OPENRULES 
		     Version 2.1.0
		     RELEASE NOTES
		      May 5, 2005

OpenRules Release 2.1.0 introduces the following changes:

1. Redesigned and Simplified Project Structure

Based on customers’ feedback, we have decided to simplify the project 
structure. A new project structure will typically look like this:
----------------------------------------------
- src (source folder)
	- java packages (if any)
	- main xls-files
	- config java packages with property files (if any) 
- include (regular folder)
	- include xls-files (if any)
- build.properties
- build.xml
- run.bat (calls target “run” from build.xml)
- readme.txt
----------------------------------------------

Web Application projects additionally include:
---------------------------------------------
- web (regular folder)
    - index.jsp
    - css (folder)
        project.css (optional style steet)
- build.properties (project specific properties)
- build.xml (standard build file)
- build.and.deploy.bat (a batch to deploy project on Tomcat)
- undeploy.bat (a batch to undeploy project)
- run.html (html launcher of the project client)
---------------------------------------------

Web Service projects have an extra source subdirectory “gen” for generated
Java methods.

2. Ant Builds for Multi-Platform Support
 
All build processes are now completely Ant-based making OpenRules development 
environment platform-independent. We have removed all bat-files with DOS 
scripts. However, for convenience of Windows users, we still have a few bat-files 
like run.bat and build.and.deploy.bat that actually call Ant targets. 

Unix users can run any target from the build.xml file directly from a command line 
or write your own shell scripts for their operating environment. 

Now project lib.ant added to the required configuration files along with land.config.

3. Input Validators 

Release 2.1.0 provides a powerful while intuitive mechanism for server-site 
input validation. You can use various built-in input validators or easily
create your own custom validators. See the detailed description at 
http://openrules.com/docs/man_forms.html#Input Validation

Release 2.1.0 includes an additional plugin com.openrules.suite.validator_2.1.0
with the supporting Open Source Java package 
http://jakarta.apache.org/commons/validator. 

The source code for OpenRules validators is provided as a Java class 
/lang.config/src/com/openrules/tools/Validator.java. You can easily 
extend the list of built-in validators using your own or 3rd party Java 
methods. We will appreciate if you share your validators with us so they 
can be included in the standard OpenRules delivery with a reference to 
a provider.

4. New Interaction Manager

Release 2.1.0 added a new file Interaction.xls in the standard OpenRules
Web Development support library openrules.forms.lib. Interaction.xls 
supports complex interaction logic and includes the presentation
logic of many built-in validators. Interaction.xls defines a special 
method ia() [instead of old interaction()] that provides access 
to a data structure that keeps track of current and next processing steps,
last user actions, and other data describing the interaction state. 
Interaction.xls replaces the previously provided InteractionManager.xls 
(still included in the Release 2.1.0 for compatibility reasons). All OpenRules
Web Application samples are using new Interaction.xls. 

5. "bin" instead of "classes"

Output folders for all projects have been renamed from "classes" to "bin" 
in accordance with Eclipse naming convention.

6. Latest Tomcat and Axis Configurations

The release 2.1.0 comes with the latest Apache libraries for Web development. 
It includes Tomcat 5.5.9 for J2SE 1.4 that does not require tools.jar to be
added to its commons/lib directory. You may switch to Tomcat 5.0.28 by setting
up the property "jakarta.tomcat.dir=jakarta-tomcat-5.0.28" in file 
deployed.tomcat/build.properties. Tomcat 5.0.29 comes with the standard delivery
with file tools.jar already added to its commons/lib directory. Changing just 
a few parameters you may use your own external Tomcat - the documentation
provides an examples how to do it.

7. Readme Files

Release 2.1.0 accompanies all sample projects with the proper readme files.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

OpenRules development team wants to thank all customers and colleagues who
provided their valuable and constructive feedback. We want to express 
specials appreciation to Paul Camann (CSC), Steve Jakob (wideskies.ca), 
Nischala Kale (CalCas), John Menke (Chubb), Hiromi Okada (blowline), 
Patrice Gagnon (Bricsnet), and Lev Gelfer. We are highly encouraged by great 
interest and support of the Open Source community and commercial developers 
around the world.


Copyright (C) 2005, OpenRules, Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.openrules.com