I have a problem with the sequence model seen in the diagram below, specifically where the System object is creating a new Number. In this case, there is no need for a return message since the function SaveInput(n), both in System and Number, is the end of the line for that portion of the program, but unless I include one, the modeller reshaped my diagram into the other one I've uploaded here, and I can't see how to arrange the messages so that my program will work the way I intend without including the return message (the one without a name) from Number to System, since the functions SaveInput() both return a void.
How should void-returning functions be handled in sequence diagrams so that they behave correctly? I have opened the message properties and explicitly defined it as returning a void, but that hasn't helped.
When A calls operation b in B, the "return" arrow from B to A indicates the end of the operation b has finished its execution. This doesn´t mean that as part of the return message you have to return a value, it only means that the execution is done and you can continue with the next messages. Visually, most tools also use these return messages to manage the life bar of the object.
Related
I would like to modify an Xcos block from within a gateway function using the new (non-legacy) Scilab API, for example, replace the block's model property by a new model structure. In other words, do the same as the Scilab command(s):
m = scicos_model()
block.model = m
However, I did not manage to achieve this behavior with the functions from Scilab 6 API: a block created by standard_define() is correctly passed to my gateway function, where this argument is available as scilabVar of type 128. On the other hand, the Scilab help claims that a block is a "scilab tlist of type "Block" with fields : graphics, model, gui and doc".
Attempts
Assume scilabVar block taken from gateway function argument, string constants of type wchar_t[], scilabVar model holding the result of scicos_model():
Application of function scilab_setTListField (env, block, "model", model) returns error status (as its equivalents for MList and List do)
Knowing that property .model is at index 3, a setfield (3, model, block) called through scilab_call ("setfield", ...) also fails.
This is not surprising: when called directly from the Scilab command line, it ends up with
setfield: Wrong type for input argument #3: List expected. .
However, a getfield (3, block) works, so that at least read access to the block's data fields is possible.
An external helper function
function block = blockSetModel (block, model)
block.model = model
endfunction
also called through scilab_call("blockSetModel", ...) actually returns a block with changed model,
but the original block passed to this function remains unchanged.
Although ugly, this gives at least a way to construct an individual block structure
which needs to be returned as a copy.
Summary
So, is there simply a function missing in the API, which returns the TList (or whatever) behind a type 128 pointer variable?
Or is there any other approach to this problem I was unable to discover?
Background
The goal behind is to move the block definition task from the usual interfacing "gui" function (e.g. a Scilab script MyBlock.sci) into own C code. For this purpose, the interfacing function is reduced to a wrapper around a C gateway, which, for example, usesscilab_call ("standard_define",...) to create a new block when being called with parameter job=="define".
Modification of the contained model and graphics objects through the Scilab API works fine since these are standard list types. However, getting or setting these objects as attributes .model and .graphics of the
original block fails as described above.
Starting from Scilab/Xcos 6.0.0, the data-structure behind a block is no more an MList (or TList) so you cannot upgrade the model to your own MList. All the data behind are stored using a classical MVC within a C++ coded Block.hxx.
On each try you made, a serialization/deserialization happens to reconstruct the block model field as a Scilab value.
Could you describe what kind of field you want to append/edit regarding the block structure ? Some of the predefined fields might be enough to pass extra information.
Are idempotent and deterministic functions both just functions that return the same result given the same inputs?
Or is there a distinction that I'm missing?
(And if there is a distinction, could you please help me understand what it is)
In more simple terms:
Pure deterministic function: The output is based entirely, and only, on the input values and nothing else: there is no other (hidden) input or state that it relies on to generate its output. There are no side-effects or other output.
Impure deterministic function: As with a deterministic function that is a pure function: the output is based entirely, and only, on the input values and nothing else: there is no other (hidden) input or state that it relies on to generate its output - however there is other output (side-effects).
Idempotency: The practical definition is that you can safely call the same function multiple times without fear of negative side-effects. More formally: there are no changes of state between subsequent identical calls.
Idempotency does not imply determinacy (as a function can alter state on the first call while being idempotent on subsequent calls), but all pure deterministic functions are inherently idempotent (as there is no internal state to persist between calls). Impure deterministic functions are not necessarily idempotent.
Pure deterministic
Impure deterministic
Pure Nondeterministic
Impure Nondeterministic
Idempotent
Input
Only parameter arguments (incl. this)
Only parameter arguments (incl. this)
Parameter arguments and hidden state
Parameter arguments and hidden state
Any
Output
Only return value
Return value or side-effects
Only return value
Return value or side-effects
Any
Side-effects
None
Yes
None
Yes
After 1st call: Maybe.After 2nd call: None
SQL Example
UCASE
CREATE TABLE
GETDATE
DROP TABLE
C# Example
String.IndexOf
DateTime.Now
Directory.Create(String)Footnote1
Footnote1 - Directory.Create(String) is idempotent because if the directory already exists it doesn't raise an error, instead it returns a new DirectoryInfo instance pointing to the specified extant filesystem directory (instead of creating the filesystem directory first and then returning a new DirectoryInfo instance pointing to it) - this is just like how Win32's CreateFile can be used to open an existing file.
