--- title: "act_unruled" url: https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/act_unruled --- # act_unruled URL: https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/act_unruled > A step names an act the rules table has no row for, under its Service or shared. There is no fallback. | Fix | Fails in | Suggests | Exit | |---|---|---|---| | Add a row for the act to the rules table, with its position, or name an act the table has. | `rules.ts:6` · `rules.services['translation'].seal` | `rules.services['translation'].seal: { reserved: '', where: '*', position: '…' }` | 1 | **Owned by** [File it somewhere](https://services.dev/docs/grow/submit.md): the page that explains what this gate holds. ## What check says ```txt title="npx services.dev check" ✗ A step names an act the rules table has no row for, under its Service or shared. There is no fallback. Add a row for the act to the rules table, with its position, or name an act the table has. seal sets no act, so it performs the act seal, and rules 2026-10 has no row for it under translation and no shared row. at rules.ts:6 · rules.services['translation'].seal ✗ The rules table binds a name nothing reads: a key that names no Service file, or a row no step performs that is neither an advice class nor refused. Rename it to what it means, or take it out. rules.services['translation'].sign is a row no step of translation performs. A row binds nothing until a step does its act. at rules.ts:7 · rules.services['translation'].sign ✗ 2 to fix ``` ## Often arrives with The same file failed [`rule_unread`](https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/rule_unread.md) in the same run. Each has its own page. ## The failing file ```ts title="services/translation.ts" import { Service } from 'services.dev' import rules from '../rules.ts' export default Service({ name: 'Translation', input: { document: 'file', to: 'language: a BCP 47 tag, such as fr-CA' }, output: { document: 'file' }, rules, roles: { translator: { credential: 'sworn translator' } }, deliver: { translate: 'ai', harden: { review: 'adversarial', lenses: ['meaning', 'terms'] }, seal: { by: 'translator', stamp: true }, }, price: 89, }) ``` ## The fix ```diff title="git add -A && git diff --staged" diff --git a/services/translation.ts b/services/translation.ts index c8b9770..580cb85 100644 --- a/services/translation.ts +++ b/services/translation.ts @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export default Service({ deliver: { translate: 'ai', harden: { review: 'adversarial', lenses: ['meaning', 'terms'] }, - seal: { by: 'translator', stamp: true }, + seal: { by: 'translator', act: 'sign', stamp: true }, }, price: 89, }) ``` ```txt title="npx services.dev check" ✓ ready to sell · 1 Service · it keeps at least 80% of every job ``` ## The rest of the brand ```ts title="rules.ts" import { Rules } from 'services.dev' export default Rules({ version: '2026-10', services: { translation: { sign: { reserved: 'sworn translator', where: '*', position: 'A sworn translator signs a translation filed with a registry.' }, }, }, }) ``` ## In the legal example How the legal example passes this gate, in lines read from its files. ```ts title="examples/legal/services/formation.ts" deliver: { // … advise_entity: { by: 'attorney', act: 'advise_entity_choice', est: '30min', checklist: ['the founders know why this entity, in this state'] }, ``` ```ts title="examples/legal/rules.ts" formation: { advise_entity_choice: { reserved: 'bar admission', where: 'client', kind: 'advice', rail: 'member', position: 'Which entity to form is advice.' }, ``` Read them in context: [Company formation](https://services.dev/docs/examples/legal/formation.md), [The rules table](https://services.dev/docs/examples/legal/rules.md). ## Explained in - [File it somewhere](https://services.dev/docs/grow/submit.md) - [Refusals and cures](https://services.dev/docs/people/refusals.md) - [Rules: how a Service meets licensing by design](https://services.dev/docs/people/rules.md) ## What an agent reads ```json title="npx services.dev check --json · the act_unruled failure" { "code": "act_unruled", "reason": "A step names an act the rules table has no row for, under its Service or shared. There is no fallback.", "next": "Add a row for the act to the rules table, with its position, or name an act the table has. seal sets no act, so it performs the act seal, and rules 2026-10 has no row for it under translation and no shared row.", "doc_url": "https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/act_unruled", "file": "rules.ts", "line": 6, "path": "rules.services['translation'].seal", "suggest": { "path": "rules.services['translation'].seal", "value": "{ reserved: '', where: '*', position: '…' }" } } ```
The whole document check --json prints ```json title="npx services.dev check --json" { "ai": { "cents_per_call": 42, "simulated": true }, "mcp": { "tools": 13, "tokens": 4490, "sandbox": 9, "budget": 8000 }, "files": [ { "path": "rules.ts", "lines": 6, "kind": "rules", "says": "rules 2026-10 · 1 Service · 1 row" } ], "services": [ { "path": "services/translation.ts", "lines": 11, "steps": "translate · ai → harden · ai · adversarial · 2 lenses → seal · translator · stamped", "ok": false, "price": "$89 per job, within 48 hours, charged on delivery.", "who": "A translator signs every document before delivery. (rules 2026-10)", "roles": [ "translator · sworn translator · your staff" ], "rules": "2026-10", "boundary": { "full": [] }, "agent": { "tool": "order_translation", "words": 26, "job": "job_7Hq2", "status": "waiting", "on": "person", "charged": null, "person": true, "why": "" }, "ledger": "+$89.00 · AI $1.26 (example) · you $87.74", "approved_ledger": null, "outcome": null, "margin": { "floor": { "cents": 7120, "pct": 80 }, "own": 7120, "stop": 1780, "nested": [] }, "apps": [ "customer portal", "delivery portal", "owner console" ], "failures": [ { "code": "act_unruled", "reason": "A step names an act the rules table has no row for, under its Service or shared. There is no fallback.", "next": "Add a row for the act to the rules table, with its position, or name an act the table has. seal sets no act, so it performs the act seal, and rules 2026-10 has no row for it under translation and no shared row.", "doc_url": "https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/act_unruled", "file": "rules.ts", "line": 6, "path": "rules.services['translation'].seal", "suggest": { "path": "rules.services['translation'].seal", "value": "{ reserved: '', where: '*', position: '…' }" } }, { "code": "rule_unread", "reason": "The rules table binds a name nothing reads: a key that names no Service file, or a row no step performs that is neither an advice class nor refused.", "next": "Rename it to what it means, or take it out. rules.services['translation'].sign is a row no step of translation performs. A row binds nothing until a step does its act.", "doc_url": "https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/rule_unread", "file": "rules.ts", "line": 7, "path": "rules.services['translation'].sign" } ] } ] } ```
--- - Up: [check’s gates](https://services.dev/docs/reference/check.md) - Previous: [reserved_act_unstaffed](https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/reserved_act_unstaffed.md) - Next: [rule_unread](https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/rule_unread.md)