Editors

https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/JBDS-1058 - Added a section describin= g Flow Editor to Doc-Drools.

+ Flow Editor + Drools tools also provide some functionality to define the o= rder in = + which rules should be executed.Ruleflow file allows you to spe= cify = + the order in which rule sets should be evaluated using a flow = chart. + So you can define which rule sets should be evaluated in seque= nce or in parallel as well as + specify conditions under which rule sets should be evaluated.<= /para> + Ruleflows can be set only by using the graphical flow editor= which is part of the Drools plugin for Eclipse. + Once you have set up a Drools project,you can start adding rul= eflows. + Add a ruleflow file(.rf) by clicking on the project and select= ing "New -> Other...->Flow File": = +

+ RuleFlow file creation + + + + + + + By default these ruleflow files (.rf) are opened in the grap= hical Flow editor. + You can see it on the picture below. +

+ Flow Editor + + + + + + + The Flow editor consists of a palette, = a canvas + and an outline view. To add new elements = to the canvas, select the = + element you would like to create in the palette and then add i= t to the canvas by clicking on the preferred location. + +

+ Adding an element to the canvas + + + + + + + Clicking on the Select option in the palette and + then on the element in your ruleflow allows you to = + view and set the properties of that element in the properies v= iew. +

+ Properties view + + + + + + + Outline View is useful for big complex schemata where not al= l nodes are seen at one time. + So using your Outline view you can easly navigate between parts of= a schema. +

+ Outline view usage + + + + + + +

+ Different types of control elements in Flow Palette</ti= tle> + <para>Flow editor supports three types of control elements. + They are:</para> + <table> <title>Flow Palette Components.Part 1 = + + + + + = + + + Component Picture + Component Name = + Description + + + + + + + + + Select + Select a node on the canvas + + + + + + + Marquee + Is used for selecting a group of elemen= ts + + + + + + + Sequence Flow + Use this element to join two elements o= n the canvas + + + = + + +

= +

+ Different types of nodes in Flow Palette + = + Currently, ruleflow supports seven types of nodes. + In the table below you can find information about them: + Flow Palette Components.Part 2. = + + + + + = + + + Component Picture + Component Name = + Description + + = + + + + + + + + Start Event + The start of the ruleflow. A ruleflow s= hould have exactly = + one start node. The Start Event<= /property> can not have incoming + connections and should have one outgoing c= onnection. Whenever the ruleflow process is started, = + the executing is started here and is autom= atically proceeded to the first node = + linked to this Start Event + + + + + + + End Event + A ruleflow file can have one or more <= property>End Events. + The End Event node sh= ould have one incoming connection + and can not have outgoing connections. Whe= n an end node is reached in the ruleflow, + the ruleflow is terminated (including othe= r remaining active nodes when parallelism + is used). + = + + = + + + + Rule Task + represents a set of rules. A = Rule Task node should have one + incoming connection and one outgoing conne= ction. = + The RuleFlowGroup pro= perty which is used to specify the name of the + ruleflow-group that represents the set of = rules of this Rule Task node. + When a Rule Task node= is reached in the ruleflow, the engine will start + executing rules that are a part of the cor= responding ruleflow-group. + Execution automatically continues to the n= ext node when there are no + more active rules in this ruleflow-group. = + + + + = + + + + Gateway[diverge] + allows you to create branches in your r= uleflow. + A Gateway[diverge] no= de should have one incoming connection and two or more + outgoing connections. + + + = + + + + Gateway[converge] + allows you to synchronize multiple bran= ches. + A Gateway[diverge]nod= e should have two or more incoming connections and one + outgoing connection. + = + + = + + + + Reusable Sup-Process + represents the invocation of another ru= leflow from this ruleflow. + A subflow node should have one incoming co= nnection and one outgoing connection. = + It contains the property "processId" which= specifies the id of the process that should be executed. = + When a Reusable Sup-Process node is reached in the ruleflow, the engine will start the process w= ith the given id. + The subflow node will only continue if tha= t subflow process has terminated its execution. + Note that the subflow process is started a= s an independent process, = + which means that the subflow process will = not be terminated if this process reaches an end node. + + + = + + + + Script Task + represents an action that should be exe= cuted in this ruleflow. + An Script Task node s= hould have one incoming connection and one outgoing + connection. It contains the property "acti= on" which specifies the action that should be executed. + When a Script Task no= de is reached in the ruleflow, it will execute the action and = + continue with the next node. An action sho= uld be specified as a piece of (valid) + MVEL code. + + + + +