OSID - osid.authentication.AgencyHierarchySession Service Interface Definition

Interface	osid.authentication.AgencyHierarchySession
Implements	`osid.OsidSession`
Description	This session defines methods for traversing a hierarchy of `Agency` objects. Each node in the hierarchy is a unique `Agency.` The hierarchy may be traversed recursively to establish the tree structure through `getParentAgencies()` and `getChildAgencies().` To relate these `Ids` to another OSID, `getAgencyNodes()` can be used for retrievals that can be used for bulk lookups in other OSIDs. Any `Agency` available in the Authentication OSID is known to this hierarchy but does not appear in the hierarchy traversal until added as a root node or a child of another node. A user may not be authorized to traverse the entire hierarchy. Parts of the hierarchy may be made invisible through omission from the returns of `getParentAgencies()` or `getChildAgencies()` in lieu of a `PERMISSION_DENIED` error that may disrupt the traversal through authorized pathways. This session defines views that offer differing behaviors when retrieving multiple objects. comparative view: agency elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered plenary view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
Method	getAgencyHierarchyId
Description	Gets the hierarchy `Id` associated with this session.
Return	`osid.id.Id`		the hierarchy `Id` associated with this session
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getAgencyHierarchy
Description	Gets the hierarchy associated with this session.
Return	`osid.hierarchy.Hierarchy`		the hierarchy associated with this session
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	canAccessAgencyHierarchy
Description	Tests if this user can perform hierarchy queries. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known all methods in this session will result in a `PERMISSION_DENIED.` This is intended as a hint to an application that may opt not to offer lookup operations.
Return	`boolean`		`false` if hierarchy traversal methods are not authorized, `true` otherwise
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	useComparativeAgencyView
Description	The returns from the agency methods may omit or translate elements based on this session, such as authorization, and not result in an error. This view is used when greater interoperability is desired at the expense of precision.
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method is must be implemented.
Method	usePlenaryAgencyView
Description	A complete view of the hierarchy returns is desired. Methods will return what is requested or result in an error. This view is used when greater precision is desired at the expense of interoperability.
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method is must be implemented.
Method	getRootAgencyIds
Description	Gets the root agency `Ids` in this hierarchy.
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the root agency `Ids`
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getRootAgencies
Description	Gets the root agencies in this agency hierarchy.
Return	`osid.authentication.AgencyList`		the root agencies
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method is must be implemented.
Method	hasParentAgencies
Description	Tests if the `Agency` has any parents.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	an agency `Id`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the agency has parents, `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isParentOfAgency
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a direct parent of an agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` of an agency
Return	`boolean`		`true` if this `id` is a parent of `agencyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Provider Notes	If `id` not found return `false.`
Method	getParentAgencyIds
Description	Gets the parent `Ids` of the given agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	an agency `Id`
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the parent `Ids` of the agency
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getParentAgencies
Description	Gets the parents of the given agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	an agency `Id`
Return	`osid.authentication.AgencyList`		the parents of the agency
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isAncestorOfAgency
Description	Tests if an `Id` is an ancestor of an agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` of an agency
Return	`boolean`		`true` if this `id` is an ancestor of `agencyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` or `id` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Provider Notes	If `id` not found return `false.`
Method	hasChildAgencies
Description	Tests if an agency has any children.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	an `agencyId`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `agencyId` has children, `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isChildOfAgency
Description	Tests if a node is a direct child of another.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` of an agency
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a child of `agencyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` or `id` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Provider Notes	If `id` not found return `false.`
Method	getChildAgencyIds
Description	Gets the child `Ids` of the given agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the children of the agency
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getChildAgencies
Description	Gets the children of the given agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.authentication.AgencyList`		the children of the agency
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isDescendantOfAgency
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a descendant of an agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` of an agency
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a descendant of the `agencyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` or `id` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Provider Notes	If `id` is not found return `false.`
Method	getAgencyNodeIds
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` to query
	`cardinal`	`ancestorLevels`	the maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the node.
	`cardinal`	`descendantLevels`	the maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the node.
	`boolean`	`includeSiblings`	`true` to include the siblings of the given node, `false` to omit the siblings
Return	`osid.hierarchy.Node`		an agency node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getAgencyNodes
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given agency.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`agencyId`	the `Id` to query
	`cardinal`	`ancestorLevels`	the maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the node.
	`cardinal`	`descendantLevels`	the maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the node.
	`boolean`	`includeSiblings`	`true` to include the siblings of the given node, `false` to omit the siblings
Return	`osid.authentication.AgencyNode`		an agency node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`agencyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`agencyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.