syntax_errors_fixes.md

Tip 1: Avoid Double Quotes for Enum Types

Issue:
Enum values like Vacation or SickLeave were written as "Vacation" and "SickLeave", which treats them as strings instead of enum literals.

Why it's a problem:
BAL expects enum values to be referenced directly. Using quotes causes type mismatches and may lead to incorrect rule behavior.

Correction:
Remove the double quotes and use the enum values directly.

Demo Video:
Watch the demo

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Tip 2: Do Not Use of <Class> with Boolean Fields

Issue:
Boolean fields were written using the of <Class> construct, such as isOnPip of EmployeePerformance, which is invalid syntax in BAL.

Why it's a problem:
BAL does not support the of <Class> syntax for boolean fields. This results in a syntax error during rule validation or execution.

Correction:
Reference boolean fields directly without the class context.

Demo Video:
Watch the demo

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Tip 3: Default Rules Should Not Have Conditions

Issue:
A rule marked as the default (fallback) includes a condition, such as meetsCriteria is false.

Why it's a problem:
In BAL, default rules are meant to execute only when no other conditions are met. Including a condition in a default rule causes a syntax error and defeats the purpose of having a fallback.

Correction:
Remove all conditions from default rules. The rule should only contain the action to be taken.

Demo Video:
Watch the demo

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Tip 4: Use the Article "the" Before Non-Boolean Variables

Issue:
Non-boolean variables were referenced without the article "the", such as employmentStatus instead of the employmentStatus.

Why it's a problem:
BAL syntax requires the article "the" before non-boolean variables. Omitting it results in a syntax error.

Correction:
Always use "the" before non-boolean variables.

Demo Video:
Watch the demo

Tip 5: Do Not Use "the" Before Boolean Variables

Issue:
Boolean variables were written with the article "the", such as the isOnPip, which is invalid syntax in BAL.

Why it's a problem:
BAL syntax does not allow the article "the" before boolean variables. Including it causes a syntax error.

Correction:
Reference boolean variables directly without using "the".

Demo Video:
Watch the demo

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Tip 6: Dates Must Be in MM/DD/YYYY Format

Issue:
Dates were written in formats like DD-MM-YYYY, YYYY/MM/DD, or descriptive formats such as Jan 1, 2025. These are all invalid in BAL.

Why it's a problem:
BAL strictly requires dates to be in the MM/DD/YYYY format. Any other format will result in a syntax error or incorrect parsing.

Correction:
Always write dates in the MM/DD/YYYY format.

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Tip 7: Rules for Collections and Lists

1. Use Plural Form for Collection Variables

Issue:
Collection variables were referenced using singular names, such as employee instead of employees.

Why it's a problem:
BAL requires the plural form when referring to collections. Using the singular form causes a syntax error.

Correction:
Use the plural form of the variable name.

Incorrect:

employee includes "John"

Correct:

employees includes "John"

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2. Use {} Instead of [] for Lists

Issue:
Lists were written using square brackets ([]), which is invalid in BAL.

Why it's a problem:
BAL uses curly braces ({}) to define lists. Square brackets are not recognized and will cause a syntax error.

Correction:
Use curly braces for lists.

Incorrect:

employees includes ["John", "Jane"]

Correct:

employees includes {"John", "Jane"}

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3. Represent Empty Lists as { ' ' }

Issue:
Empty lists were written as {}, which is invalid in BAL.

Why it's a problem:
BAL requires empty lists to be represented as { ' ' }. Using {} will result in a syntax error.

Correction:
Use { ' ' } to represent an empty list.

Demo Video:
Watch the demo

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Tip 8: Use Double Quotes for String Literals

Issue:
String values were written without double quotes, such as Vacation instead of "Vacation".

Why it's a problem:
BAL requires string literals to be enclosed in double quotes. Omitting the quotes causes a syntax error or misinterpretation of the value.

Correction:
Always use double quotes around string literals.

Incorrect:

reason is Vacation

Correct:

reason is "Vacation"