Task 4: Defining a decision operation

You define a decision operation and decision operation signature. You define the decision operation signature by name, type, and direction.

About this task

A ruleset is an executable package that includes rule artifacts and the other elements. It contains a set of rules that can be run by the rule engine. You must define the contents of the ruleset and the parameters that allow the client application to exchange information with the ruleset. A decision operation includes all the settings that are needed to define the contents of the ruleset and its parameters.

Decision operation signature defines the data that is sent between the COBOL calling program and the RuleApp. These parameters are defined in the signature of a decision operation. They are references that you can use when you write rules.

In this tutorial, you want to decide the status of a loan, so you create the decision operation signature for the Borrower and Loan classes.
  • The borrower is an IN parameter. The value of the IN parameter is provided as input from the COBOL client application to the ruleset on execution.
  • The loan is an IN_OUT parameter. The value of the parameter is set by the IN value that is passed by the client application and then updated by the engine on the way out. The updated value is returned to the client application.

Procedure

  1. In the Define decision operation part of the Decision Service Map view, click Add decision operation.
  2. In the New Decision Operation wizard, in the Deployment folder field, click Browse, and then select deployment folder.
  3. In the Name field, type reszminiloanOperation.
  4. Click Finish.
  5. In the Define decision operation part of the Decision Service Map view, select Go to operation map.
  6. In the Select an operation window, select reszminiloanOperation.dop.
  7. In the Design signature part of the Operation Map view, click Add variable set.
  8. In the New Variable Set wizard, in the Name field, type reszminiloanParameters.
  9. Click Finish.
  10. Define the borrower parameter.
    1. Click Add. A new row is displayed with default values.
    2. In the Name column, type borrower.
    3. In the Type column, click the ... button, and then double-click the Borrower type in the Matching types box.

      The xom.Borrower type is displayed in the Type column.

    4. In the Verbalization column, type the borrower.
  11. Define the loan parameter.
    1. Click Add.
    2. In the Name column, type loan.
    3. In the Type column, click the ... button to display the Types dialog, and then double-click the Loan type in the Matching types box.

      The xom.Loan type is displayed in the Type column.

    4. In the Verbalization column, type the loan.
    5. Save your work.
      Your variable set is shown as the following table:
      Table 1. Variable set: my parameters
      Name Type Verbalization
      borrower xom.Borrower the borrower
      loan xom.Loan the loan
    6. Close the reszminiloanParameters variable set editor.
  12. In the Design signature part of the Operation Map view, click Bind variables.
  13. Expand reszminiloanParameters in the Eligible variables part of the Decision Operation Signature editor.
  14. Set the direction of each parameter.
    1. Drag borrower to the Input Parameters table.
    2. Drag loan to the Input - Output Parameters table.
  15. Save your work, and close the Decision Operation Signature editor.