com.beasys.commerce.axiom.reasoning.rules.serviceProvider
Interface Context

All Known Implementing Classes:

JRulesContext

public interface Context

Specifies the behavior for a rules engine context.

Method Summary

void	addObject(java.lang.Object object) Adds an object to the context's working memory.
int	fireAllRules() Fires all of the rules which are active for the context.
int	fireRules(int maxRules) Fires rules until there are no more to fire or until maxRules rules have been fired.
java.util.Set	getObjects(java.lang.Class filter) Gets a filtered list of objects from the context
void	halt() Halts firing of rules.
void	initialize() Initializes the context.
void	release() Release the context and any resources it might be using.
void	removeAllObjects() Removes all objects from the context's working memory.

Method Detail

addObject

public void addObject(java.lang.Object object)
               throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException,
                      java.lang.IllegalStateException,
                      ServiceProviderException

Adds an object to the context's working memory.

Parameters:

object - The object to be added.

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - Thrown if object is null

java.lang.IllegalStateException - Thrown if called after "release" has been called

ServiceProviderException - Thrown if unable to add the object

fireAllRules

public int fireAllRules()
                 throws java.lang.IllegalStateException,
                        ServiceProviderException

Fires all of the rules which are active for the context.

Returns:

The number of rules actually fired (-1 if unknown).

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - Thrown if called after "release" has been called

ServiceProviderException - Thrown if unable to fire all of the rules.

fireRules

public int fireRules(int maxRules)
              throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException,
                     java.lang.IllegalStateException,
                     ServiceProviderException

Fires rules until there are no more to fire or until maxRules rules have been fired.

Parameters:

maxRules - The maximum number of rules to fire

Returns:

The number of rules fired (-1 if unknown).

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - Thrown if maxRules is negative

java.lang.IllegalStateException - Thrown if called after "release" has been called

ServiceProviderException - Thrown if unable to fire the rules

getObjects

public java.util.Set getObjects(java.lang.Class filter)
                         throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException,
                                java.lang.IllegalStateException,
                                ServiceProviderException

Gets a filtered list of objects from the context

Parameters:

clsFilter - the list of Classes which describe what type of objects to return from the working memory.

Returns:

A set of objects which passed the filter

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - Thrown if filter is null

java.lang.IllegalStateException - Thrown if called after "release" has been called

ServiceProviderException - Thrown if unable to get objects

halt

public void halt()
          throws java.lang.IllegalStateException,
                 ServiceProviderException

Halts firing of rules. Some rules engines allow the rule firing to be interrupted. If this context does not support 'halts' then it will throw an exception.

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - Thrown if called after "release" has been called

ServiceProviderException - Thrown if unable to halt (e.g. the context does not support 'halts')

initialize

public void initialize()
                throws java.lang.IllegalStateException,
                       ServiceProviderException

Initializes the context.

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - Thrown if called after "release" has been called

ServiceProviderException - Thrown if unable to initialize.

release

public void release()
             throws ServiceProviderException

Release the context and any resources it might be using.

Throws:

ServiceProviderException - thrown if an error occurs during the release

removeAllObjects

public void removeAllObjects()
                      throws java.lang.IllegalStateException,
                             ServiceProviderException

Removes all objects from the context's working memory.

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - Thrown if called after "release" has been called

ServiceProviderException - Thrown if unable to remove all objects