Licensing
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Why am I getting a trial license expired error.
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This error occurs because the embedded trial date in the InRule build would have
expired.
You need to deploy the inrule.lic file with your application.
Deployment Process:
It may be deployed to the directory where the binaries are, -or- to another directory
specified by the following .config entry:
<add key="InRule.Licensing.LicenseFolder" value="ABS.OR.REL.PATHTOYOURLICENSEFOLDER"
/>
The inrule.lic file is created by your InRule install at : \InRule\InRuleSuite\LicenseFile\
(assuming you entered your InRule serial # during or after the install).
Recommendation:
We also recommend you add code to your application to determine if this license
file was found.
This helps ensure that you don't have surprises when an embedded trial date from
a recent InRule build expires.
The snippet below demonstrates how to do this:
[Test]
public void VerifyTrialLicenseIsRetrievedForRuleApplicationDef()
{
LicenseInfo info = RuleRepositoryServices.GetLicenseInfo();
Debug.WriteLine(info.IsTrial.ToString() ); //True if lic file not found, false if
found
Debug.WriteLine(info.Expires); //Expire date (whether trial or license-file).
}
If deploying to the directory where the binaries are, a good approach is to have
the inrule.lic file in the root of your VS.NET project , then use a VS.NET post-build
event to copy it to the output (binaries) directory.
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Note: Other errors encountered: License folder not specified (Refer to next question)
Go to top
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How do I create a LICENSE file
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During Installation:
User is promoted to enter serial number during Installation of the product. License
Folder is created in InRuleSuite\InRule directory. This folder contains the license
file.
After Installation:
- Open the InRule Configuration Utility (Start Menu -> Program Files -> InRule
-> Configuration Utility)
- If you are not prompted on the first screen to enter the license key - delete InRule.lic
file from Program Files\InRule\InRuleSuite\LicenseFile directory and run the Configuration
Utility again
- Enter the new license key: The TDC serial xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- This will generate a new license key file (InRule.lic) which will extend the irAuthor
trial period and can be copied to application directories if needed.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
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.NET Class related questions
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Use static functions in InRule
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Public custom static functions available in your assembly can be used in InRule.
Using static functions via irAuthor:
Right click on Endpoints
Click on "Insert .NET Function Library"
Load your assembly
All the public static methods will be available to be used in irAuthor.
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Note:
If the static function contains custom types, prior to the above step, you need
to load that assembly to the schema.
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Use Instance Methods in InRule
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Custom Instance methods available in your assembly can be used in InRule via irAuthor:
Right click on Schemas
Click on "Insert NETAssemblySchema"
Load your assembly
All the public methods will be available to be used in irAuthor.
Methods are not selected by default. You need to select them and click on "Apply
to Ruleapp" to reflect the schema in irAuthor.
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How to use custom objects in irSDK
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Prerequisite: Schema(.NET Assembly containing custom object) has to be bound via
irAuthor
InRule provides the flexibility to use custom object that has been bound to the
schema via irAuthor.
Once the rules are created against this schema you can get all the return values
into your custom object after applying the rules.
The link shows how to implement this:\ Samples\ObjectState.Invoice
Steps to follow: Open
\Samples\ObjectState.Invoice\ObjectAsStateInvoice\RuleApps\ObjectAsStateInvoice.ruleapp
Note: The schema has been loaded with "Invoice" object. And all the Invoice
entities are pre-populated.
Open the .NET solution located :
\Samples\ObjectState.Invoice\ObjectAsStateInvoice
ObjectEntityState state = new ObjectEntityState("Invoice", _invoice);
_invoice is the object of the instance class Invoice.
_invoice will contain all the results after execution of the rules.
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XML/XSD related questions
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How do I bind my XSD data
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XSD data can be bind to InRule via irAuthor:
Right click on Schemas
Click on "Insert XMLSchemaDefinition"
Load your XSD
All the elements and related types get autoselected.
Click on "Apply to Ruleapp" to reflect the schema in irAuthor.
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How do I use xml namespaces within InRule
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Refer to the above question
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Webservice
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Use InRule as a webservice
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Inrule offers a general purpose web service called "RuleEngineService".
But for utmost flexibility to pass and return values we recommend you to write custom
wrapper around RuleEngineService.
The sample showing the wrapper around RuleEngineService is located at:
Samples\CustomRuntimeWebservice
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Web application
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How to use InRule in a web application scenario
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There is an example of a web version of a simple line-item invoice example included
in the InRule install. This demonstrates how to persist RuleSessionState in an ASP.NET
Session State. You can find it in the folder Samples\WebApp.InvoiceSimple
Note: The above sample also explains "How to use ASP.NET Session State
to store RuleSessionState"
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irVerify
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How to disable entity field comments to show up in irVerify
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Click on Tools in irVerify. Click on Options and click Entity Tab and uncheck "Show
entity field comment".
