Replace connected formula with Intetface tools

Question

Hi.  I'm very close...need some help.  I have an app allowing a user to select one of approx. 200 fields from a dropdown tool.  Next, offerring them ability to filter the selected field value with any of all available operators eg. =, >, Contains, !Contains, etc. using another dropdown.  This also includes a third interface tool to input their value to filter, eg. New, Canada, etc.  The challenge is that the input fields are all string and I can't change them with a select tool or similar as the input files vary from 1 of 250.  All 3 interface tools are connected to a formula tool and action tools.  I know I can update the formula for simple string values, whter a custom formula or simple.  When it comes to filtering numeric values when input as string, i can't use the action tool to use operators such as <, > in simple formula and if a custom formula it will see 900 as greater than or coming after 1000.

Do I need 3 action tools, all connected through 1 and do I need a complex IF formula?  Does the action tool replace the entire formula?  If so, what is the syntax...which input source gets quoted, eg. [#1]+[#2]+[#3] or... "[#1]"+"[2]"+"[3]"?

Please help.  Thx.

caltang · Accepted Answer

Perhaps it would be easier to have containers that can turn on / off with the Condition interface. So if you are selecting numeric fields, the > < = will be easier to handle if I understand you correctly. Else you are making the formula expression too big. You could introduce ToString() and ToNumber() but as you rightly pointed out, having the measure functions will disrupt your string expressions and vice versa.

If you could provide some sample data and an expectation of what you are looking for, the community can better guide you.