Alf Plugin
Released on: November 21, 2019
The Alf Plugin version 19.0 SP3 provides better syntax-error highlighting in the Alf Editor, a new Create button in the Alf Editor window, the ability to access context features without using this and improved performance of the on-open check. It also provides bug fixes.
What you get:
Highlighting Syntax Errors in the Alf Editor
Previously, when Alf code in the Alf Editor had syntax errors, only the first error was identified and highlighted. Now, multiple syntax errors can be highlighted.
Alf code with multiple syntax errors highlighted
New Create Button in the Alf Editor Window
A Create button has been added to the Alf Editor window. This button provides a convenient means to create a behavior associated with a selected element, to you can then add Alf code.
The Create button is inactive when editing
Pressing Create pops up a menu when there are multiple options
You can be use it to create:
- The method Behavior of an Operation. Learn more >>
- The entry, do-activity or exit Behavior of a State. Learn more >>
- The effect Behavior of a Transition. Learn more >>
- The guard Expression of a Transition. Learn more >>
- The guard Expression on an Activity Edge Learn more >>
Accessing Context Features Without Using this
Like Java and JavaScript, Alf uses the keyword this to denote the current instance of the context Class in which the this expression occurs. Unlike Java and JavaScript, however, the Alf specification requires that this be used explicitly in order to access features (Properties, Operations and Receptions) of the context Class. The Alf Plugin now implements an extension to the Alf language that allows context features to be accessed by name without explicitly using a this prefix. This is similar to what is allowed in Java and JavaScript.
Accessing context features without using this
Improved Performance of On-Open Check
When an Alf project is opened, the Alf Plugin searches the project for Alf code and parses any code it finds, in order to find any errors and establish dependencies of the code on other model elements. The Alf Plugin now performs the initial search phase of this check much faster and allows it to be cancelled by the user.
Bug Fixes
The following bugs have been fixed in the Alf Plugin 19.0 SP3:
- Edits lost when element is clicked outside the Alf editor.
- Exception when a certain Fork Node is deleted from an Activity created by an Alf compilation.
- Exception when mapping equality expression.
- Exception due to ill-formed reception without a signal reference.
You can check the list of publicly available issues or your own reported issues fixed in Alf Plugin 19.0 SP3.
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Alf Plugin documentation
Other resources