Bypass initial Search form to load data

[AccessNerd]

This seems like it'd be a common request so I tried searching for this and I read several posts but I didn't find anything that worked for me. I'm a Noob so I am probably just using the wrong words to search. So here it goes:

In a tabular report, with these settings:

Show Search Form
       >Results on a new page

Is there a way to essentially bypass (or have the form press the search button) on the initial load so the user gets to the list first, and then can use the search link to get back to the form as needed? I'd prefer not to use the show results below search form option.

In a tabular report, I really like the functionality of the "separate" Search form loading the results page. It has a nice "Search again" link showing up at the top so the user can easily get back to the Search as needed. The problem is that the user has to click the search button on the initial load to get to the listing. I'd rather start with the list of everything then choose to modify the search parameters.   When the search form is displayed above the results, you actually have the option to display the results on initial load. But for some strange reason, if you choose the "Show search form results on new page", you cannot bypass the search on initial load.  That really seems like the option should apply to either Search form options.

Any help would be appreciated.

[CoopperBackpack]

Hello @AccessNerd,

There is a common solution that allows dividing Search and Results.

Please refer to these resources: 

https://howto.caspio.com/tech-tips-and-articles/tech-parameters/how-to-separate-search-page-and-results-page-into-two-different-webpages/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spMjo8X4mgA&t

Maybe this is also helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spMjo8X4mgA&t

 

So, the idea is to use a Submission form as a Search form. And this is possible when all fields are Virtual ones that pass parameters to the Report DataPage.

The Report DataPage uses "Filter data based on your pre-defined criteria" option. 

 

All fields required for the Search receive parameters from the Search and have the "If empty, ignore criteria" option.

 

On the Result screen in the Header you may add the link to the Search (separate Submission form).

In case you firstly show the Report DataPage for the users, they will be able to see all records. This is why they do no enter any values for the Search and the "If empty, ignore criteria" option works. If the users need to use Search form they can follow the link in the DataPage Header.

Maybe this looks complicated. However, the article and the tutorial video are rather detailed. So just try to follow them step by step.

Hope this approach helps to achieve the result that you are looking for. 

[CoopperBackpack]

Hello again @AccessNerd,

If I got the desired result correctly, you want to see the Search Again link and the Download Data link on the line as shown on the screenshot below.

If so, please check the "Link to search form" option on the "Search and Report Wizard - Results Page Options" screen. You may paste the link to the Search form there. 

In this case link in the Header is not needed. 

[AccessNerd]

19 minutes ago, CoopperBackpack said:

Hello @AccessNerd,

There is a common solution that allows dividing Search and Results.

Please refer to these resources: 

https://howto.caspio.com/tech-tips-and-articles/tech-parameters/how-to-separate-search-page-and-results-page-into-two-different-webpages/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spMjo8X4mgA&t

Maybe this is also helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spMjo8X4mgA&t

 

So, the idea is to use a Submission form as a Search form. And this is possible when all fields are Virtual ones that pass parameters to the Report DataPage.

The Report DataPage uses "Filter data based on your pre-defined criteria" option. 

 

All fields required for the Search receive parameters from the Search and have the "If empty, ignore criteria" option.

 

On the Result screen in the Header you may add the link to the Search (separate Submission form).

In case you firstly show the Report DataPage for the users, they will be able to see all records. This is why they do no enter any values for the Search and the "If empty, ignore criteria" option works. If the users need to use Search form they can follow the link in the DataPage Header.

Maybe this looks complicated. However, the article and the tutorial video are rather detailed. So just try to follow them step by step.

Hope this approach helps to achieve the result that you are looking for. 

Thanks CB, I appreciate all of your help. I may end up doing what you've posted. I had read similar posts, and have also thought of having a unfiltered/unsearched Tabular Report that has a search link up in the header, which then takes you to a Searchable Tabular report that looks exactly the same. Unfortunately that link doesn't align with the "Download Data" link

So on that, other than using two pages (which can be accomplished with one otherwise), the main issue that I have with these two datapage solutions is that I have the "Download Data" link up top, and the default "Search Again" fits nicely with that. These other solutions leave it so that I have to add another link somewhere else to get the user to the search screen. Not a big deal, just not as clean as the default.  Maybe there's a way to add links in the area that contains the "Download Data" and "Search Again" links. 

I saw a 2017 post that used scripting to fill in a virtual field with a default value of 1 on load, and then leverage that field to have it auto-press the submit button. I couldn't get that to work at all, so I was hoping that they had a built in way to do this. Seems so basic to me that its hard to believe that it's just not an option like it is with the "search above/results below" option.

Hope I'm explaining myself ok, and thanks again for the help.  

[AccessNerd]

4 hours ago, CoopperBackpack said:

Hello again @AccessNerd,

If I got the desired result correctly, you want to see the Search Again link and the Download Data link on the line as shown on the screenshot below.

If so, please check the "Link to search form" option on the "Search and Report Wizard - Results Page Options" screen. You may paste the link to the Search form there. 

In this case link in the Header is not needed. 

 I've skipped right over that because I didn't know what to do with it. Thanks so much! I think all of this together will work exactly as needed.