Manage Expressions View

InstallAnywhere 2021 » Advanced Designer » Project

Use the Manage Expressions view on the Project page to:

• Create complex rule expressions at the project level
• Combine multiple rules and save them to a single rule expression
• Reuse a rule or a set of rules across the project
• Associate a rule expression to a file extension, including the option to automatically associate the rule expression to a file whenever a file containing that file extension is added to the project
• Remove associated rules from custom file extensions

The following settings are available in this view:

Manage Expressions View Settings

Setting

Description

Expression Name

When you click New Expression to add a new rule expression to your installation project, the unique rule ID of each rule is listed in this field. You can enter a new name that is more descriptive of what rule expression you are saving.

Note:For more information, see Using the Rules Manager to Create Complex Rule Expressions at the Project Level.

Rule Expression

When you click Add Rule to add a rule to your installation project, the unique rule ID of each rule is listed in the Rule Expression field.

If you want to write complex rule expressions, you can click Add Rule to add additional rules to save to the expression.

You can also edit the expression in this field to use multiple operators to express the relationship between two or more rules, such as:

• && (and)—Means that both rules must evaluate true for the installer to continue. If any rule fails to pass, the installer stops and issues the failure message.
• || (or)—Implies that at least one of the rules must evaluate to true. If none of the rules pass, the installer stops and issues the failure message.
• ! (not)—Implies that at least one of the rules must evaluate to false. If all of the rules pass, the installer stops and issues the failure message.

You can also use precedence operators, such as parentheses—( ), to compose rule expressions.

Note:For more information, see Using the Rules Manager to Create Complex Rule Expressions at the Project Level as well as Building Complex Rule Expressions.

Note:You can also write complex rule expressions in the Rules customizers on individual actions, panels or consoles.

Rules List

Shows all rules currently defined for your project.

Note:New projects have no rules set; thus, the Rules List is initially empty.

New Expression

Adds a new rule expression at the project level.

Delete Expression

Deletes the currently selected expression from the project.

Add Rule

Opens the Choose a Rule/Expression dialog box. Available options are:

• Check File/Folder Attributes
• Check Platform
• Check System Architecture
• Check User-Chosen Language
• Compare InstallAnywhere Variables
• Compare InstallAnywhere Variables Numerically
• Compare Versions
• Evaluate Custom Rule
• Match Regular Expression
• System i (i5/OS) Licensed Program Exists Condition
• System i (i5/OS) Primary Language Install Condition
• System i (i5/OS) Program Temporary Fix (PTF) Condition

When you choose a rule, InstallAnywhere shows the controls for providing settings specific to that rule type in the area below the Rules table.

Remove Rule

Deletes the currently selected rule from the Rules List.

Validate Rule Expression

Click to validate the rule expression listed in the Rule Expression field. If expression is invalid, an error message will be displayed.

Clear Rule Expression

Click to clear the expression in the Rule Expression field.

No Rule

This area shows the controls for providing settings specific to the currently selected rule. When no rules are selected, this area is labeled No Rule. When a Check Platform rule is selected, for example, this area is labeled Check Platform and shows platform selection controls.

Associate Expression to File Expression

This area lets you associate a rule expression to a file extension.

Note:The section assumes that the rule expression you will be associating to a file extension has already been saved. If you do not have a rule expression saved, refer to Configuring and Saving a New Rule Expression for information about how to create a rule expression.

Add

Click to associate a rule expression to a file extension. When you click Add a Choose an Expression dialog appears. Choose the expression that you want to associate to a file and then click Load.

Remove

Click to remove the currently selected expression from the Associate Expression to File Expression area. Any files with the specified file extension will remove the associated rule expression from them that yo have removed.

Apply

By default, the Apply check box is checked. This means that any files in the project that contain the file extension you have specified will be updated to have the rule expression applied to them. Conversely, if you uncheck the Apply check box and then click the Apply button, any files with the specified file extension will remove the rule expression from them.

Apply automatically when new files are added

Click to automatically associate the rule expression to a file whenever a file containing that file extension is added to the project on the Sequence page.

See Also

Rules Reference

Using the Rules Manager to Create Complex Rule Expressions at the Project Level

Defining Rules and Rule Expressions that Evaluate Conditions on Target Systems