Input data port: shorthand access to scoped variables

[franzlst]

This is a feature request, @doem-an suggested, which I think could be helpful.

We already have a shorthand access to global variables for input data ports. When specifying $name as value for a input data port, the global variable name is read out and used as value.

The same principle could be applied to scoped variables, as one often finds oneself in the situation, where a scoped variable is connected to many child states.

One could think of a new leading character (e.g. ?name) or also use $name and first check for name in the list of scoped variables and then in the list of global variables.

Originally created by @franzlst ([email protected]) at 2019-01-16 14:20:20+00:00 (moved from RMC internal repository)

[franzlst]

Yes this sounds like a very useful issue! 👍

Originally created by @sebastian-brunner ([email protected]) at 2019-01-16 16:10:44+00:00 (moved from RMC internal repository)

[franzlst]

Is there currently any documentation or test of the $ operator? I think we have neither of those.

I have tested it and it works but I know it was also sometimes not working or created invalid state machines. So this is only interesting if we wanna save this functionality for the future.

Originally created by @Rbelder at 2019-01-16 17:27:48+00:00 (moved from RMC internal repository)

[franzlst]

It is indeed documented (concepts.rst, line 210--214). Yet, there exists no test.

I had another idea to extend this feature even further. What about the shorthand $$ (as full value), acting like $key with key being the name of the input data port.

Originally created by @franzlst ([email protected]) at 2019-01-17 10:55:38+00:00 (moved from RMC internal repository)