application.mixin.automaton
v0.0.2
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Application Framework Mixin: transforms the application into an Automaton (state machine)
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application.mixin.automaton
Application Framework Mixin: transforms the application into an Automaton (state machine).
Depending on the concept you want to follow (Automata-based, Event-Driven, Virtual), the change of the state will be triggered automaticly by data, events, ...
State changes can't be triggered by the user of the application, it only follows the rules created by the application developer. In order to enforce this, no "changeState" method will be added to the application Object (see the usage section).
Directory Structure
At the package directory root a folder "states" has to exist.
Each state itself must be reflected into a subfolder and JavaScript file:
<package-root>
|_ states
|_ start
| |_ start.js
|_ <state-A>
| |_ <state-A>.js
|_ <state-B>
| |_ <state-B>.js
...
|_ end
|_ end.js
Uppon load, the mixin will scrawl and register all defined states in this structure.
Reserved states
start
(mandatory state): triggered immediatly after the initalisation of the application.end
(optional state): by default switching toend
will call:process.exit()
Additions to the application Object
Method "state"
Returns the name of the current state.
app.state(); // return state name
Usage
Setting dependency
Your application project has to build upon the application.skeleton and you only have to set the new dependency:
npm install application.mixin.automaton --save
The application.skeleton
will do all the work adding the Mixins to your application object.
Writing states
States are mixin templates that will be applied automatically to you application object on state changes. Define them as you would any template:
<project_root>states/myState/myState.js:
module.exports = {
doSomething: function doSomething (arg1, arg2) {
// ... some code ...
// this references the application object
this.someProperty = true;
if (condition) {
// trigger a state change
automaton.changeState('otherState');
}
}
};
Beware:
- You HAVE to use named function declarations.
- The library enforces that the runtime context points to the application object
- The library will inject at runtime an
automaton
Object in every method you define. Using it you can trigger a state change at any moment you feel fit.
automaton Object Properties
states
A Map holding all state templates referenced by the state name.
state
The actual state object extended with a name
property holding the state name.
changeState
Method triggering a state change. It will remove the methods of the actual state template, mixin any provided initial template before applying the new state template to the application object.
Parameters:
stateName
: the name of the target stateinitTemplate
(optional): a template that will be used to set base behaviours to the application object
Copyright (c) 2014 Luscus ([email protected])
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.