Enhance UseTree: Filtering And Searching Selected Results

by Alex Johnson 58 views

Introduction

In this article, we'll delve into enhancing the useTree functionality, specifically focusing on adding the ability to filter and search within the results obtained when using the showSelectedOnly option. Currently, when a tree structure containing only checked rows (a result of showSelectedOnly) is processed through useFilterTree or useSearchTree, it leads to the display of loading placeholders from useDataRows. This limitation hinders the user experience, especially when dealing with large datasets where filtering and searching within selected items are crucial. Our goal is to enable useDataRows to return rows that match the specified search and filter criteria, providing a more refined and efficient way to interact with the tree data. This enhancement will significantly improve the usability of tree components in various applications, allowing users to quickly find the information they need within the selected subset of data. This feature will streamline data exploration and manipulation, making it easier to manage and analyze complex hierarchical data structures. By implementing this improvement, we aim to provide a more intuitive and powerful interface for users interacting with tree data structures, ultimately enhancing their productivity and overall satisfaction.

Current Implementation and its Limitations

The Existing Workflow

Currently, the implementation involves a series of hooks to manage and display tree data. Let's break down the process:

  1. useTree Hook: This hook is the foundation, responsible for managing the tree structure. It supports different types of data loading (sync in this case), handles ID extraction, manages the data source state, and processes the initial items. Crucially, it includes the showSelectedOnly option, which filters the tree to display only checked rows.
  2. useSearchTree Hook: This hook takes the output from useTree and adds search functionality. It uses the dataSourceState to manage search terms and a getSearchFields function to determine which fields to search within.
  3. useFilterTree Hook: Building upon the useSearchTree output, this hook introduces filtering capabilities. It utilizes the dataSourceState for filter parameters and a getFilter function to define the filter logic.
  4. useDataRows Hook: This hook is the final step in the chain, taking the processed tree and preparing the data for display. It extracts rows and associated properties (listProps) for rendering.

The Problem: Loading Placeholders

The core issue arises when the tree, already filtered by showSelectedOnly, is further processed by useSearchTree and useFilterTree. In this scenario, useDataRows incorrectly displays loading placeholders instead of the filtered and searched results. This behavior is not ideal because it prevents users from effectively refining their selection within the already narrowed-down set of checked items. Imagine a scenario where a user has selected hundreds of items from a large tree and then wants to search or filter within those selected items – the current implementation fails to provide this functionality seamlessly.

Code Example

Here’s the code snippet illustrating the current implementation:

  const { tree: fullTree, ...restProps } = useTree(
    {
      type: 'sync',
      getId: (item) => item.id,
      dataSourceState,
      setDataSourceState,
      items,
      showSelectedOnly: true,
    },
    [],
  );

  const treeWithSearch = useSearchTree(
    {
      tree: fullTree,
      dataSourceState,
      getSearchFields,
    },
    [fullTree],
  );

  const tree = useFilterTree(
    {
      tree: treeWithSearch,
      dataSourceState,
      getFilter,
    },
    [treeWithSearch],
  );


  const { rows, listProps } = useDataRows({
    tree,
    ...restProps,
  });

In this code, fullTree is the initial tree, potentially filtered by showSelectedOnly. The treeWithSearch variable represents the tree after applying search, and tree is the final tree after filtering. The useDataRows hook, however, doesn't correctly handle the filtered and searched tree, leading to the display of loading placeholders. This is a critical bottleneck in the current implementation.

Proposed Solution: Enhancing useDataRows

The Goal: Seamless Filtering and Searching

The primary objective is to modify the useDataRows hook to correctly process the filtered and searched tree, ensuring that it returns the appropriate rows matching the search and filter criteria. This will provide a seamless user experience, allowing users to efficiently narrow down their selection within the showSelectedOnly results.

Key Changes in useDataRows

The proposed solution involves updating the useDataRows hook to recognize and handle the filtered and searched tree structure correctly. This requires a deeper inspection of the tree data and ensuring that the rows returned are indeed the ones that match the applied search and filter conditions. The exact implementation details might vary depending on the internal structure of useDataRows and how it processes the tree data, but the core idea remains the same: the hook needs to be aware of the filtering and searching applied upstream and return the corresponding rows. This enhancement is crucial for maintaining data integrity and providing accurate results to the user.

Implementation Strategy

  1. Inspect the Tree Structure: Within useDataRows, we need to inspect the tree structure to identify if it has been processed by useSearchTree and useFilterTree. This might involve checking for specific properties or flags added by these hooks.
  2. Apply Filters and Searches: If the tree has been filtered and searched, useDataRows should apply these criteria when extracting rows. This might involve reusing the filter and search logic from useFilterTree and useSearchTree or implementing similar logic within useDataRows.
  3. Return Matching Rows: Finally, useDataRows should return only the rows that match the applied filters and search criteria. This ensures that the displayed data accurately reflects the user's selection and search/filter parameters.

Benefits of the Solution

  • Improved User Experience: Users can seamlessly filter and search within the selected items, leading to a more efficient and intuitive interaction with the tree data.
  • Accurate Results: The displayed data will always reflect the applied filters and search criteria, ensuring data integrity and accuracy.
  • Enhanced Performance: By filtering and searching within the selected items, the amount of data processed is reduced, potentially improving performance, especially for large datasets.

Conclusion

Enhancing the useDataRows hook to correctly handle filtered and searched trees when using showSelectedOnly is a crucial step towards providing a more robust and user-friendly tree component. By implementing the proposed solution, we can ensure that users can seamlessly filter and search within their selected items, leading to a more efficient and accurate data exploration experience. This enhancement will significantly improve the usability of tree components in various applications, making it easier to manage and analyze complex hierarchical data structures. The modifications to useDataRows will ensure that it accurately processes the output from useSearchTree and useFilterTree, providing a consistent and reliable way to interact with tree data. This improvement represents a significant step forward in the functionality and usability of our tree components.

For more information on related topics, you can check out the documentation on React Hooks.