State diagram dialog box

State diagrams

A state diagram allows you to describe the manner in which objects react to events. It is used to describe a state machine at class level.

State diagrams can also represent protocol.

A state diagram is created in a state machine.

The "State diagram" dialog box contains four tabs - "Properties", "Notes", "Tagged values" and "Stereotypes". For information on these standard dialog box tabs, please see "Standard dialog box tabs".

The "Properties" tab of the "State diagram" dialog box

The "Properties" tab of the "State diagram" dialog box is used to modify values for a state diagram.

The "Properties" tab of the "State diagram" dialog box

Key:

· "Name": This is the name of the state diagram.

· "Horizontal spacing": This indicates the horizontal spacing between boxes after automatic positioning (layout).

· "Vertical spacing": This indicates the vertical spacing between boxes after automatic positioning (layout).

· "Detailed visibility": This indicates whether or not the visibility and path are detailed. For example, the "+,-,#" symbols are shown on class members, and the class name includes the package paths "P1:P2:C1".

· "Stereotype display": This indicates the form of the stereotype display. Stereotypes are presented as icons only if the element contains no other elements (for example, a class can present an icon stereotype if it does not show its members).

· "Tagged value visibility": This indicates whether or not tagged values are presented in the diagram.