Creating iLogic External Rule Function Collection

[Anonymous]

Hey All,

At my work I am trying to make some common functions for interacting with things like text files or particularly common situations. Currently we have the terrible practice of just having the function appear in the ilogic code for each case (a change nightmare). I would love for them to be able to include a .iLogicVB file at the top of the rule and just be able to call the functions from a external rule.

My largest issue is that my team is not very code literate (we hire Mech/Civil), as I know likely the right way to do this is to create a class of say TextFile with built in internal methods and then instantiate a object of it in the rule. Past engineers have gone this road and have left code that everyone else is basically afraid to change or reuse. It has even been a bit of a uphill battle introducing functions to the team. I would like to stay in the world of ilogic code instead of straight VB code to hopefully make these tools maintainable if I leave this job. Any way to do this or do I need to teach my team OOP to get this to stick?

[WCrihfield · Accepted solution]

Yes. You can just reference the other external iLogic rule file, where you defined the function (or Sub or Class, or other module) in, at the top of the other rule that you want to be able to use it using AddVbRule or AddVbFile.  Unfortunately, the external rule file that you want to use as a reference, must have the "Straight VB Code" option enabled, to use it this way.  I don't think the rule you're working with (that is referencing that externally stored function) needs to be set-up that way.  (You may have to check how your iLogic Configuration settings are set to make sure what file extension you're using for your external rule files.)

Here are a couple useful links:

Advanced iLogic Techniques Reference 

To Configure iLogic Options

About iLogic Expansion and Customization 

I hope this helps.
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[Anonymous]

Not exactly the answer I was hoping for, but thanks for the response none the less. Guess I will need to do some classes for my fellow engineers to hopefully make my code last past my tenure.

[DRoam]

Hi @Anonymous, coincidentally, I just created a request for exactly this in the Idea board: iLogic: Create library of custom functions that are available in every rule. If you would find it useful, please give it a vote!

I wasn't aware of the ability to add external straight-VB code files when I created this, but I still think the idea is valid and would be a great improvement. It would be much more user-friendly (er... programmer-friendly), and it would hopefully be able to support iLogic functions like ThisDoc, Parameter(), iProperties.Value(), etc.