This presentation was presented on DrupalForum 2012 in Zaporozhye (Ukraine). It is about module Rules for Drupal 7. It describe what is the goal of the module, some examples of use. Feature of the example you can find on drupal.org; http://drupal.org/sandbox/BerdArt/1434760

1. Rules
Overview, use cases, API
Artem Berdishev
skype: berdishev
berdart@amgrade.com

2. What is Rules?
• Module for developers
• Custom code replaced by some
configuration
• Interaction between different modules
2

3. Rules features
• Token and Entity Token
• Loops & Lists
• Nice debug mode
• Components
• Scheduler
3

4. Rule architecture
• Events – system event(s) to which one(s)
rule will react
• Conditions
• Actions
4

5. Rule architecture
• Events
• Conditions – in which cases it should
react?
• Actions
5

6. Rule architecture
• Events
• Conditions
• Actions – what should happen?
6

7. Components
• This is reusable part of rules
• Use them in creation rules
• Condition set (OR/AND), Action set,
Rules set
• Components’ evaluation can be
scheduled (module Rules Scheduler)
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8. Useful modules
• Rules links
• Flag
• Views Bulk Operations
• Message
• Rules Bonus Pack
• Content access
• …..
8

9. Some small examples
• On node creation/saving change URL alias
pathauto
• Notify admin (moderator, author) about
content posting notification
• Notify user (author) about new comments
for node comment_notify
• Custom breadcrumbs for node types
custom_breadcrumb
• …
9

10. Big example - Workflow
• Users can add content (status = waiting
for approval). It’s not published
• The notification will be sent to
administrator
• He could change status to Approved or
Declined (+ notification to the author)
• If Approved – author can
publish/unpublish content
10

11. Scheduled publishing
• Field for setting publishing (unpublishing)
date
• Components for (un-)publishing and
logging
• Rule for
– reaction on changing date field
– scheduling the component evaluation
Scheduler
11

12. RULES DEMO
12

13. Best practices
• Make use of tags
• Use components to organize your rules
• Export your rules to feature modules using
Features
• Keep your rules simple
13

14. RULES API
14

15. Event API
• hook_rules_event_info()
– array keyed by event name;
– options: title, group, variables etc;
• rules_invoke_event()
– call this function with event name as
argument to trigger the event
– for example, in any hook function
15

16. Action API
• hook_rules_action_info()
– array – action name (prefixed with module name) as
key;
– options: label, group, parameter, provides, callbacks,
etc.
• Implement function [action_name]()
– function arguments match parameters + $settings;
– returns array of parameter or/and provides with their
name as key;
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17. Condition API
• hook_rules_condition_info()
– array – condition name (prefixed by module name) as
key;
– options: label, parameters, group etc. (same as action)
• Implement function [condition_name]()
– function arguments match parameters + $settings;
– should return boolean value;
– can't provide variables;
– cannot save parameters.
17

18. Rules API
• hook_rules_data_info()
• hook_rules_plugin_info()
• hook_rules_evaluator_info()
• hook_rules_data_processor_info()
• hook_rules_[action|event|…]_info_alter()
• hook_default_rules_configuration()
• …..
18

19. Resources
• The Rules module page on d.o.
http://drupal.org/project/rules
• The Rules way of life (London 2011)
http://london2011.drupal.org/conference/sessions/rules-way-life
• Screencast by Johan Falk (Itangalo)
http://dev.nodeone.se/en/learn-the-rules-framework
• Demo sandbox on d.o.
http://drupal.org/sandbox/BerdArt/1434760
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20. Question?
Artem Berdishev
skype: berdishev
berdart@amgrade.com