Once a rule exists, there are several actions you can take from its horizontal menu. The following menu items are (mostly) available in both decision tables and logical rules; where noted, they are also available in Excel matrices. Menu items include:
- View: Toggles between a view without expressions (Analyst View) and a view with expressions (Developer View). When documenting the business logic, a non-developer can create rules that only include plain text descriptions of the rule elements. A developer can later write the expression components so the rules can proceed to testing.
- Run Results: Displays the rule execution details.
- Rule Errors: Displays the list of errors in a rule, if any.
- Build Rule: To test a rule, you must build it. You can build it as an Entity Rule (meaning it is not connected to the business object and cannot use its data as input), or as an Object Rule (meaning it is connected to the business object and may use its data as input). This menu item is also available on Excel matrices.
- Rule Expression: Displays the rule as C# code rather than a diagram. It can be code that uses the business object properties (Object Rule in Expression) or code that uses generic properties (Rule in Expression). The code cannot be compiled.
- Add Scenario: Creates an entity testing scenario. In an entity scenario, the input is manual and ad hoc. If a scenario already exists, this item is replaced with the Navigate to Scenario item. This menu item is also available on Excel matrices.
- Add Object Based Scenario: Creates an object based testing scenario. In an object based scenario, the input comes from the business object properties. If an object based scenario already exists, this tiem is replaced with the Navigate to Object Based Scenario item. This option only displays if the entity linked to the rule has a business object.
- Create Excel: Creates an Excel testing scenario, so people who don't have S3 installed can also test rules. If an Excel scenario already exists, this item is replaced with the Update Excel and Open Scenario from Excel items.
- Fix All Node IDs: Fixes all duplicate node IDs, if any.
- Add New Version: Creates a new version of the open rule (click the + icon below the horizontal menu).
- Child Rules: Displays a list of all the associated child rules (option only available for logical rules).
- Refresh Child Rules: Refreshes the rule and displays the child rule, if any, in the Child Rules list (option only available for logical rules).
- Variables: Displays a list of added variables (option only available for logical rules).
- Add Variables: Enables adding variables (option only available for logical rules).
- Details: Opens properties that were set when the rule was created so you can view or edit them. This menu item is also available on Excel matrices.
Logical rules also provide the following user actions when you right-click a component, such as a Loop or Action:
- Add items: Adds a component.
- Delete: Deletes the selected component.
- Cut: Cuts the selected component.
- Copy: Copies the selected component and allows pasting multiple times.
- Copy++: Copies the selected component and allows pasting only once.
- Paste: Pastes the cut or copied component.
- Toggle All Outlining: Minimizes the rule and displays only the first and last step.
- Comment: If commented, the rule skips the component during execution.
- Convert to Local Variable: Converts a parameter to a local variable.
- Convert to Parameter: Converts a local variable to a parameter.
This post is part of the Rules topic. Click here to open the Rules Overview.