diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'lib/stdlib/doc/src/gen_statem.xml')
| -rw-r--r-- | lib/stdlib/doc/src/gen_statem.xml | 27 |
1 files changed, 24 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/lib/stdlib/doc/src/gen_statem.xml b/lib/stdlib/doc/src/gen_statem.xml index 5fbedb12f8..9d98763973 100644 --- a/lib/stdlib/doc/src/gen_statem.xml +++ b/lib/stdlib/doc/src/gen_statem.xml @@ -110,6 +110,14 @@ erlang:'!' -----> Module:StateName/5 states so you do not accidentally postpone one event forever creating an infinite busy loop. </p> + <p>Any state name or any state value (depending on + <seealso marker="#type-callback_mode">callback_mode</seealso>) + is permitted with a small gotcha regarding the state + <c>undefined</c> that is used as the previous state when + the first gen_statem state function is called. + You might need to know about this faked state if you + inspect the previous state argument in your state functions. + </p> <p>The gen_statem enqueues incoming events in order of arrival and presents these to the <seealso marker="#state_function">state function</seealso> @@ -118,6 +126,12 @@ erlang:'!' -----> Module:StateName/5 After a state change all enqueued events (including postponed) are again presented to the state function. </p> + <p>The gen_statem event queue model is sufficient to emulate + the normal process message queue and selective receive + with postponing an event corresponding to not matching + it in a receive statement and changing states corresponding + to entering a new receive statement. + </p> <p>The <seealso marker="#state_function">state function</seealso> can insert events using the @@ -133,6 +147,15 @@ erlang:'!' -----> Module:StateName/5 that can be used for such events making it impossible to mistake for an external event. </p> + <p>Inserting an event replaces the trick of calling your own + state handling functions that you often would have to + resort to in e.g <seealso marker="gen_fsm">gen_fsm</seealso> + to force processing a faked event before others. + If you for example in gen_statem postpone an event + in one state and then call some other state function of yours, + you have not changed states and hence the postponed event + will not be retried, which is logical but might be confusing. + </p> <p>A gen_statem handles system messages as documented in <seealso marker="sys">sys</seealso>. The <seealso marker="sys">sys</seealso> module @@ -1011,7 +1034,6 @@ erlang:'!' -----> Module:StateName/5 <v>EventContent = term()</v> <v>PrevStateName = <seealso marker="#type-state_name">state_name()</seealso> - | reference() </v> <v>StateName = <seealso marker="#type-state_name">state_name()</seealso> @@ -1060,8 +1082,7 @@ erlang:'!' -----> Module:StateName/5 in some odd cases for example when you want to do something only at the first event in a state. Note that when gen_statem enters its first state - this is set to a <c>reference()</c> - since that can not match equal to any state. + this is set to <c>undefined</c>. </p> <p>If this function returns with a new state that does not match equal (<c>=/=</c>) to the current state |