alice.luce
Class Automaton

java.lang.Object
  |
  +--alice.luce.User
        |
        +--alice.luce.Agent
              |
              +--alice.luce.Automaton

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.lang.Runnable, java.io.Serializable

public abstract class Automaton

extends Agent

implements java.io.Serializable

Defines a more involved type of LuCe agent (compared to Agent one).

The agent is structured as a finite state automaton. The behaviour of its states is defined writing public methods; the become method is used to go make a transition from state to state, which in this case means from method to method. It's based on continuation-passing style of arranging computation.

TuCSoN automata are spawned using Threads:

• new Thread(new MyAutomaton()).start

the first state (method) executed is always "boot" state (method).

to stop shutdown the automaton the state "end" is provided:

• become("end")

  See Also:

  Agent, Serialized Form

  Field Summary

  protected static java.lang.Class[]	argType arguments class eventually associated to state transition
  protected java.lang.Object[]	arguments arguments value eventually associated to state transition
  protected java.lang.String	state method name representing state behaviour

  Constructor Summary

  Automaton(AgentId id)
  Constructs the automaton specifying its identifier

  Automaton(java.lang.String name)
  Constructs the automaton specifying its name

  Method Summary

  protected void	become(java.lang.String s) Changes the state of the automaton
  protected void	become(java.lang.String s, java.lang.Object[] args) Changes the state of the automaton, providing auciliary information
  abstract void	boot() Specifies the behaviour of the automaton in its boot state, which is reached when the automaton start its thread of control
  void	end() Specifies the behaviour of the automaton in its end state
  void	error() Specifies the behaviour of the automaton in its error state
  void	run() Defines the automaton behaviour

  Methods inherited from class alice.luce.User

  getId, getSpec, in, inp, out, outAsync, rd, rdp, setSpec, shutdown

  Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

  clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

  Field Detail

  state

  protected java.lang.String state

  method name representing state behaviour

  arguments

  protected java.lang.Object[] arguments

  arguments value eventually associated to state transition

  argType

  protected static java.lang.Class[] argType

  arguments class eventually associated to state transition

  Constructor Detail

  Automaton

  public Automaton(AgentId id)

  Constructs the automaton specifying its identifier

  Parameters:

  id - the automaton identifier

  Automaton

  public Automaton(java.lang.String name)

  Constructs the automaton specifying its name

  Parameters:

  name - the automaton name

  Method Detail

  become

  protected void become(java.lang.String s)

  Changes the state of the automaton

  Parameters:

  s - the state name, which must coincide with the name of a public method of the object

  become

  protected void become(java.lang.String s,
                        java.lang.Object[] args)

  Changes the state of the automaton, providing auciliary information

  Parameters:

  s - the state name, which must coincide with the name of a public method of the object

  args - auxiliary information needed in the next state

  boot

  public abstract void boot()

  Specifies the behaviour of the automaton in its boot state, which is reached when the automaton start its thread of control

  run

  public void run()

  Defines the automaton behaviour

  end

  public void end()

  Specifies the behaviour of the automaton in its end state

  error

  public void error()

  Specifies the behaviour of the automaton in its error state