The search filter option allows you to refine your search in order to locate directory objects based on the properties (attributes) of the objects. You can use a search filter to look for specific values in the object properties, thereby ensuring that the search results contain only the objects with the desired properties.
A search filter is composed of conditions combined using “And” or “Or” logic. Each condition is a certain statement that specifies the criteria the activity should use to determine whether a given object is to be included in the search results. The workflow designer provides a condition builder for configuring filter conditions, located in the Search options box on the Scope and filter tab in the “Search” Activity Properties dialog box.
When you configure a search filter, you need to add at least one condition. By default, a single, implied condition group is created when you add a filter condition. You can create additional condition groups to group a set of conditions and nest grouped conditions within other condition groups.
A condition group contains one or more conditions connected by the same logical operator. By grouping conditions, you specify that those conditions should be evaluated as a single unit. The effect is the same as if you put parentheses around an expression in a mathematical equation or logic statement.
To add a condition to a condition group
- In the Search options box, under Filter, click the name of the condition group and then click Insert condition.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the name of the condition group.
You can remove a condition, if needed, by clicking the Delete condition button labeled X on the right side of the list item representing the condition in the Conditions box.
To add a condition group into another condition group
- In the Search options box, under Filter, click the name of the condition group, point to Insert condition group, and then click an option to specify the logical operator:
- AND group. The condition group evaluates to TRUE if all conditions in the group are TRUE.
- OR group. The condition group evaluates to TRUE if any condition in the group is TRUE.
- NOT AND group. The condition group evaluates to TRUE if any condition in the group evaluates to FALSE.
- NOT OR group. The condition group evaluates to TRUE if all conditions in the group evaluate to FALSE.
By default, AND is the logical operator between the conditions in a condition group. It is possible to change the logical operator by converting the condition group to a different group type: Click the name of the group, point to Convert condition group to, and then click the option appropriate to the desired logical operator.
You can remove an entire condition group, if needed, by clicking the name of the group and then clicking Delete condition group.
Once you have added a condition to a condition group, you can use the following steps to configure the condition.
To configure a condition
- Click Configure condition to evaluate, and then choose the property you want the condition to evaluate.
- Click the current comparison operator, if needed, and then click the operator you want the condition to use.
By default, a condition is configured to use the equals operator. The list of operators that are available depends upon the property you select in Step 1.
- Click Define value to compare to, and then choose an option to specify the desired comparison value. The following options are available:
Table 61: Search filter options
|
Text string |
A literal string of characters. You can type the desired string when you configure a filter condition. |
|
Property of workflow target object |
The value of a certain property of the target object of the request that started the workflow. You can select the desired property when you configure a filter condition. Normally, this should be a string-value property. |
|
Property of workflow initiator |
The value of a certain property of the user whose request started the workflow. You can select the desired property when you configure a filter condition. Normally, this should be a string-value property. |
|
Changed value of workflow target object property |
The value that is requested to be assigned to a certain property of the target object of the request that started the workflow, which represents the requested change to the property of the target object. You can select the desired property when you configure a filter condition. Normally, this should be a string-value property. |
|
Property of object from workflow data context |
The value of a certain property of the object that will be selected by the Search activity on the basis of the data found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. When you configure a filter condition in a Search activity, you can choose the desired property and specify which object you want the activity to select upon evaluating the condition at workflow run time. |
|
Value generated by rule expression |
The string value of a certain rule expression. By using a rule expression you can compose a string value based on properties of various objects found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. |
|
Fixed object in directory |
A certain object, such as a user, group, or computer. You can select the desired object in Active Directory when you configure a filter condition. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for DN-value properties. |
|
Object from workflow data context |
The object that will be selected by the Search activity on the basis of the data found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. When you configure a filter condition in a Search activity, you can specify which object you want the activity to select upon evaluating the condition at workflow run time. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for DN-value properties. |
|
Object identified by DN-value rule expression |
The object whose Distinguished Name (DN) is specified by the string value of a certain rule expression. By using a rule expression, you can compose a string value based on properties of various objects found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. You can create the desired rule expression when you configure a filter condition. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for DN-value properties. |
|
Object identified by workflow parameter |
The object specified by the value of a certain parameter. You can choose the desired parameter when you configure a filter condition. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for DN-value properties. |
|
Workflow initiator object |
The user account of the user whose request started the workflow. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for DN-value properties. |
|
Workflow target object |
The target object of the request that started the workflow. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for DN-value properties. |
|
Fixed date and time |
A literal date and time value. You can choose the desired date and time when you configure a filter condition. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for Date/Time-value properties. |
|
Workflow date and time |
A certain point in time relative to the date and time of the Search activity run. You have the option to specify a date that occurs a particular number of days before or after the Search activity run. This comparison value is applicable to filter conditions for Date/Time-value properties. |
|
True |
The literal Boolean value of True. |
|
False |
The literal Boolean value of False. |
|
Value generated by script |
The value returned by a certain script function. You can choose the desired script function when you configure a filter condition. The Search activity will execute that script function upon evaluating the condition at workflow run time. |
|
Workflow parameter value |
The value of a certain workflow parameter. You can choose the desired parameter when you configure a filter condition. |
You can configure a Search activity to subscribe recipients to the notifications of the following events:
- Activity completed successfully. When configured to notify of this event, the activity causes Active Roles to send a notification e-mail if no significant errors occurred during execution of this activity.
- Activity encountered an error. When configured to notify of this event, the activity causes Active Roles to send a notification e-mail if any significant errors occurred during execution of this activity.
To configure notification for a Search activity
- In the process diagram, right-click the name of the Search activity and click Properties.
- Go to the Notification tab in the “Search” Activity Properties dialog box, and use the steps for Configuring a Notification activity to configure the notification settings.
The notification settings specify the event to notify of, and notification recipients. When executed by the workflow, the activity prepares a notification message appropriate to the specified event. Active Roles retains the message prepared by the activity, and sends the message to the specified recipients upon occurrence of that event.
When configuring a Search activity, you can configure error handling to suppress errors encountered by that Search activity and all activities included in that Search activity.
To configure error handling for a Search activity
- In the process diagram, right-click the name of the Search activity and click Properties.
- Go to the Error handling tab in the “Search” Activity Properties dialog box, and select or clear the Continue workflow even if this activity encounters an error check box on that tab.
If the Continue workflow even if this activity encounters an error check box is not selected (default setting), then an error condition encountered by the activity causes Active Roles to terminate the workflow. If you select this check box, the workflow continues regardless of whether or not the Search activity or any activity within the Search activity encounters an error condition.
By default, the Search activity is executed under the user account specified by the “run as” setting in the workflow options and start conditions. This could be the service account of the Active Roles Administration Service or the account of the user who caused the workflow to start. You can configure the activity to override the default “run as” setting.
To configure “run as” options for a Search activity
- In the process diagram, right-click the name of the Search activity and click Properties.
- Click the “Run as” options hyperlink at the bottom of the “Search” Activity Properties dialog box.
- To override the default “run as” setting for this activity, select the Run this activity under check box, and then choose the account under which you want the activity to run:
- Click The service account of Active Roles if you want this activity to run under the service account of the Active Roles Administration Service.
- Click The account of the user who started the workflow if you want this activity to run under the account of the user who caused the workflow to start. Depending on the type of the workflow, this is either the user who requested the operation that started the workflow or the user who started the workflow on demand.
The account under which the activity is running determines the access rights of the activity in the directory.
