SAP UI5 is a powerful JavaScript framework used to build enterprise-ready web applications with a rich user experience. One of the common requirements in SAP UI5 applications is the ability to sort and filter data efficiently, especially when dealing with large datasets displayed in controls like tables or lists.
This article explores how to implement data sorting and filtering in SAP UI5 applications, covering both client-side and OData service scenarios.
When presenting data to users, allowing them to sort and filter the data improves usability by helping them quickly find relevant information. This is particularly critical in SAP business applications where datasets can be extensive, and performance considerations are paramount.
Before diving into sorting and filtering techniques, it’s important to recognize the most used SAP UI5 controls for displaying data:
These controls support sorting and filtering functionalities natively or through data binding.
When the dataset is small or already loaded in the client, sorting can be done on the client side using the Sorter class.
var oTable = this.byId("myTable");
var oBinding = oTable.getBinding("items"); // For sap.m.Table use "items", for sap.ui.table.Table use "rows"
var oSorter = new sap.ui.model.Sorter("PropertyName", false); // false for ascending order
oBinding.sort(oSorter);
Key Points:
PropertyName is the model property you want to sort by.true/false indicates descending/ascending order.oBinding.sort() updates the displayed data immediately.In most SAP UI5 enterprise applications, data is consumed via OData services. Sorting requests are sent to the backend using $orderby query options.
SAP UI5 automatically generates these OData query parameters if the control is bound properly and sorting is triggered through the UI.
Example: The user clicks a column header to sort.
<Table
id="myTable"
items="{path: '/EntitySet'}"
enableColumnReordering="true"
enableSorting="true">
<columns>
<Column sortProperty="Name" filterProperty="Name">
<Text text="Name" />
</Column>
</columns>
<items>
<ColumnListItem>
<cells>
<Text text="{Name}" />
</cells>
</ColumnListItem>
</items>
</Table>
The OData model automatically appends $orderby=Name asc or $orderby=Name desc on user interaction.
Similar to sorting, filtering on the client side uses the Filter and FilterOperator classes.
var oTable = this.byId("myTable");
var oBinding = oTable.getBinding("items");
var oFilter = new sap.ui.model.Filter("PropertyName", sap.ui.model.FilterOperator.Contains, "filterValue");
oBinding.filter([oFilter]);
Notes:
and / or.oBinding.filter() to implement multiple filters simultaneously.For large datasets, filtering should be handled on the server side using OData query parameters ($filter).
In SAP UI5, when filters are applied on the UI controls bound to an OData model, the framework automatically constructs the $filter query string.
Example of multiple filters in XML Table columns:
<Column filterProperty="Category" sortProperty="Category">
<Text text="Category" />
</Column>
In the controller, when the user applies a filter, UI5 constructs OData filters and appends them to the query URL.
var oTable = this.byId("myTable");
var oBinding = oTable.getBinding("items");
// Sort by Price descending
var oSorter = new sap.ui.model.Sorter("Price", true);
// Filter by Category = 'Laptops'
var oFilter = new sap.ui.model.Filter("Category", sap.ui.model.FilterOperator.EQ, "Laptops");
oBinding.sort(oSorter);
oBinding.filter([oFilter]);
This example sorts the table data by price in descending order and filters it to show only laptops.
sap.m.Table have built-in sorting/filtering capabilities that can be enabled with minimal code.Implementing sorting and filtering in SAP UI5 is essential for building responsive and user-friendly applications in the SAP ecosystem. Whether you use client-side logic or leverage backend OData services, SAP UI5 provides flexible APIs and controls to handle these operations effectively.
Mastering these features enhances data navigation capabilities, enabling users to extract actionable insights quickly from vast business data.