A temporary note on non-scalar parameters, this, and mutating input arguments:
(I'm currently unsure how instance methods in OOP languages (with their hidden this parameter) can be categorized as pure/impure or deterministic or not - especially when it comes to mutating the the target of this - so I've asked the experts in CS.SE to help me come to an answer - once I've got a satisfactory answer there I'll update this answer).
A note on Exceptions
Many (most?) programming languages today treat thrown exceptions as either a separate "kind" of return (i.e. "return to nearest catch") or as an explicit side-effect (often due to how that language's runtime works). However, as far as this answer is concerned, a given function's ability to throw an exception does not alter its pure/impure/deterministic/non-deterministic label - ditto idempotency (in fact: throwing is often how idempotency is implemented in the first place e.g. a function can avoid causing any side-effects simply by throwing right-before it makes those state changes - but alternatively it could simply return too.).
So, for our CS-theoretical purposes, if a given function can throw an exception then you can consider the exception as simply part of that function's output. What does matter is if the exception is thrown deterministically or not, and if (e.g. List<T>.get(int index) deterministically throws if index < 0).
Note that things are very different for functions that catch exceptions, however.
Determinacy of Pure Functions
For example, in SQL UCASE(val), or in C#/.NET String.IndexOf are both deterministic because the output depends only on the input. Note that in instance methods (such as IndexOf) the instance object (i.e. the hidden this parameter) counts as input, even though it's "hidden":
"foo".IndexOf("o") == 1 // first cal
"foo".IndexOf("o") == 1 // second call
// the third call will also be == 1
Whereas in SQL NOW() or in C#/.NET DateTime.UtcNow is not deterministic because the output changes even though the input remains the same (note that property getters in .NET are equivalent to a method that accepts no parameters besides the implicit this parameter):
DateTime.UtcNow == 2016-10-27 18:10:01 // first call
DateTime.UtcNow == 2016-10-27 18:10:02 // second call
Idempotency
A good example in .NET is the Dispose() method: See Should IDisposable.Dispose() implementations be idempotent?
a Dispose method should be callable multiple times without throwing an exception.
So if a parent component X makes an initial call to foo.Dispose() then it will invoke the disposal operation and X can now consider foo to be disposed. Execution/control then passes to another component Y which also then tries to dispose of foo, after Y calls foo.Dispose() it too can expect foo to be disposed (which it is), even though X already disposed it. This means Y does not need to check to see if foo is already disposed, saving the developer time - and also eliminating bugs where calling Dispose a second time might throw an exception, for example.
Another (general) example is in REST: the RFC for HTTP1.1 states that GET, HEAD, PUT, and DELETE are idempotent, but POST is not ( https://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec9.html )
Methods can also have the property of "idempotence" in that (aside from error or expiration issues) the side-effects of N > 0 identical requests is the same as for a single request. The methods GET, HEAD, PUT and DELETE share this property. Also, the methods OPTIONS and TRACE SHOULD NOT have side effects, and so are inherently idempotent.
So if you use DELETE then:
Client->Server: DELETE /foo/bar
// `foo/bar` is now deleted
Server->Client: 200 OK
Client->Server DELETE /foo/bar
// foo/bar` is already deleted, so there's nothing to do, but inform the client that foo/bar doesn't exist
Server->Client: 404 Not Found
// the client asks again:
Client->Server: DELETE /foo/bar
// foo/bar` is already deleted, so there's nothing to do, but inform the client that foo/bar doesn't exist
Server->Client: 404 Not Found
So you see in the above example that DELETE is idempotent in that the state of the server did not change between the last two DELETE requests, but it is not deterministic because the server returned 200 for the first request but 404 for the second request.
A deterministic function is just a function in the mathematical sense. Given the same input, you always get the same output. On the other hand, an idempotent function is a function which satisfies the identity
f(f(x)) = f(x)
As a simple example. If UCase() is a function that converts a string to an upper case string, then clearly UCase(Ucase(s)) = UCase(s).
Idempotent functions are a subset of all functions.
A deterministic function will return the same result for the same inputs, regardless of how many times you call it.
An idempotent function may NOT return the same result (it will return the result in the same form but the value could be different, see http example below). It only guarantees that it will have no side effects. In other words it will not change anything.
For example, the GET verb is meant to be idempotent in HTTP protocol. If you call "~/employees/1" it will return the info for employee with ID of 1 in a specific format. It should never change anything but simply return the employee information. If you call it 10, 100 or so times, the returned format will always be the same. However, by no means can it be deterministic. Maybe if you call it the second time, the employee info has changed or perhaps the employee no longer even exists. But never should it have side effects or return the result in a different format.
