Package org.kie.api.runtime.rule

## Interface EntryPoint

- All Known Subinterfaces:
    `KieRuntime`, `KieSession`, `RuleRuntime`

      public interface EntryPoint

  An entry-point is an abstract channel through where facts are inserted into the engine.

  KIE 6 supports multiple entry-points into a single `KieBase`: the default, anonymous entry-point, as well as as many user declared entry points the application requires.

  To get a reference to an entry point, just request the session:

       KieSession session = kbase.newStatelessKieSession();
       ...
       WorkingMemoryEntryPoint entrypoint = session.getEntryPoint("my entry point");

  Once a reference to an entry point is acquired, the application can insert, update and retract facts to/from that entry-point as usual:

       ...
       FactHandle factHandle = entrypoint.insert( fact );
       ...
       entrypoint.update( factHandle, newFact );
       ...
       entrypoint.retract( factHandle );
       ...

- - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Deprecated Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `void` | `delete​(FactHandle handle)` | Retracts the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned regardless if it has been explicitly or logically inserted.
    `void` | `delete​(FactHandle handle, FactHandle.State fhState)` | Retracts the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned.
    `java.lang.String` | `getEntryPointId()` |
    `long` | `getFactCount()` |
    `FactHandle` | `getFactHandle​(java.lang.Object object)` | Returns the fact handle associated with the given object.
    `<T extends FactHandle> java.util.Collection<T>` | `getFactHandles()` |
    `<T extends FactHandle> java.util.Collection<T>` | `getFactHandles​(ObjectFilter filter)` |
    `java.lang.Object` | `getObject​(FactHandle factHandle)` |
    `java.util.Collection<? extends java.lang.Object>` | `getObjects()` | This class is not a general-purpose `Collection` implementation!
    `java.util.Collection<? extends java.lang.Object>` | `getObjects​(ObjectFilter filter)` |
    `FactHandle` | `insert​(java.lang.Object object)` | Inserts a new fact into this entry point
    `void` | `retract​(FactHandle handle)` | Deprecated. use `delete(FactHandle)`
    `void` | `update​(FactHandle handle, java.lang.Object object)` | Updates the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned with the new fact set as the second parameter in this method.
    `void` | `update​(FactHandle handle, java.lang.Object object, java.lang.String... modifiedProperties)` | Updates the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned with the new fact set as the second parameter in this method, also specifying the set of properties that have been modified.

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### getEntryPointId

          java.lang.String getEntryPointId()

      Returns:
        the String Id of this entry point

    - #### insert

          FactHandle insert​(java.lang.Object object)

      Inserts a new fact into this entry point
      Parameters:
        `object` - the fact to be inserted
      Returns:
        the fact handle created for the given fact

    - #### retract

          void retract​(FactHandle handle)

      Deprecated.
      use `delete(FactHandle)`
      Retracts the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned.
      Parameters:
        `handle` - the handle whose fact is to be retracted.

    - #### delete

          void delete​(FactHandle handle)

      Retracts the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned regardless if it has been explicitly or logically inserted.
      Parameters:
        `handle` - the handle whose fact is to be retracted.

    - #### delete

          void delete​(FactHandle handle,
                      FactHandle.State fhState)

      Retracts the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned.
      Parameters:
        `handle` - the handle whose fact is to be retracted.
        `fhState` - defines how the handle has to be retracted: as an explicitly inserted fact (STATED), from the Truth Maintenance System (LOGICAL), or both (ALL)

    - #### update

          void update​(FactHandle handle,
                      java.lang.Object object)

      Updates the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned with the new fact set as the second parameter in this method.
      Parameters:
        `handle` - the FactHandle for the fact to be updated.
        `object` - the new value for the fact being updated.

    - #### update

          void update​(FactHandle handle,
                      java.lang.Object object,
                      java.lang.String... modifiedProperties)

      Updates the fact for which the given FactHandle was assigned with the new fact set as the second parameter in this method, also specifying the set of properties that have been modified.
      Parameters:
        `handle` - the FactHandle for the fact to be updated.
        `object` - the new value for the fact being updated.
        `modifiedProperties` - the list of the names of the object's properties modified by this update.

    - #### getFactHandle

          FactHandle getFactHandle​(java.lang.Object object)

      Returns the fact handle associated with the given object. It is important to note that this method behaves in accordance with the configured assert behaviour for this `KieBase` (either IDENTITY or EQUALITY).
      Parameters:
        `object` - the fact for which the fact handle will be returned.
      Returns:
        the fact handle for the given object, or null in case no fact handle was found for the given object.
      See Also:
        `KieBaseConfiguration`

    - #### getObject

          java.lang.Object getObject​(FactHandle factHandle)

      Returns:
        the object associated with the given FactHandle.

    - #### getObjects

          java.util.Collection<? extends java.lang.Object> getObjects()

      This class is not a general-purpose `Collection` implementation! While this class implements the `Collection` interface, it intentionally violates `Collection` general contract, which mandates the use of the `equals` method when comparing objects.

      Instead the approach used when comparing objects with the `contains(Object)` method is dependent on the WorkingMemory configuration, where it can be configured for `Identity` or for `Equality`.

      Returns:
        all facts from the current session as a Collection.

    - #### getObjects

          java.util.Collection<? extends java.lang.Object> getObjects​(ObjectFilter filter)

      Parameters:
        `filter` - the filter to be applied to the returned collection of facts.
      Returns:
        all facts from the current session that are accepted by the given `ObjectFilter`.

    - #### getFactHandles

          <T extends FactHandle> java.util.Collection<T> getFactHandles()

      Returns:
        all `FactHandle`s from the current session.

    - #### getFactHandles

          <T extends FactHandle> java.util.Collection<T> getFactHandles​(ObjectFilter filter)

      Parameters:
        `filter` - the filter to be applied to the returned collection of `FactHandle`s.
      Returns:
        all `FactHandle`s from the current session for which the facts are accepted by the given filter.

    - #### getFactCount

          long getFactCount()

      Returns:
        the total number of facts currently in this entry point