Forced Decision methods for the C# SDK

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

The C# SDK checks if any Forced Decision methods were implemented 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 follows:

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.

❗️

Warning

You must associate your variations 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).

📘

Note

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

For information about each forced decision method, click on the method name below:

• SetForcedDecision()
• GetForcedDecision
• RemoveForcedDecision
• RemoveAllForcedDecisions

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.

Returns

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

Example

See the full C# SDK example in the Full code example section.

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.

Returns

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

Example

See the full C# SDK example in the Full code example section.

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.

Returns

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

Example

See the full C# SDK example in the Full code example section.

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.

Returns

A success or failure boolean status.

Example

See the full C# SDK example in the Full code example section.

Full code example

An example of how to use the 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