Question

Is it by design that even the checked-in versions of checked-out rules are not imported when a Product rule is used to create a .zip archive of a RuleSet Version? If so, why?

If a developer has a rule checked out, why does that prevent the checked-in version from being exported to a .zip archive with a product rule?

At least there should be an option to include these rules.

Response

The best practice when creating a .zip archive is:

1. Ensure that no rules are checked out.
2. Lock the RuleSet version (even if only temporarily) to ensure that no further checkouts / check-ins can occur until the .zip archive is built.
3. Build the .zip archive.

This approach does require that developers check rules in, and it means that you might need to create new RuleSet versions more frequently than you might otherwise.

However, it is a best practice. The design restriction —- that nether the checked-out nor the checked-in rule is included in the .zip archive — supports the best practice. The checked-in rule is considered to be deficient or suspect; the fact that it is checked out is evidence. (If the checked in rule works correctly but was being enhanced, the enhanced version belongs in a higher version, not the current version.)

The less rigorous approach that you suggest can result in too many functional errors from partial, incomplete configurations.