To clean up and simplify rule expression, Corticon Studio allows you to declare aliases in a Rulesheet Using an alias to express scope results in a less cluttered Rulesheet.
To define an alias, you need to open the Scope tab on the Rulesheet. Either click the toolbar button to open the advanced view, or choose the Rulesheet menu toggle Advanced View.
If rules have already been modeled in the Rulesheet, then the Scope window already contains those Vocabulary terms used in the rules so far. If rules have not yet been modeled, then the Scope window is empty.
To define an alias, double-click to the term, and then type a unique name in the entry box, as shown:
Figure 52. Defining an Alias in the Scope window
Once an alias is defined, any subsequent rule modeling in the Rulesheet automatically substitutes the alias for the Vocabulary term it represents.
In Rulesheet with FlightPlan Alias Declared in the Scope Section, notice that the terms in the Condition rows of the Rulesheet do not show the FlightPlan term. That's because the alias plan substitutes for FlightPlan. The small c in cargo and a in aircraft provide other clues that these terms exist within the context of the FlightPlan term defined in the Scope window.
Figure 53. Rulesheet with FlightPlan Alias Declared in the Scope Section
Once an alias is defined, any new Vocabulary term dropped onto the Rulesheet is adjusted accordingly. For example, dragging and dropping FlightPlan.cargo.weight onto the Rulesheet displays as plan.cargo.weight.
Aliases work in all sections of the Rulesheet, including the Rule Statement section. Modifying an alias name defined in the Scope section causes the name to update everywhere it is used in the Rulesheet.
Note: Rules modeled without aliases do not update automatically if aliases are defined later. So if you intend to use aliases, define them as you start your rule modeling - that way they apply automatically when you drag and drop from the Vocabulary or Scope windows.
to open the advanced view, or choose the Rulesheet menu toggle Advanced View.
