[rules-users] need design suggestion

Hi, Trying to build net mgmt system but having problem with basic cause/effect (mostly not understanding the engine). I have a a Port object that contains a Card object. They both have separate states (up or down). I want to have a Port go to down state if the containing Card goes to down state - very basic now until i get the feel of it. The state of the Card changes if a Notification is injected into the session (at least this is my understanding) Here are my rules: rule "card going down" when $card : Card($name : name , state == State.UP) $notif : Notification( id == $name, type == NotificationType.CARD , state == State.DOWN ) then System.out.println(" got notification for card down " + $card ); modify($card) { setState(State.DOWN); } retract($notif); end // is the following rule correct?? rule "port going down" when $port : Port($name : name , state == State.UP, $card : card) Card ( state == State.DOWN) from $card then System.out.println(" port down because card is down port: " + $port + " card: " + $card ); modify($port) { setState(State.DOWN); } end Here is the test case in a nutshell: Port port1 = new Port(); Port port2 = new Port(); port1.setName("port1"); port2.setName("port2"); Card card1 = new Card(); card1.setName("port1 card1") port1.setCard(card1); // stateful session ksession.insert(port1); ksession.insert(port2); ksession.insert(card1); System.out.println(" firing rules"); new Thread(new Runnable() { public void run() { ksession.fireUntilHalt(); } }).start(); System.out.println("*** injecting notification down"); Notification notif = new Notification(); notif.setType(NotificationType.CARD); notif.setState(State.DOWN); notif.setId("port1 card1"); FactHandle notifHandle = ksession.insert(notif); ksession.halt(); ksession.dispose() I would expect the card down notification to cause the port to do down by the second rule above but it does not fire. Here is output card1: Card [state=UP, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b] OBJECT ASSERTED value:Port [state=UP, name=port1, card=Card [state=UP, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b]] factId: 1 OBJECT ASSERTED value:Port [state=UP, name=port2, card=Card [state=UP, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b]] factId: 3 OBJECT ASSERTED value:Card [state=UP, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b] factId: 5 firing rules 3 *** injecting notification down ACTIVATION CREATED rule:card going down activationId:card going down [6, 5] declarations: $name=port1 card1(5); $notif=org.plugtree.examples.model.Notification@4a9a7d(6); $card=Card [state=UP, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b](5) OBJECT ASSERTED value:org.plugtree.examples.model.Notification@4a9a7dfactId: 6 BEFORE ACTIVATION FIRED rule:card going down activationId:card going down [6, 5] declarations: $name=port1 card1(5); $notif=org.plugtree.examples.model.Notification@4a9a7d(6); $card=Card [state=UP, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b](5) got notification for card down Card [state=UP, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b] OBJECT MODIFIED value:Card [state=DOWN, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b] factId: 5 OBJECT RETRACTED value:org.plugtree.examples.model.Notification@4a9a7dfactId: 6 AFTER ACTIVATION FIRED rule:card going down activationId:card going down [-1, 5] declarations: $name=port1 card1(5); $card=Card [state=DOWN, name=port1 card1, ne=org.plugtree.examples.model.NE@1e2670b](5) Is the second rule written incorrectly? or do i have a gap in my expectations of how the engine should work (or both) Thanks in advance, Joe.