REPORT ERROR vs PROTECT & READ PROTECT rules

Rennur

PROTECT & READ PROTECT rules executing during initialisation and every re-calculation. Dynamic or Not.

Version tested:
5.8, 5.9

Description:
I use PROTECT & READ PROTECT rules extensively in my application. They are extremely important and I feel they should be treated the same way the system treats the REPORT ERROR action rule.

REPORT ERROR

The result that was expected:

If not dynamic, REPORT ERROR is prevented from executing on re-calculation.
Executes after you click save.
Log: Rule is prevented from executing during initialisation.
If dynamic, REPORT ERROR is executes on re-calculation if triggered.

The result that occurs instead:

None. Works as expected.

PROTECT

The result that was expected:

Same as REPORT ERROR

If Non-Dynamic,
PROTECT rule is prevented from executing on re-calculation.
Executes after you click save.
The attributes or the BO are not protected while the user is still working on the entry from.
Rule is prevented from executing during initialisation.
If Dynamic,
PROTECT rule is executed on re-calculation.
Executes immediately and the attributes defined in the rule are protected, preventing the user from editing them.
If PROTECT BO (not individual attributes), the whole BO is protected.

The result that occurs instead:

If Non-Dynamic, depending what is protected,
The rule is executed and the attributes are PROTECTED preventing the user from editing.
The rule is executed and the whole BO is protected from editing
None. Works as expected.

READ PROTECT

Execution same as "PROTECT"

The result that was expected:

If Non-Dynamic,
READ PROTECT rule is prevented from executing on re-calculation.
Executes after you click save.
The attributes are not read protected (hidden) while the user is still working on the entry from.
Rule is prevented from executing during initialisation.
If Dynamic,
READ PROTECT rule is executed on re-calculation.
Executes immediately and the attributes are read protected, hidden from the form.

The result that occurs instead:

If Non-Dynamic,
The rule is executed and the attributes are READ PROTECTED and hidden from the user.
None. Works as expected.

Testing:

BSV available.

Debugging already done:

PROTECT & READ PROTECT rules > advanced options > "Do not use rule during initialisation" selected
PROTECT & READ PROTECT rules re-calculation option checkbox left unticked
REPORT ERROR rule tested with and without dynamic checkbox ticked.
PROTECT BO FROM ALL EXCEPT SYSTEM
PROTECT BO.Attribute FROM ALL EXCEPT SYSTEM
READ PROTECT BO.Attribute FROM ALL EXCEPT SYSTEM

Possible fix:
Have the READ PROTECT & PROTECT Rules work similarly to REPORT ERROR rules.

Cheers

Rennur

Hi Support,

Is it possible to get the PROTECT and READ PROTECT rules to mimic REPORT ERROR rule execution?

Cheers

Rennur

Support?

aware_support

I don't understand what this is about. If you want us to investigate please purchase a support ticket and send all relevant attachments.

Rennur

If re-calculation is triggered, rule containing the REPORT ERROR action is not executed if the dynamic checkbox is not ticked.

If re-calculation is triggered, rule containing the PROTECT or READ PROTECT action is executed regardless if dynamic checkbox is ticked or not.

My question is why do these 2 rules behave differently?

Cheers

aware_support

The general principle is the same for all rules. However, there is also an optimisation in place - a rule is not evaluated if its condition does not depend on the attribute whose change triggered recalculation.

Rennur

a rule is not evaluated if its condition does not depend on the attribute whose change triggered recalculation.

I'm talking about the execution of the rules that have already been evaluated.
The rule conditions for both rules are the same; the rule action is different.

E.g.
RULE 1

If Customer.Name is Defined Then PROTECT Customer.Name FROM ALL EXCEPT System

RULE 2

If Customer.Name is Defined Then REPORT ERROR 'I don't like that name'

What happens is RULE 1 is executed but RULE 2 is not:

RULE 1
- Rule has not-dynamic checkbox ticked, the rule is evaluated, added to agenda and executed; the Customer.Name is PROTECTed from editing.

RULE 2

* Rule is evaluated, added to the agenda but not executed; Log: Action REPORT ERROR 'I don't like that name' is not allowed during initialisation.

