QStateMachine not executing correctly when using QCoreApplication - c++

Question

I am trying to implement a simple state machine within a console application. The signals that are supposed to trigger the state transitions are being emitted, however, the state machine is not reacting to those signals.
This state machine works perfectly when running within a QApplication (i.e. a GUI application), however I am wanting to develop a console application. I suspect there is an issue in the way I have implemented the event loop, as the QStateMachine is not emitting the started() signal.
What is the correct way to execute the application in order for the state machine to function correctly?
main.cpp:
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include "test.h"
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
Test test;
QMetaObject::invokeMethod( &test, "Run", Qt::QueuedConnection );
return a.exec();
}
test.h:
#ifndef TEST_H
#define TEST_H
#include <QObject>
#include <QStateMachine>
class Test : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit Test(QObject *parent = 0) : QObject(parent) {}
public slots:
void Run();
signals:
void stateChanged();
void debugSignal();
private:
void buildStateMachine();
QStateMachine machine;
private slots:
void runS1();
void runS2();
void runS3();
void debugSlot();
};
#endif // TEST_H
test.cpp:
#include "test.h"
#include <QDebug>
void Test::Run()
{
buildStateMachine();
QTextStream qin(stdin);
while (true)
{
QString line = qin.readLine();
qDebug() << "line: " << line;
if (line == "A")
{
qDebug() << "emit stateChanged signal";
emit stateChanged();
}
else if (line == "B")
{
qDebug() << "emit debugSignal";
emit debugSignal();
}
}
}
void Test::buildStateMachine()
{
connect(&machine, SIGNAL(started()), this, SLOT(debugSlot())); // doesn't seem to get triggered... (why is machine not starting?)
connect(this, SIGNAL(debugSignal()), this, SLOT(debugSlot())); // works as expected
QState *s1 = new QState(&machine);
QState *s2 = new QState(&machine);
QState *s3 = new QState(&machine);
s1->addTransition(this, SIGNAL(stateChanged()), s2);
s2->addTransition(this, SIGNAL(stateChanged()), s3);
s3->addTransition(this, SIGNAL(stateChanged()), s1);
connect(s1, SIGNAL(entered()), this, SLOT(runS1())); // these are never triggered
connect(s2, SIGNAL(entered()), this, SLOT(runS2()));
connect(s3, SIGNAL(entered()), this, SLOT(runS3()));
s1->assignProperty(&machine, "state", 1);
s2->assignProperty(&machine, "state", 2);
s3->assignProperty(&machine, "state", 3);
machine.setInitialState(s1);
machine.start();
}
void Test::runS1()
{
qDebug() << "entered state S1";
}
void Test::runS2()
{
qDebug() << "entered state S2";
}
void Test::runS3()
{
qDebug() << "entered state S3";
}
void Test::debugSlot()
{
qDebug() << "slot was triggered!";
}

Answer 1

Solved my problem. The issue was caused by the infinite while loop. The slot can only be called once the Run function ends, which obviously never occurs.
Here is a working solution. The change to the Qt 5 style signals and slots syntax is optional. If main.cpp is kept as-is from the version shown in the question above, the application will not quit correctly.
main.cpp:
#include <QCoreApplication>
#include <QTimer>
#include "test.h"
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
Test test;
QObject::connect(&test, &Test::finished, &a, &QCoreApplication::quit, Qt::QueuedConnection);
QTimer::singleShot(0, &test, &Test::Run);
return a.exec();
}
test.h:
#ifndef TEST_H
#define TEST_H
#include <QObject>
#include <QStateMachine>
class Test : public QObject
{
Q_OBJECT
public:
explicit Test(QObject *parent = 0);
signals:
void next_state();
void finished();
private:
void buildStateMachine();
QStateMachine machine;
public slots:
void Run();
void runS1();
void runS2();
void runS3();
void debugSlot();
};
#endif // TEST_H
test.cpp:
#include "test.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <QTextStream>
Test::Test(QObject * parent) : QObject(parent)
{
buildStateMachine();
}
void Test::Run()
{
QTextStream qin(stdin);
std::cout << "line: ";
QString line = qin.readLine();
if (line == "A")
{
std::cout << "emit stateChanged signal" << std::endl;
emit next_state();
}
else if (line == "q")
{
emit finished();
}
else
{
Run();
}
}
void Test::buildStateMachine()
{
QState *s1 = new QState(&machine);
QState *s2 = new QState(&machine);
QState *s3 = new QState(&machine);
s1->addTransition(this, SIGNAL(next_state()), s2);
s2->addTransition(this, SIGNAL(next_state()), s3);
s3->addTransition(this, SIGNAL(next_state()), s1);
connect(s1, &QState::entered, this, &Test::runS1);
connect(s2, &QState::entered, this, &Test::runS2);
connect(s3, &QState::entered, this, &Test::runS3);
machine.setInitialState(s1);
machine.start();
}
void Test::runS1()
{
std::cout << "entered state S1" << std::endl;
Run();
}
void Test::runS2()
{
std::cout << "entered state S2" << std::endl;
Run();
}
void Test::runS3()
{
std::cout << "entered state S3" << std::endl;
Run();
}
void Test::debugSlot()
{
std::cout << "debug slot was triggered!" << std::endl;
Run();
}