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Forced Decision methods for the C# SDK

Describes the Forced Decision methods for the C# SDK, which you can use to force users into a specific variation in Optimizely Feature Experimentation.

These methods will help test and debug various flows of your client applications by forcing users into a specific variation.

The C# SDK will check forced decisions before making any decisions. If a matching item is found for the requested flag, the C# SDK will return the forced decision immediately (audience conditions and traffic allocations are ignored) before making normal decisions.

The following describes specific scenarios the C# SDK will follow:

Flag-to-Decision

  • SDK will look up at the beginning of any decide call for the given flag. If a matching Flag-to-Decision forced decision is found for the flag, it returns the decision.

Experiment-Rule-to-Decision

  • SDK will look up at the beginning of the decision for the given experiment rule (of the flag key). If a matching Experiment-Rule-to-Decision forced decision is found for the flag, it returns the decision.

Delivery-Rule-to-Decision

  • SDK will look up at the beginning of the decision for the given delivery rule (of the flag key). If a matching Delivery-Rule-to-Decision forced decision is found, it returns the decision.

❗️

You must associate your variation(s) to a flag rule before calling any Forced Decision methods.

On forced decisions, the C# SDK will fire impression events and notifications just like other normal decisions (unless disabled by the disableDecisionEvent option).

📘

These forced decisions are not persistent and will be cleared when the OptimizelyUserContext is re-initialized.

For more information about each method click on the method name below:

OptimizelyDecisionContext

public class OptimizelyDecisionContext {
    public OptimizelyDecisionContext(string flagKey, string? ruleKey = null);
  
    public string FlagKey;
  
    public string RuleKey;
}

OptimizelyForcedDecision

public class OptimizelyForcedDecision {
    public OptimizelyForcedDecision(string variationKey);
    
    public string VariationKey;
}

Set Forced Decision Method - SetForcedDecision()

Version

3.11.0

Description

Sets a forced decision (variationKey) for a given OptimizelyDecisionContext.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the C# SDK.

ParamterTypeDescription
context
required
ClassAn instance of OptimizelyDecisionContext with the required flagKey and optional ruleKey for the forced decision you want to set.
decision
required
ClassAn instance of OptimizelyForcedDecision with the required variationKey for the forced decision you want to set.

Returns

A boolean value that indicates if setting the forced decision (variationKey) was completed successfully.

Example

See the full C# SDK example here.

Get Forced Decision Method - GetForcedDecision()

Version

3.11.0

Description

Returns the forced decision (variationKey) for a given OptimizelyDecisionContext. Returns the OptimizelyForcedDecision instance or null if there is no matching item.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the C# SDK.

ParameterTypeDescription
context
required
ClassAn instance of OptimizelyDecisionContext with the required flagKey and optional ruleKey for the forced decision you want to get.

Returns

A forced decision OptimizelyForcedDecision instance for the context or null if there is no matching item.

Example

See the full C# SDK example here.

Remove Forced Decision Method - RemoveForcedDecision()

Version

3.11.0

Description

Removes the forced decision (variationKey) for a given OptimizelyDecisionContext.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the C# SDK.

ParameterTypeDescription
context
required
ClassAn instance of OptimizelyDecisionContext with the required flagKey and optional ruleKey for the forced decision you want to remove.

Returns

A success/failure boolean status if the forced decision (variationKey) was removed.

Example

See the full C# SDK example here.

Remove All Forced Decisions Method - RemoveAllForcedDecisions()

Version

3.11.0

Description

Removes all forced decisions (variationKey) for the user context.

Parameters

This table lists the required and optional parameters for the C# SDK.

ParametersTypeDescription
NoneN/AN/A

Returns

A success/failure boolean status.

Example

See the full C# SDK example here.

Full Code Example

This is an example of how to use the new C# methods for managing forced decisions:

var Optimizely = OptimizelyFactory.NewDefaultInstance("<your sdk key>");
var attributes = new UserAttributes();
var user = Optimizely.CreateUserContext(RandomUserId(), attributes);

var flagContext = new OptimizelyDecisionContext("flag-1", null);
var flagAndABTestContext = new OptimizelyDecisionContext("flag-1", "ab-test-1");
var flagAndDeliveryRuleContext = new OptimizelyDecisionContext("flag-1", "delivery-1");
var variationAForcedDecision = new OptimizelyForcedDecision("variation-a");
var variationBForcedDecision = new OptimizelyForcedDecision("variation-b");
var variationOnForcedDecision = new OptimizelyForcedDecision("on");

// set a forced decision for a flag
var success = user.SetForcedDecision(flagContext, variationAForcedDecision);
var decision = user.Decide("flag-1");

// set a forced decision for an ab-test rule
success = user.SetForcedDecision(flagAndABTestContext, variationBForcedDecision);
decision = user.Decide("flag-1");

// set a forced variation for a delivery rule
success = user.SetForcedDecision(flagAndDeliveryRuleContext, variationOnForcedDecision);
decision = user.Decide("flag-1");

// get forced variations
var forcedDecision = user.GetForcedDecision(flagContext);
Console.WriteLine(string.Format("ForcedDecision variationKey = {0}", forcedDecision.VariationKey));

// remove forced variations
success = user.RemoveForcedDecision(flagAndABTestContext);
success = user.RemoveAllForcedDecisions();

See Also

OptimizelyUserContext