displayed.

What does “?” do in a filter?

Using a question mark (?) in the Value field tells Quality Window to prompt the user at runtime instead of using a fixed value.

Each time the View is opened, the user will be asked to enter a value, which is then applied to the filter condition.

Can I still use fixed values?

Yes. The Value field supports:

• Fixed values entered manually
• Values selected from a list
• Runtime prompts using ?

Fixed values will always be reused unless the filter is edited.

Can I use values from external sources?

Yes. You can dynamically drive a filter using external values by prefixing the Value field with @.

Example:

@c:\MyFiles\Batchno.txt

When the View runs, Quality Window reads the current value from the file and applies it to the filter.

This opens up several practical integrations:

• IO/File-based workflows
  Another process writes a value (such as a batch number) to a file, which the View reads at runtime
• DataHub integrations
  A value is written to an IO file or intermediary that Quality Window reads
• OPC-driven environments
  OPC values can be pushed into a file or integration layer, then used to drive the filter

This approach allows Views to respond dynamically to external systems without user interaction.

When should I use runtime prompts?

Runtime prompts are useful when:

• Users frequently filter by different values
• You want to avoid creating multiple similar Views
• You need flexibility without editing the View each time

They are especially valuable in the following scenarios:

• Certificate of Analysis (COA) generation
  Use a prompted View to filter by batch or lot number, then link that View to a Report Document to generate a COA for the selected data
• Batch or lot lookups on the shop floor
  Operators can quickly enter a batch number and retrieve relevant test results without navigating multiple Views
• Customer or order-specific reporting
  Reuse a single View to generate reports for different customers or orders by entering a value at runtime
• Integration-driven workflows
  Combine external values (from files, DataHub, or OPC) with Views to automatically display context-specific data

Related Resources

• Filtering Data Tutorial
• Views – An introduction Tutorial