In my opinion, RULE 1 should work in the same way as RULE 2 and not PROTECT Customer.Name. It should not be allowed during initialisation since it is not ticked to do so dynamically.
REPORT ERROR (RULE2) is not ticked and it does not execute so why does PROTECT (RULE1) execute?

If the REPORT ERROR (RULE 2) has the dynamic checkbox ticked, then it is allowed during initialisation and executed. But only if the dynamic checkbox is ticked.

BSV available to demonstrate is needed.

Cheers

Rennur

** CORRECTION **

RULE 1
Rule has not-dynamic checkbox ticked

The dynamic checkbox is NOT ticked on both RULEs.

aware_support

Well, at the moment PROTECT actions are special - they are always executed on dynamic recalculation.

As far as other actions are concerned:

All "modify" actions (that modify attribute values) are always executed
All "service" actions (FIND, SEND, REPORT ERROR, CREATE etc) are only executed if the "dynamic" flag is set.

hpl123

Good, interesting post/discussion.

Rennur

Thanks Support,

- All "service" actions (FIND, SEND, REPORT ERROR, CREATE etc) are only executed if the "dynamic" flag is set.

PROTECT action could fall under the "service" actions category; it doesn't modify any attributes.
As it stands, the PROTECT action is somewhat inflexible in terms of how it is applied on the form via rules. It PROTECTS fields during object creation (ENTER NEW) you may not want protected dynamically. The PROTECT action could also be controlled by the "dynamic" flag on/off.

It would be a lot more flexible to use if it is only executed when the "dynamic" flag is set, like the service actions.
Also, if this is changed, it shouldn't affect existing systems since the PROTECT rule will execute on save anyway.
If developers wanted to have this rule execute on dynamic-recalculation they would have ticked the "dynamic" box for their rule in the first place and treat it as a service rule in a way.

It would be a great to be able to control when the rule containing PROTECT action (or any other rule) is executed.

If REPORT ERROR "service" action does not execute dynamically (we can control this with the "dynamic" checkbox), why is it important for PROTECT action to execute and we don't have the same control over?

:? :?:

Cheers

Rennur

- All "service" actions (FIND, SEND, REPORT ERROR, CREATE etc) are only executed if the "dynamic" flag is set.

Am I the only one that can see the benefit in having the PROTECT rules part of service actions?

hpl123

Hi Rennur,
I know to little about these rules and their function to comment. Wanted to give you 1 reply at least 🙂.

Rennur

You don't use PROTECT or READ PROTECT?
They make the attribute on the form either read only or hidden from the user.

The way things are now, on object entry, the attribute gets protected (read only) from editing; having it part of the 'service' actions, we can control if the attribute is read only. This is done via the dynamic checkbox.
The dynamic check box controls if the attribute is read only or hidden on re-calculation (When rule is triggered) or only when the rule fires again on save.

Rennur

we can control if the attribute is read only

Meant to say, we can control when the attribute is read only

hpl123

Rennur wrote
You don't use PROTECT or READ PROTECT?
They make the attribute on the form either read only or hidden from the user.

The way things are now, on object entry, the attribute gets protected (read only) from editing; having it part of the 'service' actions, we can control if the attribute is read only. This is done via the dynamic checkbox.
The dynamic check box controls if the attribute is read only or hidden on re-calculation (When rule is triggered) or only when the rule fires again on save.

Of course I use them but to be able to comment on your post, I would have to know the intricate details of each rule, the intricate / difference between dynamic, service etc. etc. which I don´t (I know the overall, main purpose but not the finer details i.e. not enough to comment 🙂). I am on my way to learn more about these things though and find it very interesting.

Rennur

Cheers mate, sorry for misinterpreting.

I just feel by making them part of 'service' actions would add a lot more flexibility and control over why and when certain attributes would be made read only or hidden on the form.

It is quite possible that I don't fully understand the way this works anyway and might not be making any sense anyway.
Hence, not much (any) involvement on the topic. 🙂

Cheers

hpl123

No problem and I think you make a lot of sense in many posts and probably also here (again, know to little to comment). I always find these posts by you very informational so even with no replies etc. it´s coming to good use 🙂.

Regarding post activity etc. I think many are in the same position as I am, knowing the overall purpose but not the finer details.

Thanks for writing these post and taking the time to thoroughly write, think content etc.. Again it´s very informational and in the future I hope to know more so I can be more active in these "discussions".