assignment. To replace the previous value of a variable with a new one. Also called
update. Assigning a state variable causes a transition.
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assurance method. A technique for exposing defects in software or gathering
other information about software for the purpose of improving its quality. Testing,
inspections, and static analysis are assurance methods.
asynchronous stepper. A stepper for testing a reactive system. An asynchronous
stepper maintains an observation queue.
atomic. An activity that runs to completion, without being interrupted or pre-empted
by other activities. An action must be atomic.
atomic action. A single action associated with both the call and return of an action
method that has no return value, or out or byref parameters. Contrast to split action.
attribute. In C#, a label applied to a declaration, which is stored in the assembly
and can be accessed when the program is run. The NModel library defines attributes
for labeling actions and other parts of a model program.
bag. An unordered collection of possibly repeating elements. Also called a multiset.
In the NModel library, bag is a compound value.
behavior. The complete collection of all runs that a program or system can execute.
behavioral abstraction. Abstraction applied to statements and methods. A higher
level of behavioral abstraction uses fewer statements or methods, where each statement
or method in the model program represents more behavior in the implementation.
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