Importance

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Abstract

A rule executing engine is modified to recognize, when present, a so-called 'actionwrap'rule, which is a rule that is expanded and executed in place of the original rule, and the original rule is placed in the context of the actionwrap rule, so that it may operate upon the original rule. If the actionwrap rule is not present, the rule engine executes the original rule unmodified. An actionwrap rule may be defined to be present for some situations but not for others, and its presence or absence is defined by the user or users submitting the rules. Each defined actionwrap rule, when present, is applied in a uniform manner on each target rule. More than one actionwrap rule may be defined for use at any one time, and the various actionwrap rules in use at one time may be independent of each other or they be linked. If the actionwrap rules are linked, they must be activated in the correct order as specified by the actionwrap rule writer. Advantageously, a single, minimal change to the rule executing engine that user definable changes may be made to all of the rules in a substantially uniform manner. Additionally, an actionwrap rule that is active may, in operation, a) distinguish between the various rule types, or even specific rules, that it receives as context, and b) provide a different processing as a function of the received rule types, or specific rule.

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First Claim