Understanding Action Types

An action type refers to a category of actions that can be associated with a policy. For use in the framework, an action type must be registered with the following information:

• Location of the code that handles the design-time and runtime aspects of the action type.

• Configuration requirements.

  When adding actions of specific action type to a policy, policy-specific configuration requirements must be set before the policy can be enacted.

• Whether actions of an action type terminate the analytic processing.

  For example, if the action is a transfer from an application page to another page, the action terminates the framework processing that was triggered by a trigger point associated with the original page.

  Note: A terminal action type is not combinable.

• Whether the action can be combined with other actions at runtime. Such an action is referred to as a combinable action.

  For example, the display alert action type can be combinable; therefore, when two display alert actions are specified, they are combined, and a single window appears that includes both alerts.

• Whether the action is part of an action bundle.

  If actions of different action types are combinable with each other, the action types must be included in an action type bundle. Consequently, if combinable action types are not combinable with certain other action types, then the action type does not need to be part of an action type bundle.

• Triggering environment—where the action can be deployed.

  For example, the display alert action executes only from an application page, not from an Application Engine program.

• The trigger types and trigger points that include the action type as a valid action type.

  For example, you may want an action to be valid for a ComponentPostBuild trigger type, specifically the When a Customer is Presented trigger point, associated with this trigger type.