NL Syntax for Sentence Rule

Sentence rules are usually entered, viewed or updated with the rule editor. Alternatively, sentence rules can be backed up and restored to/from XML text format. Pro/3 additionally has a NL text syntax for sentence rules, however, the supported syntax at present only covers simple implication rules. 

The general syntax for a simple implication rule is:

if [it is not true that] <Condition> [{ ,[it is not true that] <Condition> }* and [it is not true that] <Condition>] then <Conclusion> !

where the conclusion is a sentence-like structure and the conditions are sentence-like structures or variable conditions. The syntax of the sentence-like structures are based on the syntax for sentences (facts).

Example:

if the manufacturer with name X is located in the country with name Y and the country with name Y is part of the world region with region name Z, then the manufacturer with name X is located in the world region with region name Z!

It so happens that all the entity types in the rule are atomic i.e. they have only one data element type. Atomic entity types have an alternative briefer syntax where the data element type name is left out, such that the country with name Y is expressed either as the Y country or as the country Y. Note also that all the's are optional and can be left out. The rules can thus be written:

if manufacturer X is located in country Y and country Y is part of the world region Z, then manufacturer X is located in the world region Z!

Refer to <SimpleImplicationRule> in the NL-syntax for all details.