Filter expression as native string

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "redisvl"
-version = "0.8.1"
+version = "0.8.2"
 description = "Python client library and CLI for using Redis as a vector database"
 authors = [{ name = "Redis Inc.", email = "[email protected]" }]
 requires-python = ">=3.9,<3.14"

redisvl/query/query.py

@@ -939,8 +939,6 @@ def _build_query_string(self) -> str:
         filter_expression = self._filter_expression
         if isinstance(filter_expression, FilterExpression):
             filter_expression = str(filter_expression)
-        else:
-            filter_expression = ""
 
         text = (
             f"@{self._text_field_name}:({self._tokenize_and_escape_query(self._text)})"

redisvl/version.py

@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "0.8.0"
+__version__ = "0.8.2"

tests/unit/test_query_types.py

@@ -280,6 +280,74 @@ def test_text_query():
         text_query = TextQuery(text_string, text_field_name, stopwords=[1, 2, 3])
 
 
+def test_text_query_with_string_filter():
+    """Test that TextQuery correctly includes string filter expressions in query string.
+
+    This test ensures that when a string filter expression is passed to TextQuery,
+    it's properly included in the generated query string and not set to empty.
+    Regression test for bug where string filters were being ignored.
+    """
+    text = "search for document 12345"
+    text_field_name = "description"
+
+    # Test with string filter expression - should include filter in query string
+    string_filter = "@category:{tech|science|engineering}"
+    text_query = TextQuery(
+        text=text,
+        text_field_name=text_field_name,
+        filter_expression=string_filter,
+    )
+
+    # Check that filter is stored correctly
+    assert text_query.filter == string_filter
+
+    # Check that the generated query string includes both text search and filter
+    query_string = str(text_query)
+    assert f"@{text_field_name}:(search | document | 12345)" in query_string
+    assert f"AND {string_filter}" in query_string
+    assert string_filter in query_string
+
+    # Test with FilterExpression - should also work (existing functionality)
+    filter_expression = Tag("category") == "tech"
+    text_query_with_filter_expr = TextQuery(
+        text=text,
+        text_field_name=text_field_name,
+        filter_expression=filter_expression,
+    )
+
+    # Check that filter is stored correctly
+    assert text_query_with_filter_expr.filter == filter_expression
+
+    # Check that the generated query string includes both text search and filter
+    query_string_with_filter_expr = str(text_query_with_filter_expr)
+    assert (
+        f"@{text_field_name}:(search | document | 12345)"
+        in query_string_with_filter_expr
+    )
+    assert "AND @category:{tech}" in query_string_with_filter_expr
+
+    # Test with no filter - should only have text search
+    text_query_no_filter = TextQuery(
+        text=text,
+        text_field_name=text_field_name,
+    )
+
+    query_string_no_filter = str(text_query_no_filter)
+    assert f"@{text_field_name}:(search | document | 12345)" in query_string_no_filter
+    assert "AND" not in query_string_no_filter
+
+    # Test with wildcard filter - should only have text search (no AND clause)
+    text_query_wildcard = TextQuery(
+        text=text,
+        text_field_name=text_field_name,
+        filter_expression="*",
+    )
+
+    query_string_wildcard = str(text_query_wildcard)
+    assert f"@{text_field_name}:(search | document | 12345)" in query_string_wildcard
+    assert "AND" not in query_string_wildcard
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "query",
     [