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How to Generate Code from State Machine Diagram?

A state machine consists of a number of states and the transition between states. To create a state machine, you start by creating a controller class, and then create a sub-state machine diagram from the controller class. Moreover, you can generate source code based on the sub-state machine diagram.

Compatible edition(s): Enterprise, Professional, Standard

  • June 24, 2015
  • Views: 53,131
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Overview of this Tutorial

In this tutorial, we will show you how to model a controller class and its state machine. At the end, you will generate state machine code and play with the sample application. You will also export SCXML from your state machine.

In order to complete this tutorial you must have Visual Paradigm installed. You also need to have basic knowledge in UML modeling with Visual Paradigm.

Create a Project for This Tutorial

In order not to mess up your production data, we will create a new project for this tutorial. In this section, you are going to create such a project.

  1. Select Project > New from the toolbar.
  2. Enter Phone Model as project name.
    new project
  3. Click Create Blank Project to confirm the creation.

Creating State Machine

  1. Create a class diagram first. Select Diagram > New from the toolbar.
  2. In the New Diagram window, select Class Diagram and click Next.
    new class diagram
  3. Enter PhoneController as diagram name.
    name class diagram
  4. Click OK to confirm the creation of class diagram.
  5. Draw a PhoneController class in the class diagram.
    create class
  6. Add the following attributes into PhoneController. You can add attribute by right clicking on the class and selecting Add > Attribute from the popup menu.
    Name Type
    _incomingCallNumber String
    _startTime long
    _endTime long

    The class should look like this:
    attributes added into class
  7. Add operations to the class. These operations will trigger state change. To add operation, right-click on the class and select Add > Operation from the pop-up menu.
    Name Return Type
    PhoneController  
    dial(number : String) void
    receiveCall void
    hangUp void
    chat void

    The class should look like this:
    operations added into class
  8. Now, we are going to draw the state machine for PhoneController class. Right-click on PhoneController and select Sub Diagram > New Diagram... from the popup menu.
  9. Select State Machine Diagram and click Next.
    selected state machine diagram
  10. Keep the diagram name as-is and click OK to confirm diagram creation.
  11. A state machine diagram is created with an initial node appears. Complete the diagram by drawing the states show in the following diagram.
    state machine diagram complete
  12. Now, add a trigger to transitions. Right-click on the transition between Dialing state and Calling state. Select Open Specification... from the pop-up menu.
    open specification of transition
  13. In the Transition Specification window, open Triggers tab. Click Add and select Call Trigger from the pop-up menu.
    add call trigger
  14. In the Call Trigger Specification window, enter Dial as trigger name. Select dial(number : String) : void from the drop down menu of Operation.
    select operation to be trigger
  15. Click OK.
  16. The trigger is selected for the transition.
  17. Click OK.
  18. Continue to add a few more triggers following the table below:
    Transition Trigger Name
    Calling -> CallReceived Receive Call
    CallReceived -> InTalk Chat
    InTalk -> CallTerminated Hang Up

    The completed state machine diagram is shown as follows:
    triggers added

Generating State Machine Code

Now, let's generate state machine code from the project.

  1. Select Tools > Code > Generate State Machine Code from the toolbar.
  2. In the Generate State Machine Code window, specify the directory to store the generated source file.
    generate state machine code
  3. Click OK.
  4. Compile the generated code and run the PhoneControllerSample class.
    compile generated state machine code
    Run the sample application by clicking Proceed repeatedly and observe the change of states.
    run sample application

Generating SCXML

Now, let's generate SCXML from your state machine.

  1. Right-click on the background of your state machine diagram and select Export ^gt; Export to SCXML... from the popup menu.
  2. In the Export SCXML dialog box, specify the filepath of the *.scxml file.
    export scxml
  3. Click OK. The exported file should look like this one.
    scxml content



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