    /**
     * Abstract base class for filter implementations.
     */
    Ext.define('Ext.ux.grid.filter.Filter', {
        extend: 'Ext.util.Observable',

        /**
         * @cfg {Boolean} active
         * Indicates the initial status of the filter (defaults to false).
         */
        active : false,
        /**
         * @property {Boolean} active
         * True if this filter is active.  Use setActive() to alter after configuration.
         */
        /**
         * @cfg {String} dataIndex
         * The {@link Ext.data.Store} dataIndex of the field this filter represents.
         * The dataIndex does not actually have to exist in the store.
         */
        dataIndex : null,
        /**
         * @property {Ext.menu.Menu} menu
         * The filter configuration menu that will be installed into the filter submenu of a column menu.
         */
        menu : null,
        /**
         * @cfg {Number} updateBuffer
         * Number of milliseconds to wait after user interaction to fire an update. Only supported
         * by filters: 'list', 'numeric', and 'string'.
         */
        updateBuffer : 500,

        constructor : function (config) {
            Ext.apply(this, config);

            this.addEvents(
                /**
                 * @event activate
                 * Fires when an inactive filter becomes active
                 * @param {Ext.ux.grid.filter.Filter} this
                 */
                'activate',
                /**
                 * @event deactivate
                 * Fires when an active filter becomes inactive
                 * @param {Ext.ux.grid.filter.Filter} this
                 */
                'deactivate',
                /**
                 * @event serialize
                 * Fires after the serialization process. Use this to attach additional parameters to serialization
                 * data before it is encoded and sent to the server.
                 * @param {Array/Object} data A map or collection of maps representing the current filter configuration.
                 * @param {Ext.ux.grid.filter.Filter} filter The filter being serialized.
                 */
                'serialize',
                /**
                 * @event update
                 * Fires when a filter configuration has changed
                 * @param {Ext.ux.grid.filter.Filter} this The filter object.
                 */
                'update'
            );
            Ext.ux.grid.filter.Filter.superclass.constructor.call(this);

            this.menu = this.createMenu(config);
            this.init(config);
            if(config && config.value){
                this.setValue(config.value);
                this.setActive(config.active !== false, true);
                delete config.value;
            }
        },

        /**
         * Destroys this filter by purging any event listeners, and removing any menus.
         */
        destroy : function(){
            if (this.menu){
                this.menu.destroy();
            }
            this.clearListeners();
        },

        /**
         * Template method to be implemented by all subclasses that is to
         * initialize the filter and install required menu items.
         * Defaults to Ext.emptyFn.
         */
        init : Ext.emptyFn,

        /**
         * @private
         * Creates the Menu for this filter.
         * @param {Object} config Filter configuration
         * @return {Ext.menu.Menu}
         */
        createMenu: function(config) {
            config.plain = true;
            return Ext.create('Ext.menu.Menu', config);
        },

        /**
         * Template method to be implemented by all subclasses that is to
         * get and return the value of the filter.
         * @return {Object} The 'serialized' form of this filter
         * @template
         */
        getValue : Ext.emptyFn,

        /**
         * Template method to be implemented by all subclasses that is to
         * set the value of the filter and fire the 'update' event.
         * @param {Object} data The value to set the filter
         * @template
         */
        setValue : Ext.emptyFn,

        /**
         * Template method to be implemented by all subclasses that is to
         * return true if the filter has enough configuration information to be activated.
         * Defaults to always returning true.
         * @return {Boolean}
         */
        isActivatable : function(){
            return true;
        },

        /**
         * Template method to be implemented by all subclasses that is to
         * get and return serialized filter data for transmission to the server.
         */
        getSerialArgs : Ext.emptyFn,

        /**
         * Template method to be implemented by all subclasses that is to
         * validates the provided Ext.data.Record against the filters configuration.
         * Defaults to always returning true.
         * @param {Ext.data.Record} record The record to validate
         * @return {Boolean} true if the record is valid within the bounds
         * of the filter, false otherwise.
         */
        validateRecord : function(){
            return true;
        },

        /**
         * Returns the serialized filter data for transmission to the server
         * and fires the 'serialize' event.
         * @return {Object/Array} An object or collection of objects containing
         * key value pairs representing the current configuration of the filter.
         */
        serialize : function(){
            var args = this.getSerialArgs();
            this.fireEvent('serialize', args, this);
            return args;
        },

        /** @private */
        fireUpdate : function(){
            if (this.active) {
                this.fireEvent('update', this);
            }
            this.setActive(this.isActivatable());
        },

        /**
         * Sets the status of the filter and fires the appropriate events.
         * @param {Boolean} active        The new filter state.
         * @param {Boolean} suppressEvent True to prevent events from being fired.
         */
        setActive : function(active, suppressEvent){
            if(this.active != active){
                this.active = active;
                if (suppressEvent !== true) {
                    this.fireEvent(active ? 'activate' : 'deactivate', this);
                }
            }
        }
    });