# Warn if filter-samples returns empty table

**URL:** https://forum.qiime2.org/t/warn-if-filter-samples-returns-empty-table/4620
**Category:** Ideas and Suggestions
**Tags:** pending-development, filtering
**Created:** [June 19, 2018, 10:03am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/warn-if-filter-samples-returns-empty-table/4620 "2018-06-19T10:03:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![jjmmii](https://forum.qiime2.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@jjmmii](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/jjmmii)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2018, 10:03am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/warn-if-filter-samples-returns-empty-table/4620/1 "2018-06-19T10:03:11Z")

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When performing `feature-table filter-samples`, I often am unaware that the resulting table is empty because of some mistakes in the `--p-where` clause until I export or summarize the filtered table. It would be great if a warning is issued for an empty table. Thanks a lot.

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### Author: ![Nicholas\_Bokulich](https://forum.qiime2.org/user_avatar/forum.qiime2.org/nicholas_bokulich/32/19937_2.png) [@Nicholas\_Bokulich](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/Nicholas_Bokulich)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2018, 12:25am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/warn-if-filter-samples-returns-empty-table/4620/2 "2018-06-20T00:25:22Z")

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thanks @jjmmii!

I've opened an issue [here](https://github.com/qiime2/q2-feature-table/issues/179). We will post back here whenever there is progress. 📻