Is an application for state machine?

I’ve to make an application to monitor the installation and
replacement of all the PCs in my company.
The PCs to be replaced are a few hundred.
In practice, the work should take place as follows:
a number of officers receiving some cards.
Following interviews with users of PCs, the cards are compiled, eg by
including a list of software that the user needs and that must be
allocated in the new pc replacing the old, or by entering the name of
the machine must be configured in the new, the date and time the user
says to be eligible for when you must replace the PC, etc… etc…
Once you fill out these cards are viewed by a person and delivered to
the company responsible for the replacement and installation of new
pcs.
During this work, replacement of new PCs can arise wrong, for example,
the user will not be found, or some problem occurs during installation
and other
contingencies of any kind.
If the work is done, the company regularly inform the responsible the
ok, otherwise the work is suspended or canceled or postponed
at another time.
Do you think that one type of application of this kind is suitable for
the use of a finite state machine?

Msan M. wrote in post #949644:

I’ve to make an application to monitor the installation and
replacement of all the PCs in my company.
[…]
Do you think that one type of application of this kind is suitable for
the use of a finite state machine?

Quite likely, but why do you even care at this stage? Determine how the
application should behave for its users before you worry about
implementation.

Best,

Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
[email protected]

On 13 October 2010 04:11, Marnen Laibow-Koser [email protected]
wrote:

Msan M. wrote in post #949644:

I’ve to make an application to monitor the installation and
replacement of all the PCs in my company.
[…]
Do you think that one type of application of this kind is suitable for
the use of a finite state machine?

Quite likely, but why do you even care at this stage? Determine how the
application should behave for its users before you worry about
implementation.

Sorry but my english understanding is very bad.
Can you explain better?

On 13 October 2010 14:51, Marnen Laibow-Koser [email protected]
wrote:

Quite likely, but why do you even care at this stage? Determine how the
What part didn’t you understand?

What I was trying to say was this: you’re apparently in the early stages
of designing your application. Therefore, you need to think about user
interface now – how the application should behave from the user’s point
of view. You do not yet need to think about how the application works
internally.

I have just clear what the user interface must be and what users must
do when they log in.

Msan M. wrote in post #949798:

On 13 October 2010 04:11, Marnen Laibow-Koser [email protected]
wrote:

Msan M. wrote in post #949644:

I’ve to make an application to monitor the installation and
replacement of all the PCs in my company.
[…]
Do you think that one type of application of this kind is suitable for
the use of a finite state machine?

Quite likely, but why do you even care at this stage? Determine how the
application should behave for its users before you worry about
implementation.

Sorry but my english understanding is very bad.

Then please improve your English, and/or find a Rails forum in a
language you understand better (several non-Engljsh Rails forums exist).

Can you explain better?

What part didn’t you understand?

What I was trying to say was this: you’re apparently in the early stages
of designing your application. Therefore, you need to think about user
interface now – how the application should behave from the user’s point
of view. You do not yet need to think about how the application works
internally.

Is that clearer?

Best,

Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
[email protected]

Sorry but my english understanding is very bad.

Your English is fine for me, at least the written one.

I’ve to make an application to monitor the installation and
replacement of all the PCs in my company.
[…]
Do you think that one type of application of this kind is suitable for
the use of a finite state machine?

IMHO I think you know enough about your problem to start thinking
about the implementation. I think a state machine would probably work
for you based on what you have described. You can find a few options
at http://ruby-toolbox.com. If none of them help you I would consider
then implementing it yourself, which should not be hard. If you decide
going that route I’ll be happy to share with you how I implemented
something similar to a state machine for a similar problem not long
ago using modules.

Msan M. wrote in post #949863:

On 13 October 2010 14:51, Marnen Laibow-Koser [email protected]
wrote:

Quite likely, but why do you even care at this stage? Determine how the
What part didn’t you understand?

What I was trying to say was this: you’re apparently in the early stages
of designing your application. Therefore, you need to think about user
interface now – how the application should behave from the user’s point
of view. You do not yet need to think about how the application works
internally.

I have just clear what the user interface must be and what users must
do when they log in.

OK, then you’re probably ready to write some Cucumber scenarios and try
to implement them.

State machines are great for anything where a procedure with certain
steps and defined transitions between those steps is followed. Common
examples (with transitions in parentheses):

User: registered (send authorization code) waiting for auth (receive
authorization code) authorized

Issue: reported (assign) assigned (complete work) work done; waiting for
review (review passed) closed
…or (review failed) assigned for more work…continue cycle

Depending on your workflows, you may find this very useful for the app
you describe. You might not, depending on the details of the case, but
it’s worth a try when the time comes.

Best,

Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
[email protected]