Algorithmic Sets

Definition Algorithmic Set

• We want to define an algorithmic set via a Predicate deciding if an element is part of the set or not.
• In java we could use the functional interface Predicate<T>

public interface Predicate<T>{
       // If test returns true, we consider the element be part of the algorithmic set.
       boolean test(T element);
}

• Such a simple definition allows a polymorphic approach for defining set predicates.
• So if a new predicate is needed only a new implementation of Predicate<T> needs to be implemented.
• These Predicate<T> implementations can introduce configurable properties, for a more flexible solution.
• An algorithmic set is defined by its predicate instance.

Performance considerations

• This approach is only reasonable if all tested elements are in memory, querying them from a database would be at least suboptimal.

Logical Groups

• For predicate aggregation we could simply implement PredicateCollections.
• PredicateCollectionOr<T>
• PredicateCollectionAnd<T>

Algorithmic sets and Notifications

• We want to define the receivers of a notification with an algorithmic set.
• This means every Notification has an algorithmic set of receivers attached to it.
• How this algorithmic set of receivers is attached is not part of this article.
• For identifying a receiver, we introduce a ConnectedClientTupel of the form:

public class ConnectedClientTupel{
    public Computer getComputer(); // Including the Platz.
    public User getUser(); // Including the role.
    ... // Will grow in the future.
}

• Practically the above tupel, will be part of the session, but it seems reasonable not to use the session directly for a cleaner interface.
• So the Predicate for Notification receivers would have the form:

public interface NotificationReceiverPredicate extends Predicate<ConnectedClientTupel>
{
}

• Every connected client queries its notifications via a REST interface.
• All notifications should be grouped by their NotificationReceiverPredicate instances.
• So instead of testing the predicate for every notification we only need to test every predicate instance once.
• The amount of different predicate instances is relatively low, so we should be capable of delivering the notifications to a client reasonable fast.

Named Notifications Recipient Groups

• The software consultants (SWC) should be able to define named recipient groups.
• The SWCs should be able to test such a recipient group.

Decision explanation

• It is required to give information to the SWC about the decision process.
• To allow this we should introduce an extended Predicate<T> interface with an optional decisision explanation parameter.