My Opinion
Idempotent is a weird word but knowing the origin can be very helpful, idem meaning same and potent meaning power. In other words it means having the same power which clearly doesn't mean no side effects so not sure where that comes from. A classic example of There are only two hard things in computer science, cache invalidation and naming things. Why couldn't they just use read-only? Oh wait, they wanted to sound extra smart, perhaps? Perhaps like cyclomatic complexity?
I have a small question in my mind. I researched it on the Internet but no-one is providing the exact answer. My question is:
In data flow coverage criteria, say there is a method which finally returns variable x. When drawing the graph for that method, is that return statement considered to be a use of x?
Yes, a return statement uses the value that it returns. I couldn't find an authoritative reference that says so in plain English either, but here are two arguments:
A return statement passes control from one part of a program to another, just like a method call does. The value being returned is analogous to a function parameter. return therefore is a use just like being a function parameter is a use.
The other kind of use in data flow analysis is when a value leaves the program and has some effect on the outside world, for example by being printed. If we're analyzing a method, rather than an entire program, return causes the value to leave the scope which we're analyzing. So it's a use for the same reason that printing is a use.
I've made a large program that opens and closes files and databases, perform writes and reads on them etc among other things. Since there no such thing as "exception handling in go", and since I didn't really know about "defer" statement and "recover()" function, I applied error checking after every file-open, read-write, database entry etc. E.g.
_,insert_err := stmt.Run(query)
if insert_err != nil{
mylogs.Error(insert_err.Error())
return db_updation_status
}
For this, I define db_updation_status at the beginning as "false" and do not make it "true" until everything in the program goes right.
I've done this in every function, after every operation which I believe could go wrong.
Do you think there's a better way to do this using defer-panic-recover? I read about these here http://golang.org/doc/articles/defer_panic_recover.html, but can't clearly get how to use them. Do these constructs offer something similar to exception-handling? Am I better off without these constructs?
I would really appreciate if someone could explain this to me in a simple language, and/or provide a use case for these constructs and compare them to the type of error handling I've used above.
It's more handy to return error values - they can carry more information (advantage to the client/user) than a two valued bool.
What concerns panic/recover: There are scenarios where their use is completely sane. For example, in a hand written recursive descent parser, it's quite a PITA to "bubble" up an error condition through all the invocation levels. In this example, it's a welcome simplification if there's a deferred recover at the top most (API) level and one can report any kind of error at any invocation level using, for example
panic(fmt.Errorf("Cannot %v in %v", foo, bar))
If an operation can fail and returns an error, than checking this error immediately and handling it properly is idiomatic in go, simple and nice to check if anything gets handled properly.
Don't use defer/recover for such things: Needed cleanup actions are hard to code, especially if stuff gets nested.
The usual way to report an error to a caller is to return an error as an extra return value. The canonical Read method is a well-known instance; it returns a byte count and an error.
But what if the error is unrecoverable? Sometimes the program simply cannot continue.
For this purpose, there is a built-in function panic that in effect creates a run-time error that will stop the program (but see the next section). The function takes a single argument of arbitrary type—often a string—to be printed as the program dies. It's also a way to indicate that something impossible has happened, such as exiting an infinite loop.
http://golang.org/doc/effective_go.html#errors
How do I call the SAP report (for example RSPARAM) with help JCo?
What RFC may be used to remotely call SA38 transaction with RSPARAM (e.t.c.) as parameter and then return results for later work ?
RFC is for calling function modules, not programs. It's possible to use some generic function module to start a report, but since you'll usually want to process the results of the program and the program does not know that it was meant to deliver its results in a machine-readable way, you probably won't get too far this was. What exactly are you trying to do?
With the nearly infinite possible results of calling a transaction, i don't think there is a RFC to execute such an operation and return a result. What would be the result in case of an ALV display, or if the program then wait for some interactions ?
You can display a transaction in SAP portal using transactions Iviews. You're then using the portal page as a HTMLGui for your transaction.
also, some FM can sometime be used to perform operations instead of a full program (ie HR_INFOTYPE_OPERATION instead of pa30).
regards
Guillaume
Edition : since you want the result of RRSPARAM, you could encapsulate the "important" part (form SHOW_ACTUAL_PAR_VALUES_ALV) in a module function accessible by RFC, and returning a table of CST_RSPFPAR_ALV (ie the same structure that is displayed in the report)
regards
If You don't find a function to call, just create one by yourself. Tag it as callable from outside via RFC and in the coding, perform such things as "submit report xyz with param1 = value1 ... and return ... exporting list to memory". Then you can even return list output from this. Define the interface of the freshly created function module as you need (that means, report name as input, list output as a table of strings, e.g.). Attention, there is of course a big security risk, having an remote function accepting variable reportnames. But I am sure You know :-)