State Machine Diagrams (SMD)

• Definition: SMD describes the behavior of a single class object. It identifies
  n What states the object can be in
  n What messages make the object change its state
  n Which objects require status checking
  n Which business rules determine valid status
• State: a condition that occurs during the life of an object when it satisfies some criterion, performs an action or waits for an event
• Conditions are “semi-permanent” -- becuase it moves
• A new state can be triggered by
  • External event
  • Internal change (data or time)
• Transition: movement of an object from one state to another
• When the object is in a different state, there is a business rule that is associated with this state change, and it is important to know what object is associated what business rule at what state.

SMD & OID

• Each statechart details the object states in the sequence diagram. 

Naming Conventions

• A simple condition -- e.g. "on" or "off"
• Active names consisting of “…ing” or verb phrases -- e.g. "waiting" or "shipped"
• Should not be nouns
• Object may automatically perform an action when entering or leaving a state

Components

• Pseudostate: Starting point noted by black dot
• Destination State: State which an object moves after the completion of a transition
• Origin State: Original state of an object from which the transition occurs
• Transition Label (Message):

Transition-name (parameters, …) [guard-condition] / action expression

• Guard Condition – qualifier or test on the transition, true/false condition that must be satisfied before the transition can fire
• Action Expression – indicates some process that must occur before the transition is completed and the object arrives in the destination state
• If either the transition-name or guard-condition is empty it evaluates to true

Example

1. Starting with the "off" state
2. On Button is pushed AND the bin is not empty AND safety cover is closed
3. Run self-test()
4. If the status returned is true, go to "on" state

How to make a SMD?

Concurrent state

i.e. More than one state at a time

Example

n Person object has marital status & citizen status

Internal state

• Entry: action executed when entering the state

• Do: action executed while in the state

• Exit: action executed before leaving the state

Concurrent Path

• Things that can happen in parallel. 
• State Machine Diagram represents concurrent behavior with multiple paths called threads
• There are 2 different graphical representations of conccurent paths

• Upper: Swimlane
• Lower: Synchronization Pseudostate, where vertical bars indicate where concurrent behavior begins or ends (called pseudostates)

Example

Class Exercise

• Initially, the pone is turned off
  • When the phone is switched on
• Plugged in and