For each PAgraph state machine, you can define the following properties:

  • State variables into which the number and name of the current state are written at run time.
  • The processing frequency at which to execute the state machine.
  • The settings for the online visualization.

Open the Properties dialog by selecting State Machine » Properties.

State Variables

At run time, the name and state number of the active state are written in two test variables if you enter suitable variable names. This definition is independent of the graphical representation of the state machine.

To open the selection dialog for the names, click in the input field. Define the following in the State variables area:

Input Field Data Type Meaning
State name Text Name of the active state. Can occur more than once in the same state machine.
State number Integer Number of the active state. Must be unique.

Processing Frequency and Order

Define and manage the execution sequence of programs using the Processing Frequency and Order fields.

Figure 66. Processing Frequency and Order Selection
Operation tables section with fields for Processing Frequency and Order.

Execute Programs is a system operation. If you define this system operation in your database with different frequency groups, you can select one of these frequency groups. You can specify the frequency group in the Processing Frequency field to execute your state machine throughout the database.

You can also define a new operation group in any operation table. Ensure that the new operation group is known when the test generates. Otherwise, the state machine does not execute.

Determine the execution sequence by entering a number in the Order field. The following rules apply when determining the order:

  • 1...N in the sequence execute, with 1 being the highest priority.
  • The number you enter for Order must be unique within a test. Only one sequence exists for all operation tables, PAgraph, PAbasic, PAgraph++- and PAscript programs.
  • Execution for programs with the same Order number is random.
  • If Order is empty, all other programs for which you defined a sequence execute first. Entering 0 in the Order field has the same effect. In both cases, the program has the lowest priority in a sequence.

Online Options

You can display state machines graphically for the test run. Displaying state machines graphically is possible in the Userbox and in the PAtools Test Analyzer.

To do display state machines graphically, you must first configure the online settings for the state machine. Use the Properties dialog, where you can define the representation of your state machine for the test run time and the state variables.

Use PAgraph Online

Activate PAgraph online to enable the graphical display at test run time.

If you activate this option, the state machine is generated as an XML file in the test package. The name of this file is created according to the pattern <Name of the PAgraph++ Program>.XML.

Diagram (Zoom)

In this table, you can set the zoom factor for the display of the state machine and its substate machines in the Userbox.

The columns of the table have the following meaning:

Column Name Input Meaning
State Machine --- Displays the existing state machines hierarchically in a tree structure.
Zoom: Online Percentage Desired zoom factor for the display in the Userbox or in the PAtools Test Analyzer.
Zoom: Actual --- Current zoom factor in the diagram.

Name for Controlling the Diagrams

By default, this substate machine is also switched to in the graphical display during the test run time when changing to a substate machine.

To change this behavior, you can define a test quantity, the value of which you can use to control the graphical display. All data types that are available for sizes are allowed in the name field for controlling the diagrams.