Pocket Query - Attribute - Problem

[+Duffy77]

Hi,

i have a problem with excluding an Attribute in the Pocket Query.

For examble near my location the are a few Caches, that are only possible to do with a Boat.

The Attribute for the Cache owner are only "Boat required" and "Not set".

When i run the Pocket Query with "No Boat" then i get no result.

It could be great, if that function could be fixed.

Could this be possible?

Greetings

Sven

[+Markwell]

The problem is in the logic of the PQ and the logic of the attributes. No Boat would return a set of caches that have been specifically labelled as not having the ability to use a boat. Owners can't do that. There is no option for saying "Boat Not Required"

 

 

But I think the PQ generator when it asks you to exclude the attributes like this:

 

...is actually looking for caches where "Boat Required" is set to "NO" - which can't happen.

 

When we first started talking about attributes many eons ago, I mentioned that there are three settings for each attribute: TRUE, FALSE, and UNCHECKED. It appears that Jeremy took me to heart with the setting of the attributes - they can have all 3 settings.

 

But for the PQ side, if you are looking to eliminate caches that have the Boat checked, unless I'm wrong, I don't think the PQ logic will allow that. At best, you can disregard, and INCLUDE those, but trying to EXCLUDE them with the "Not" attribute will, as you found, return a null set.

 

As PQ, we should be able to specifically include, exclude or disregard, the TRUE, FALSE or Not Set.

 

 

Unless I miss my guess, you're trying to get Set "D" on the boat attribute, and instead you're getting set B, which on the attribute interface, is not allowed.

Edited February 6, 2006 by Markwell

[+VesaK]

The problem is, as I earlier wrote, that in PQ you have too many possibilities to select.

[+Duffy77]

Yes that it exactly my problem.

I want to get D but i got B.

Now i know that this query must be very complicated...not to say impossible.

Only if an attribute is set to TRUE or FALSE there is a record for this attribute.

So in my example, no attribute for the Boat exists and so i can't get a query about this.

Am i right?

And if it would be possible to create a query for Attributes that are not set, then the next problem is that there are many attributes and the query string must be very complicated...

Greetings

Sven

[+VesaK]

If every attribute could be set also to a false value, then the right interface for PQ generator should be to select one of four options for each attribute:

1. Ignore this attribute (default for new query)
   
2. Must be set to Yes
   
3. Must be set to No
   
4. Must not be set at all (aka NULL)
   

But as there are attributes that can't have negative value (you can't set "this cache has no snakes") this logic wouldn't work for those attributes.

 

Edit: 2 more options to the list: Must not be Yes (must be No or NULL) and Must not be No (must be Yes or NULL)

Edited February 7, 2006 by VesaK

[Jeremy]

The problem is, as I earlier wrote, that in PQ you have too many possibilities to select.

 

Good point. Just by adjusting the PQ page to only offer the selections allowed it should fix this problem.

 

In other words you will be unable to select the "no boats" selection at all.