[rules-users] Dynamic property names?!

Hi all - I have the following challenge with data mapping. I'm trying to decide if DROOLS is the appropriate solution to this problem - please help me decide. I have a Source object and Target object. Both objects have the same field names - the goal is to map data across from Source object to Target object by apply a set of rules to object's fields. More than one rule may need to be activated for each field. Results of previous mapping operation may affect later mapping operations further 'downstream' - so it's important to process fields in a specific sequence and for each field evaluate rules in a specific order - (not sure, can rule Salience accomplish both?) About the rules: There may be several rules in affect for each field - which must be executed in specific order top to bottom. Rules should be applied until the target field is mapped - until the target field is non-blank. Same rule may be applied to more than one field from the Source object. Rules will be maintain by a Customer Service Reps and will change periodically. I would envision the rule setup to be something like this: Rule "Setup variables" when $source : SOURCE (rec_type == "PARTNER", $s_loc : location, $s_op : operator, $s_wo : workorder) $target : TARGET ($t_loc : location, $t_op : operator, $t_wo : workorder) then <do nothing> end # Simple mapping for Location field... rule "Location" when $target($t_loc == "") // if blank then $target.setLocation($s_loc); modify($target); end # Simple mapping for Operator field... rule "Operator" when $target($t_op == "") // if blank... then $target.setLocation($s_op); modify($target); end ... rules continue for the rest of the fields... There are about 150-200 fields to map. Some rules will define simple straight across mappings, other rules will need to fetch values from objects from DB (using 'from' keyword). Here are some questions: 1) Opinion please: Would the outlined approach work in this case given the number of fields to process and the required sequence for processing. Seems that rule management may be a bit difficult... 2) Is there a way to define functions that could take field names, and then apply common operations using dynamic field names - i.e. function simple_map(fieldName) would source data from Source.fieldName and map it to Tartget.fieldName - this would require that get/set methods be dynamic - is that possible? 3) Is there another approach that would be better suited in this case that you'd recommend? Thanks, James -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Dynamic-property-names-%21-tf3532721.html#a9859806 Sent from the drools - user mailing list archive at Nabble.com.