How can I filter a view using a blank multi-line field?

Question

I have a multi-line text field and need to be able to show a view with only items where that field is blank (or functionally blank to a human looking at it).

I've tried:

• field contains ""
• field contains "" or field contains " "
• field contains <div></div>
• field contains "<div></div>"

But none of them work.

Surely this can be done.

Answer 1

If you want to stay in the UI, you could try a method similar to @theChrisKent but use 5 filters instead and for each filter do a contains for a, e, i, o, u. This would obviously assume that any input in the fields would contain a word (including a vowel). See screen shot below.

A second approach would be to create a view in the library and then use SharePoint designer to modify the view to look for a null value. See this post for more info.

Answer 2

You will need three Filters all with ORs between them:

• [Field] contains
• [Field] contains <div></div>
• [Field] contains <div>&nbsp;</div>

Here is a screenshot to make this a little more obvious:

^{In the image above Answer is a Multiple lines of text field allowing Rich text}

UPDATE:

For Multiline plain text fields just doing [Field] contains '' won't work. Instead, setup the view with all the columns you want, sorting, grouping, etc. Then edit the view in SharePoint Designer. In the View XML find the section and edit to get the results you want.

To show only those items where your field (Single or Multi-line text) is blank:

<Where>
    <IsNull>
        <FieldRef Name="SomeText"/>
    </IsNull>
</Where>

To show only those items where your field is NOT blank:

<Where>
    <IsNotNull>
        <FieldRef Name="SomeText"/>
    </IsNotNull>
</Where>

Answer 3

Try this- Worked for me. Convert your multiple lines of text field to a Single line of text. Create the view using the "is not equal to" and then leave the criteria blank. Once the view is created change the field back to multiple lines of text.

Answer 4

The easier solution is to create a formula field - if(<expectedfield>="",0,1). Now you may place the filter based on 0 and 1. Problem solved.

Answer 5

For Example, In AllItems.aspx view, you can filter for empty fields in text colums, multi line text colums and multi line rich text colums using the following syntax: "http://.../AllItems.aspx#InplviewHash...=FilterField1%3DColumname-FilterValue1%3D".

Filter value %3D means equal. If you add nothing you will get the empty fields. Instead of the ... (dots) fill in your correct paths and names.

If you need the non empty fields you can do it by editing the view parameters in the view settings (see the masks settings in the other answers).