[rules-users] Major problems with dynamic rules

[Justine Hlista]

Hello,

I am having some major problems working with dynamic rules. This may be a
showstopper for us. Perhaps I have missed something in the docs.

The main problem is significantly different behavior depending on when I
assert facts versus when I read drl files that use them.

It *appears* that I must class load all potential fact classes by
referencing them in a dummy rule before I assert facts and and begin using
dynamic rules against them. But that is a guess.

An example:

I have 2 rule files and 1 fact class (class factA with a String field1).

---------------------
testCase1.drl:
---------------------
rule Bootstrap
    when
        a : factA(field1=="blah")
    then
        System.out.println("bootstrap: a blah");
end
---------------------
testCase2.drl:
---------------------
rule "aIsHello"
    when
        a: factA(field1=="hello")
    then
        System.out.println("a: " + a.getField1());
        a.setField1("world");
        modify(a);
end

rule "aIsWorld"
    when
        a: factA(field1 == "world")
    then
        System.out.println("Retracted a with field1 = " + a.getField1());
        retract(a);
end


If I first assert my factA (workingMemory.assertObject( new factA("hello"))
) before loading either drl file, only rule "aIsHello" fires.

If I first load testCase1.drl and then assert factA and then load
testCase2.drl, then both rule "aIsHello" and rule "aIsWorld" both fire. This
is the expected behavior (at least for me).

If I modify testCase1.drl such that it does not reference class factA but
some other class (e.g. factAtoo), then only rule "aIsHello" fires (as in the
first case).

I am extremely confused, as I would at least expect the same behavior in all
cases. For our application, it is critical that we be able to assert facts
and modify rules independently and dynamically. What am I missing about how
dynamic rules should work??

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Justine
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