How can I implement user-friendly boolean logic in a web form GUI?

Question

Currently I have a web application where a user can use dropdown lists to generate SQL SELECT statements like so:

Column Select Dropdown | Operator Dropdown (= != >

Answer 1

When you need to handle ( (A or B) and C) or (D or E or F), you're working with a tree-like data structure. In my experience, there's no easy way to represent decision trees to users in a "pretty" or "intuitive" way. Its doubly hard in ASP.NET webforms.

However, one tried and true approach is the following: single textbox accepting a where clause. Trust me, the single-input approach really is the most simple and intuitive user interface, and it also has the advantage* of allowing rapid input/modification of query filters.

** Another advantage, from the technical side, is being able write your own lexer/parser and AST. How often do you get to do that in a basic crud app :)*

You're already going to be training your users how to use your ad hoc query engine, you may as well train them that typing (account.Balance < -2000 and account.Type == 'Checking') OR (account.Number = 123456) returns exactly what it says it returns.

If you go with this approach, provide the user with a dropdown list of available columns, so that double-clicking on an item inserts the item into the textbox at the cursor location.