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Web Service Certificate Override
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How to override the certificate path from code
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InRule provides the flexibility of overriding the certificate path from your code.
See sample code below
//...set up session etc...
//web service def
WebServiceDef wsOverride = new WebServiceDef(
"ServiceName1", //service name
"http://tempuri.org/ServiceOverride.asmx",
//override service URL
null //override WSDL URL
);
//override a method by name:
WebServiceDef.OperationDef opOverride = new WebServiceDef.OperationDef("WebMethodName1");//
Specifies the case-sensitive name of a web method (exposed by the parent web service)
//override cert path
opOverride.X509Certificate =
@"C:\OverrideCert\Test.cer"; wsOverride.Operations.Add(opOverride);
session.EndPointOverrides.Add(wsOverride);
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Note: This would help to use a central path from the server environment for
passing the certificate.
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Serialize InRule Object to XML
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How to serialize InRule object (for eg. RuleExecutionLog) to XML
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InRule.Repository.Utilities.XmlSerializationUtility.ObjectToXML(object obj, bool
useFormatting)
InRule.Repository.Utilities.XmlSerializationUtility.ObjectToXML(object obj)
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Logging
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How does InRule handle logging
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- By default, InRule attempts to write any warning or error level log messages to
the "InRule" Event Log. Previously, when one or more "InRule.*"
event log sources were not registered, this resulted in logging information not
being recorded at all.
- A FileLogger is now automatically setup for a given event log source name if that
source name is not registered (e.g., "InRule.Repository", "InRule.Runtime"),
to a log file found in %TEMP%\InRuleFileLoggerLogs\
- The above means that logging will now occur for any application using irSDK, even
when the InRule installer has not been run on the application host and / or an "inrule.logging"
section is not present in its config file.
- There are two recommended logging approaches for deployed irSDK apps:
- Run the installer on the host machine, with "irSDK" as one of the selected
features. This will register the InRule.* event log sources, allowing logging to
the "InRule" event log.
- Use file-based logging (via the automatically created FileLogger described above,
or the explicitly created one described below).
- A FileLogger may be explicitly setup using this syntax in the config file of the
custom application:
<configSections>
<section name="inrule.logging" type="InRule.Repository.Logging.Configuration.LoggingSectionHandler,InRule.Repository"/>
</configSections>
<group typeName="InRule.Repository.Logging.Loggers.LoggerGroup, InRule.Repository"
level="Warn">
<logger typeName="InRule.Repository.Logging.Loggers.EventLogLogger, InRule.Repository">
<option name="filename" value="%TEMP%\YourApp.log"/>
</logger>>
</group>
- All InRule applications (irServer, irAuthor et al.) have an explicit "inrule.logging"
section in their config files enabling Event logging.
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Compiler Errors
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How to look for compiler errors via SDK
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Compiler errors can be obtained via RuleApplicationInfo object as shown below
catch (RuleCompileErrorsException ex)
{
bool foundAtLeastOneExpectedCode = false;
foreach (CompilerErrorInfo cei in ex.RuleApplicationInfo.CompilerErrors)
{
Debug.WriteLine(cei.ErrorCode + " " + cei.Message);
if (cei.ErrorCode == RuleEngineErrorCode.ValidateCompileError)
{
foundAtLeastOneExpectedCode = true;
}
}
Assert.IsTrue(foundAtLeastOneExpectedCode);
}
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Threading
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Can two threads simultaneously use the same RuleApplicationDef
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Yes you can use but following precautions have to be taken to be thread safe.
You should either ensure you are working with a copy of RuleApplicationDef on each
instance (make a copy using the XmlSerializer) or lock the RuleApplicationDef instance
during the call.
Below is the code that shows how to copy
RuleApplicationDef copy = (RuleApplicationDef) InRule.Repository.Utilities.XmlSerializationUtility.CopyObject(ruleappdef);
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Access value list items via irSDK
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How to access valuelist items via irSDK
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//By valuelist name
DataManager dm = new DataManager(myRuleApplicationDef);
ListItemDefCollection lm = dm.GetValueList("MyValueListName");
//lm.Count gives you the count of items in the list
foreach (ListItemDef listItemDef in lm)
{
string s = listItemDef.Value; //value in the list
}
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Catalog instance
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How many instances of catalog does any installer install
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Each installer run installs / upgrades exactly one catalog instance.
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Catalog instance
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Is there a way to install /upgrade all instances of catalog at once
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Each installer run installs / upgrades exactly one catalog instance.
When you run the installer with no cmd-line args it will upgrade the msi-installed
instance.
