Modify Filter and Search Combo Boxes

Both Filter Combo Boxes and Search Combo Boxes are modified using the combo box drop down list. The options that appear in the drop down list will depend on whether an individual Filter or Search is applied or if a group Filter or Search is applied. Group Filters and Searches differ from individual Filters and Searches in that group Filters and Searches group together other child Menu Items. The information below pertains only to individual Filters and Searches and do not apply to group Filters and Searches. For information regarding the drop down list options available for modifying group combo boxes, then please refer to the Modify Group Filters and Searches help topic. In addition, please refer to the Group Filters and Searches and the Group Menu Hierarchy help topics to learn more information regarding the use group Menu Items in Categorize Plus.

Note: Search Combo Boxes are only available when using Outlook 2007 and are not available when using previous versions of Outlook.

Combo Box Drop Down List Options for non-Group Filters and Searches

And Option
The And option is the default option that is applied when a new Filter or Search Combo Box is added to the toolbar. It is also the first option listed in the combo box drop down list. Selecting this option will create a filter or search criteria string that displays only those Outlook items that MATCH the criteria stored in the criteria field of the associated Menu Item, and will append this criteria string to other filter or search criteria using an AND conjunction.. For example, if "Project A" is selected in the Category Filter drop down list as shown in the illustration below, then ONLY items that contain "Project A" as a category will be displayed in the view.

Note: Since the And logical operator is the default option, the word And is intentionally not added in front of the caption displayed in the combo box, and neither is it added in front of the caption displayed in the drop down list. Of the four logical operators discussed in this help topic, this is the only operator that does not have the text of the operator included in front of the caption that is displayed in the combo box.

Not Option
This option creates a filter or search criteria string that displays only those Outlook items that DO NOT MATCH the criteria stored in the criteria field of the associated Menu Item, and will append this criteria string to other filter or search criteria using an AND conjunction. For example, if "Not Project A" is selected in the Category Filter drop down list as shown in the illustration below, then NO items that contain "Project A" as a category will be displayed in the view.

Or Option
This option creates a filter or search criteria string that displays only those Outlook items that MATCH the criteria stored in the criteria field of the associated Menu Item, and will append this criteria string to other filter or search criteria using an OR conjunction. For example, if "Or Project A" is selected in the Category Filter drop down list as shown in the illustration below, then items that contain "Project A" as a category will be added to the other items displayed in the view.

Or Not Option
This option creates a filter or search criteria string that displays only those Outlook items that DO NOT MATCH the criteria stored in the criteria field of the associated Menu Item, and will append this criteria string to other filter or search criteria using an OR conjunction. For example, if "Or Not Project A" is selected in the Category Filter drop down list as shown in the illustration below, then items that DO NOT contain "Project A" as a category will be added to the other items displayed in the view.

Remove Option
This option removes the selected Filter or Search Combo Box from the toolbar and also removes the associated filter or search criteria from the Outlook view. For more information on removing Filter and Search Combo Boxes, then please refer to the Remove Filter Combo Boxes and the Remove Search Combo Boxes help topics.

Expand or Retract List Option
This option will either display or hide a list of menu items that are siblings of the current menu item associated with the selected combo box. This allows the user to quickly change the menu item that is associated with the combo box for one of the sibling menu items in the Menu Hierarchy. For example, assume that a menu is constructed that has a parent Category Tag Menu Item labeled Projects and two child Category Tag Menu Items labeled Project A and Project B. Then, if the menu item labeled Project A is added to the toolbar as a Category Filter combo box, then selecting the Expand option will display Project B in the comb box drop down list. The user can then select Project B from the drop down list to instantly change the menu item associated with the Category Filter combo box.

The Order Precedence of Logical Operators

The order in which Filter and Search Combo Boxes are arranged in the Categorize Plus Toolbar can have an impact on the result of the filter or search. The precedence for joining the logical operators of either Filter or Search Combo Boxes is such that AND logical operations are performed before OR logical operations. To learn more regarding the precedence of logical operators and how to re-arrange the position of a combo box that is displayed in the toolbar, then please refer to the Precedence of Logical Operators help topic.

Example of a Category Filter Combo Box Drop Down List: