modelflow v0.0.1

ModelFlow->

ModelFlow is a JavaScript evented state machine written to run both in node.js and the browser.

##Design Goals

• Easily create state machine on top of a existing data model(s).
• Define states based on the data models attribute values.
• Ability to listen for state changes and run callbacks.
• Provide a mechanism to optionally enforce linear paths from state to state. This may be used an alternative to flow control libraries.

Installation / Basic Usage

ModelFlow depends on Underscore and is built as a complement to Backbone.

On the Server

Install the library using npm or add it to your package.json file as a dependancy. Instances of ModelFlow are technically Backbone Models, however the module can be used completely standalone.

  $npm install modelflow

Define a StateModel class, create an instance of it.

var ModelFlow = require('modelflow');
var CustomFlow = ModelFlow.StateModel.extend({
    states : {
        state1 : { foo : 1 },
        staet2 : { foo : 2 }
    }
});

var flow = new CustomFlow();

On the Client

Just like server, however ModelFlow will be pushed on the window as a global.

<script type="text/javascript" src="underscore.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="backbone.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="ModelFlow.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">
	var CustomFlow = ModelFlow.StateModel.extend({
	    states : {
	        state1 : { foo : 1 },
	        staet2 : { foo : 2 }
	    }
	});

	var flow = new CustomFlow();
</script>

Moar Usage

###Bind callbacks on state changes

	var CustomFlow = ModelFlow.StateModel.extend({
	    states : {
	        init : { foo : 1 }
	    }
	});

	var flow = new CustomFlow();
	flow.bind('state:->init', function() {
		console.log('inited');
	});

	flow.set({ foo : 0 });  //this does nothing
	flow.set({ foo : 1 });  //'inited' is logged to console