The easiest way to specify a timer is by adding a timer element to the node.

<state name='catch crooks'>
  <timer name='reminder' 
         duedate='3 business hours' 
         repeat='10 business minutes'
         transition='time-out-transition' >
    <action class='the-remainder-action-class-name' />
  </timer>
  <transition name='time-out-transition' to='...' />
</state>

A timer that is specified on a node, is not executed after the node is left. Both the transition and the action are optional. When a timer is executed, the following events occur in sequence :

Every timer must have a unique name. If no name is specified in the timer element, the name of the node is taken as the name of the timer.

The timer action can be any supported action element like e.g. action or script.

Timers are created and cancelled by actions. The 2 action-elements are create-timer and cancel-timer. Actually, the timer element shown above is just a short notation for a create-timer action on node-enter and a cancel-timer action on node-leave.