---
title: Filter Expressions in the Main API (2017/01)
slug: legacy-docs/filter-expressions-in-the-main-api-201701
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-03-11T07:03:30.743Z
---

:::hint{type="warning"}
This page / section pertains to **BrightSign Network** (often abbreviated **BSN**), our legacy cloud platform. Our latest cloud platform is **BSN.Cloud**. Development of BSN has largely ceased and the platform will eventually be deprecated and replaced with BSN.Cloud.
:::

# Filter Expressions 

GET calls that return multiple items accept the `"?filter"` query string, which allows the client to filter list returns according to one or more entity values. The query string can have multiple operators joined together with "AND" or "OR".

## Example (single operator)

```text
GET /2017/01/REST/Content/?filter=[mediaType]%20IS%20'video' 
```

## Example (multiple operators)

```text
GET /2017/01/REST/Content/?filter=[fileName]%20BEGINS%20WITH%20'ex'%20AND%20[mediaType]%20IS%20'image'
```

Accepted expressions are described below.

## String Operators

:::hint{type="info"}
String operators are case-insensitive.
:::

- `[entry] IS '<value>'`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling `<value>`. This operation supports the `"*"` and `"?"` wildcards.
- `[entry] IS NOT '<value>'`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling `<value>`. This operation supports the `"*"` and `"?"` wildcards. 
- `[entry] BEGINS WITH '<value>'`: Returns items that contain the entry starting with the `<value>` substring. 
- `[entry] ENDS WITH '<value>'`: Returns items that contain the entry ending with the `<value>` substring. 
- `[entry] CONTAINS '<value>'`: Returns items that contain the entry with the `<value>` substring. 
- `[entry] DOES NOT CONTAIN '<value>':` Returns items that do not contain the entry with the  substring".
- `[entry] CONTAINS ALL ('<value_1>', '<value_2>', [...])`: Returns items that contain the entry with all of the specified substrings.
- `[entry] CONTAINS ANY ('<value_1>', '<value_2>', [...])`: Returns items that contain the entry with any of the specified substrings.
- `[entry] IS IN ('<value_1>', '<value_2>', [...])`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling any of the specified values.
- `[entry] IS NOT IN ('<value_1>', '<value_2>', [...])`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling any of the specified values.

# Enumeration Operators

Some string-value entries are enumerations: For example, the `[mediaType]` entry on the Content endpoint can only have "Video", "Image", "Audio", "Text", and "Other" values. The following operators can be used with enumeration entries:

- `[entry] IS '<value>'`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling `<value>`.
- `[entry] IS NOT '<value>'`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling `<value>`.
- `[entry] IS IN ('<value_1>', '<value_2>', [...])`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling any of the specified values.
- `[entry] IS NOT IN ('<value_1>', '<value_2>', [...])`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling any of the specified values. 

# Number Operators

- `[entry] IS <value>`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling `<value>`.
- `[entry] IS NOT <value>`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling `<value>`. 
- `[entry] IS GREATER THAN <value>`: Returns items that contain the entry with a value greater than `<value>`.
- `[entry] IS LESS THAN <value>`: Returns items that contain the entry with a value less than `<value>`.
- `[entry] IS IN THE RANGE <value> AND <value>`: Returns items that contain the entry with a value between the specified range.
- `[entry] IS NOT IN THE RANGE <value> AND <value>`: Returns items that do not contain the entry with a value between the specified range.
- `[entry] IS IN (<value_1>, <value_2>, [...])`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling any of the specified values.
- `[entry] IS NOT IN (<value_1>, <value_2>, [...])`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling any of the specified values.
- `GPS LOCATION ([latittude_entry] AND [longitude_entry]) IN (<latitude_value>, <longitude_value>, <distance_value>)`: Returns items that have coordinate entries within `<distance_value>` of the specified `<latitude_value>` and `<longitude_value>`. 
- `GPS LOCATION ([latittude_entity] AND [longitude_entity]) NOT IN (<latitude_value>, <longitude_value>, <distance_value>)`: Returns items that do not have coordinate entries within `<distance_value>` of the specified `<latitude_value>` and `<longitude_value>`. 

# DateTime Operators

:::hint{type="info"}
DateTime values are formatted as `yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.sssZ`.
:::

- `[entry] IS '<dateTime>'`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling `<dateTime>`.
- `[entry] IS NOT '<dateTime>'`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling `<dateTime>`. 
- `[entry] IS AFTER '<dateTime>'`: Returns items that contain the entry with a time before `<dateTime>`.
- `[entry] IS BEFORE '<dateTime>'`: Returns items that contain the entry with a time after `<dateTime>`.
- `[entry] IN THE LAST (<units>, <length>, '<dateTime>')`: Returns items that have a time entry within `<length>` before `<dateTime>`. The time `<length>` is quantified with the `<units>` parameter, which can have one of the following values: `years`, `months`, `days`.
- `[entry] NOT IN THE LAST (<units>, <length>, '<dateTime>')`: Returns items that do not have a time entry within `<length>` before `<dateTime>`. The time `<length>` is quantified with the `<units>` parameter, which can have one of the following values: `years`, `months`, `days`.
- `[entry] IS IN THE RANGE '<dateTime>' AND '<dateTime>'`: Returns items that have a time entry that falls between the two `<dateTime>` values.
- `[entry] IS NOT IN THE RANGE '<dateTime>' AND '<dateTime>'`: Returns items that do not have a time entry that falls between the two `<dateTime>` values.
- `[entry] IS IN ('<dateTime_1>', '<dateTime_2>', [...])`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling any of the specified values.
- `[entry] IS NOT IN ('<dateTime_1>', '<dateTime_2>', [...])`: Returns items that do not contain the entry equalling any of the specified values.

# Boolean Operators

- `[entity] IS TRUE`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling a `true` value.
- `[entity] IS FALSE`: Returns items that contain the entry equalling a `false` value.