Decision Table page

The Decision Table page contains the condition cases and actions, their orientation (rows and columns), and the templates associated with that decision table. You open the Decision Table page from the Rule Schedule page.

From the Decision Table page, you can browse or edit an existing condition or action using a template, add a new condition using the templates defined for that decision table, delete a condition, change the order of conditions, change the orientation, change the initialization action rule using the associated template, browse and edit decision table and initialization rule display names and descriptions, and save a decision table as a working copy.

The page-specific information sections of the content area include the following elements.

Initialization Rule section

This section shows the initialization rule of the decision table. The initialization rule displays only if the business rule definition was designed in IBM® Integration Designer with an initialization action. The initialization rule is invoked directly before the decision table logic is issued and can be used to initialize variables and actions used in the decision table. In the edit mode there are fields for modifying the following information.

Name: Provides the name of the initialization rule.
Display Name: Provides the display name of the rule. It is set to the Name value if a display name was not specified. The display name can be any string value, can include special characters, and does not need to be unique. Selecting the Synchronize Name check box in the Action field synchronizes the display name with the corresponding name. The new name goes into effect when you save the changes made in the edit page.
Note: If the Synchronize Name check box is selected, the display name of the rule is disabled and cannot be modified.
Rule: Lists the variables, constraints, range, and enumeration that defines the initialization rule.
Description: Provides more information about each initialization rule. It is read-only in the browse mode and editable in the edit mode of the decision table.
Action: Enables synchronizing the display name with the name by selecting the Synchronize Name check box.

Decision Table section

This section provides the conditional cases, represented in the row and column headings, and the actions, represented as the intersection points of the conditional cases in the table. You can switch the orientation of condition rows from horizontal to vertical, or vice versa, using the orientation icon.

Otherwise: Shows the otherwise condition of this decision table. The otherwise condition is a special condition that will be entered by default if no other condition in the decision table is applicable. The otherwise condition displays only if it was specified in the decision table definition that was designed in IBM Integration Designer. You cannot add or remove the otherwise condition column from a decision table dynamically from the business process rules manager.

Templates section

This section facilitates adding a new rule using an existing template.