To upgrade the other catalog instances you have which were installed via "no-msi"
install, you should run the no-msi installer for each.
You can automate this by calling setup.exe on each no-msi catalog-instance dir with
the "no-msi" cmd-line arguments – see the "Install Instructions"
doc, "Command Line Options" section for more on this.
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Halt Ruleset
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How can I halt the ruleset currently executing
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Specifies either 'halt this rule set' to halt the currently executing rule set or
'halt all rule execution' to stop all rule sets being executed by the rule engine.
In the latter case, the halt is indicated as a Runtime error having code "ExecutionHaltedByAuthoredRule".
NOTE: this action is not supported within an optimized rule set.
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Catalog
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How do I remove rule applications from the Catalog
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Any application having a label on at least one revision in its history may not currently
be fully deleted – it may only be marked inactive.
To mark inactive, click on "Remove" and answer "No" to the remove-permanently
dialog.
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Catalog
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How do I increase catalog service connection time
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From irAuthor you can increase the catalog connection timeout under irAuthor ->
Tools -> Options
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Schemas via irSDK
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How do I get all the schemas defined in a ruleapp
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Code snippet that looks up all the schemas in the rule app:
foreach (EndpointInfo info in Session.RuleApplicationInfo.SchemaEndPoints)
{
Debug.WriteLine(info.Name);
}
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Query against Inline table
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Are complex queries supported for inline table
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Simple queries are supported on inline tables – functions like Sum() and join
are supported only in queries against databases.
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Rule Authoring
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Question. How do I know which Ruleset fire mode and run mode I should use?
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Answer: Auto-sequential (the default choice) is best for most purposes, as it automatically
manages dependencies.
See also: Why would I use the "Single-Pass Sequential" run mode?
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Rule Authoring
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Question. Why are some actions unavailable for Optimized rulesets?
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Answer: The nature of an optimized ruleset is such that certain actions are likely
to trigger unwanted excessive or infinite loop (until terminated by cycle count)
behavior, therefore only a limited set of actions is allowed.
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Rule Authoring
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Question. What does "activated by default" mean in the Ruleset definition
screen?
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Answer: Auto Rulesets may be in an "activated" or "deactivated"
state. When activated, they are run as part of an Apply Rules directive, otherwise
they are not. Activated by default means that an explicit "Activate Ruleset
Action" is not required for the ruleset to be enabled to run.
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Rule Authoring
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Question: Why would I use the "Single-Pass Sequential" run mode?
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Answer: "Single-Pass Sequential" is sometimes preferable over "
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Question. Can I call an Auto Sequential ruleset using
ExecuteRuleset?
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Answer: No, only Explicit RuleSets may be invoked directly; activate / deactivate
ruleset may be used with auto rulesets with a similar effect.
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Question. When should I use a Calculation vs a Ruleset?
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Answer: Calculations are most appropriate when there is benefit to referencing a
given expression in multiple places or when you want to define a value in output
state via a single expression, and when the rule expression is relatively simple.
RuleSets allow for setting one or more state values, invoking actions and easier
management of complex expression logic.
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Question. When should I use a Decision Table?
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Answer: A decision table is a very powerful and simple way to capture multiple logic
conditions and associated actions in a grid format. It provides consistency checking
which may be used to verify that all logic combinations are accounted for.
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Question. When should I use a Language Rule vs a Syntax
Rule?
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Answer: Language rules are most appropriate for users preferring point and click
entry, syntax rules for users preferring keyboard entry (though language rules can
also largely be entered via keyboard alone using hotkeys).
Syntax rules are sometimes also required for expressions having complex forms of
order-of-evaluation parenthesization.
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Question. When should I check the "cascade parent
context" checkbox?
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Answer: This is useful when it is desired to address a parent context in a rule
expression from within some child entity or collection member, when a parent reference
is not already available in the bound schema.
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Question. When should I use a Classification?
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Answer: Classifications allow for powerful "is" abstractions to be expressed
in rules, such as "LoanAmt is High" or "Animal is Dog"
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Question. When should I use Notifications?
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Answer: Notifications are used for two primary purposes:
- Indicating some condition such as "Customer qualifies for invoice discount"
- As an execution trace
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Question. Why do I sometimes see a "Submit"
button in irVerify, but not always?
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Answer: When irAuthor: Tools -> Options -> irVerify: "Automatically Apply
rules on tester startup for entities" is checked, this button does not appear,
otherwise it does.
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Question. How do I use a variable with a business language
rule?
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Answer: Variables are declared via the "Declare Variable" action under
a ruleset. Any language rule below the declaration my reference the variable as
it would a field.
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Question. How do I refer to individual collection members
in a "do while" loop?
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Answer: Set up a loop counter and address the members by index – note the
index is 1-based (starts with 1).
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