From: Mark Probert <probertm@...>
Date: 2004-11-04T02:08:46+09:00
Subject: Re: fsmgen 0.1

Hi ..

Eivind Eklund <eeklund@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Wouldn't this be better implemented as meta-programming in Ruby, so
> you don't generate Ruby code from it once - that's just
> meta-programmed every time you execute the program?  
>
This is a very good point and one I am not sure of the correct design 
approach.  The problem with the current generator style is that if you do 
work on the state machine action specifics, then change the machine, you 
have to merge back all the changes.  That is a pain.  

On the plus side, using a generator gives you a lot more freedom.  Don't 
like the specifics of the server?  Change it.  Need to modify some 
behaviour on the fly?  Not a problem.  The only thing hidden is the 
event-action selection mechanism.

For me, I tend to have simple state machines, so the config files doesn't 
change too much once it settles down.

I am going to be puting the source up on Ruby Forge today under a PD 
licence, so you are more than welcome to have a look and modify away. :-)

> 
> Apart from that, I like that you're helping abstract state machines -
> too often, they end up non-normalized and buried.
> 
Thank you.

Regards,
-mark.