[flexcoders] filterFunction problems being had

[bredwards358]

Okay, I'm working on a filter function to sort through information in an
ArrayCollection which is filled by the results of a select statement to
a database. The actual functionaility is modified ever so slightly from
the source I found here:

http://www.franto.com/blog2/wp-content/uploads/examples/filterfunction/s\
rcview/

This is what I have:
------------------------
private function filterProducts():void
{
     model.prodMaintData.filterFunction = sortProducts;
     model.prodMaintData.refresh();
}

private function sortProducts(item:Object):Boolean
     {
         var value:String;
         var col:String = this.cmbColumns.selectedItem.data as String;
         searchBy = this.txtDescription.text;

         searchBy = searchBy.toLowerCase();

             if (searchBy != "")
             {
                 if (col != "any")
                 {
                     value = item[col]; //Why is value NOT getting set
equal to this?
                     value = value.toLowerCase(); //Error happens here
because value is still null for some reason

                     if (value.indexOf(searchBy) >= 0)
                     {
                         return true;
                     }
                 }
                 else
                 {
                     for (var o:String in item)
                     {
                         value = item[o];
                         value = value.toLowerCase();
                         if (value.indexOf(searchBy) >= 0)
                         {
                             return true;
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
             else
             {
                 return true;
             }

         return false;
     }
------------------------

Now, as seen by my comments, I keep getting an error because the value
variable is null for some reason, even when lines were changed around
from what was originally from the sample. I don't know if this has
anything to do with it, but despite the fact that my comboBox is
populated by an ArrayCollection that was declared and filled manually in
the code:

------------------------
columnArray = new ArrayCollection();
         columnArray.addItem({data:'any', label:'Any'});
             columnArray.addItem({data:'productID', label:'Product ID'});
             columnArray.addItem({data:'productName', label:'Product
Name'});
             columnArray.addItem({data:'print', label:'Print'});
             columnArray.addItem({data:'barcode', label:'Barcode'});
             columnArray.addItem({data:'vendor', label:'Vendor'});
             columnArray.addItem({data:'status', label:'Status'});
------------------------

The ArrayCollection which populates the dataGrid, the one I'm trying to
sort through, is instantiated and populated automatically again from a
database table. I don't see the reason why the value variable should be
null and causing the error. Thanks in advance.

Brian Ross Edwards