Hi Folks, Work on 6.0b1 is progressing nicely. Defmodules are the big new feature for this release, and the work is about half done. Defmodules have two purposes, really: one is execution control because each modules has its own agenda, and the other is namespace partitioning. Part one is completed: multiple namespaces with separate agendas are functioning well. The interface is very similar to that of CLIPS with one difference (and this description isn't intended to make any sense to you unless you're familiar with defmodules in CLIPS:) CLIPS can be in a state in which no module has the focus, such that even though every existing module has activated rules, no rules will fire whtn (run) is called. Jess does not have such a state: if the focus stack is empty, the MAIN module gets the focus by default. I'm starting the implementation of part two, and again, the interface and behaviour is very similar to CLIPS, but again there is one significant difference. In Jess, fact types defined in the MAIN module will automatically be visible to all modules. You don't need to explicitly export anything from MAIN, nor import anything from it. Failing to export (initial-fact) from MAIN is a common beginner error in CLIPS, and requiring the user to do so just seems like busywork -- especially since Jess uses other kinds of magic facts. I think these two changes encourage a programming style in which MAIN is convenient to use for clearly "global" rules and templates, and there will also be less of barrier to using separate modules. --------------------------------------------------------- Ernest Friedman-Hill Distributed Systems Research Phone: (925) 294-2154 Sandia National Labs FAX: (925) 294-2234 Org. 8920, MS 9012 [EMAIL PROTECTED] PO Box 969 http://herzberg.ca.sandia.gov Livermore, CA 94550 --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send the words 'unsubscribe jess-users [EMAIL PROTECTED]' in the BODY of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED], NOT to the list (use your own address!) List problems? Notify [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------
