State and Activity Specification--Swimlanes Tab

Figure 57 State and Activity Specification--Swimlanes Tab

Information about the swimlane name is displayed on this tab.

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Action Specification

An Action Specification allows you to display and modify the action properties in a statechart diagram or activity diagram.

To define a new action on a state or activity:

1 Click the Actions tab of a State Specification or Activity Specification.

2 Right-click to display the shortcut menu.

3 Click Insert and an entry item is added.

4 Double-click the entry to display the Action Specification.

5 Type the action description in the Name field. If this field is not active, click Action on the Type field.

If you select Send Event, you may type optional arguments to the triggered event in the Send Arguments field and the name of another object in the model in the Send Target field.

State and Activity Actions

Each state and activity on a statechart or activity diagram may contain any number of internal actions. An action is best described as a "task" that takes place while inside a state or activity. There are four possible actions within a state or activity:

• On Entry
• On Exit
• Do
• On Event

On Event

The On Event parameters are only enabled when you set the On Event timing parameter.

Event--In a statechart or activity diagram, an event is an occurrence that can trigger a state transition. Type the name of the event that will trigger the action.

Arguments--Consist of any optional arguments associated with the event.

Condition--May contain a conditional Boolean expression.

There is an advantage to using an On Event state action rather than a transition to self. Transitions to self trigger all the actions associated with a state; whereas, state actions handle internal state transitions. This provides you with the control to process an internal event without triggering the entry and exit actions. The Trigger Specification contains the same features as the Action Specification. The Trigger Specification defines the properties of a trigger.

Specification Content

The Action Specification consists of the Detail tab.

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State Transition Specification

A State Transition Specification allows you to display and modify the properties and relationships of a transition on a statechart diagram or activity diagram. The State Transition Specification lists the events and actions that are comprised by the transition.

Specification Contents

The State Transition Specification consists of the following tabs: General and Detail.