Rules List

List of Rules is directly manageable on the LANProtector Manager Main Window. It contains all Rules from the currently selected Ruleset in the Rulesets list.

Each row in the Rules list represents one Rule. Each column describes basic Rule properties:

            State column displays an image representing Rule state. It can be Allow, Deny or Inactive. Inactive Rules will simply be ignored when testing a network peer against the Rules. Allow and Deny states specify which action will be taken against network peers that match that Rule.
            Type column displays an image representing Rule type. There are 4 Rule types: Host Rule, Range Rule, Subnet Rule and Mask Rule.
            Name column shows a descriptive Rule name entered by the user. Name doesn’t need to be unique, but it can’t be empty.
            Condition column contains automatically generated text which describes Rule condition set by the user which needs to be met by network peers being tested in order for LANProtector to act based on the Rule state. This column is a descriptive compilation of Rule’s exact condition properties.

The list of Rules contains Rules associated with the currently selected Ruleset in the Rulesets list. If there are no Rulesets in the Rulesets list, the Rules list will be empty and disabled for manipulation.

Order of the Rules in the Rules list is very important when the containing Ruleset is processed. When matching a network peer against the Rules in the list, testing is always performed from top to bottom, meaning that the topmost Rule in the list will be processed the first and the bottommost Rule the last. If the network peer is not matched to any of the Rules in the list, LANProtector Server will act based on the Ruleset’s Action – the Base Ruleset Rule’s state.

Rules Status Bar

Beneath the Rules list is an informative Rules Status Bar with 4 panels, described respectively from left to right:

1. Total Rule Count Panel showing how many Rules are defined in the current Ruleset
2. Allow Rule Count Panel showing how many Rules with Allow state are defined in the current Ruleset
3. Deny Rule Count Panel showing how many Rules with Deny state are defined in the current Ruleset
4. Inactive Rule Count Panel showing how many Rules with Inactive state are defined in the current Ruleset

Rules Management

Rules can be manipulated using 4 different methods:

1. Toolbar located above the Rules list:

Toolbar commands are described respectively from left to right:
            New Rule = opens up the dropdown menu with the following Rule creation commands:
                        New Host Rule = create a new Host Rule
                        New Range Rule = create a new Range Rule
                        New Subnet Rule = create a new Subnet Rule
                        New Mask Rule = create a new Mask Rule
            Edit Rule = edit current Rule
            Clone Rule = clone current Rule
            Delete Selected Rule(s) = permanently delete all selected Rules from the Rules list

            Move Selected Rule(s) Up = move selected Rules one position up in the Rules list
            Move Selected Rule(s) Down = move selected Rules one position down in the Rules list
            Move Selected Rule(s) to Top = move selected Rules to the top of the Rules list
            Move Selected Rule(s) to Bottom = move selected Rules to the bottom of the Rules list

            Change Selected Rule(s) State to Allow = instantly sets selected Rule(s) state to Allow
            Change Selected Rule(s) State to Deny = instantly sets selected Rule(s) state to Deny
            Change Selected Rule(s) State to Inactive = instantly sets selected Rule(s) state to Inactive

2. Rules list context menu (mouse right-click menu):

Context menu commands are just an alternative way for Rules list manipulation. Each of the context menu commands has a corresponding command in Rules list Toolbar.

3. Keyboard:

The following keyboard shortcuts are valid when Rules list is focused:

            Ctrl + H = create a new Host Rule
            Ctrl + R = create a new Range Rule
            Ctrl + U = create a new Subnet Rule
            Ctrl + M = create a new Mask Rule
            Enter = edit current Rule
            Insert = clone current Rule
            Delete = permanently delete all selected Rules from the Rules list
            Ctrl + Up Arrow = move selected Rule(s) one position up in the Rules list
            Ctrl + Down Arrow = move selected Rule(s) one position down in the Rules list
            Ctrl + Home = move selected Rule(s) to the top of the Rules list
            Ctrl + End = move selected Rule(s) to the bottom of the Rules list

4. Mouse:

Double-clicking a Rule in the Rules list will edit the clicked Rule.