Portal, Express Beta Version 6.1 Operating systems: i5/OS, Linux,Windows

Content spot exits

Content spot exits provide the ability to alter the default flow of processing of content spots, making it possible in the run-time environment to override the rule to execute, the current user, and the results of rule execution. Instances of the same exit class will be instantiated for all content spots. The exit class interface name is public interface RuleExit.

1. Access request and session information
2. Set information in the personalization context, including changing the user
3. Get the campaign name
4. Get the rule name to be executed for campaign
5. Override and specify the rule to be executed
6. Bypass rule execution (no rule is executed)

1. Add result items
2. Remove result items
3. Completely replace result items

void aboutToExecuteRule(RuleTrigger contentSpot, RequestContext requestContext)

Get the results of the rule execution.

Object[] getFilteredResults(RuleTrigger contentSpot, RequestContext requestContext, Object[] originalResults)

Exit to allow for changing the results of the rule execution. originalResults: the original result array is supplied to the exit. filteredResults: the exit should return the original array if no changes are needed

String getCampaignName()

Get the campaign name for the content spot.

String getRuleName()

Get the name of the rule to be executed in this spot. Can return null if the name is not yet established.

void setRuleName(String ruleName)

Set the name of the rule to be executed in this spot. If the name is set to null, no rule will be executed.

void setRuleExit(RuleExit ruleExit instance)

Set the rule exit for this particular content spot instance.

The class name of the default RuleExit implementor is read from the PersonalizationService.properties file.

1. Specify a RuleExit class in PersonalizationService.properties, as shown:

   rulesEngine.defaultRuleExit=com.ibm.websphere.personalization.RuleExitSample
   	...

2. At startup time, the Personalization run-time environment creates an instance of that class (aRuleExit in this scenario) and caches it in a private RuleTrigger static method
3. As each content spot is triggered, the Personalization rule engine determines the rule name to be used
4. aRuleExit.aboutToExecuteRule() is invoked, passing the spot and the request context
5. aRuleExit has several options:

   • Access request context information (includes http request and session)
   • Get the campaign and rule names
   • Specify a request user ID
   • Change the rule name to be executed
   • Bypass the rule by setting the rule name to null
6. The rule is executed
7. aRuleExit.getFilteredResults() is invoked; the rule exit modifies results as desired, then returns the updated set
8. The updated results are stored