Using the Find Message Feature
When you are analyzing message data that is displayed in an Analysis Grid viewer tab, you have access to the Find function to search for and locate individual messages that meet the filtering criteria of a Filter Expression that you select or define. To enable the Find filtering mode, click the Find Message icon on the Analysis Grid viewer toolbar. After you select a predefined Filter Expression from the Library, or write one in the text box of the Find Messages window, click the Find binoculars icon to locate the next message that meets the specified filtering criteria. You can also click the Find Previous icon to return to a previous message in the trace results that meets the specified filtering criteria.
Utilizing the Advantages of the Find Message Function
One of the advantages of using the Find function to locate messages that meet specific filtering criteria is that you can locate single messages in a large data set relatively quickly. An even more important advantage is the context that the feature provides. Often, the messages that precede or trail a target message can provide an indication of what caused the condition that is reflected by the target message — for example, an error — which can be key to the analysis process. This can also include factors such as message types, field values, time stamps, and so on. By contrast, when you apply a view Filter, all messages are filtered out except those that meet the filtering criteria, which can obscure the surrounding context.
Specifying a Filter Expression for the Find Message Function
To specify a Filter Expression for the Find function, you can manually configure one or select a built-in expression from the centralized Filter Expression Library that is accessible in the Find Messages window, just as you would do when specifying a Session Filter, view Filter, or Color Rule Filter. The Filter Expressions that are available for the Find function are the identical Library items that you can access for Session Filter or view Filter configuration, and include any custom Filter Expressions that you create.
Note
You can use the Find function to locate messages in the Grouping viewer that meet specified filtering criteria, providing that the Grouping viewer is in focus when you click the Find binoculars icon.
More Information
To learn more about view Filters, see Applying and Managing Filters.
To learn more about Session Filters, see Working with Session Filters in a Live Trace Session.
To learn more about sharing Filter Expression Library items with others, see the Sharing Infrastructure topic.