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OSID Specifications
cataloging package
Version 3.0.0
Release Candidate Preview
Interfaceosid.cataloging.CatalogHierarchySession
Implementsosid.OsidSession
Description

This session defines methods for traversing a hierarchy of Catalog objects. Each node in the hierarchy is a unique Catalog. The hierarchy may be traversed recursively to establish the tree structure through getParentCatalogs() and getChildCatalogs(). To relate these Ids to another OSID, getCatalogNodes() can be used for retrievals that can be used for bulk lookups in other OSIDs. Any Catalog available in the Catalog 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 getParentCatalogs() or getChildCatalogs() 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: catalog elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered
  • plenary view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
MethodgetCatalogHierarchyId
Description

Gets the hierarchy Id associated with this session.

Returnosid.id.Idthe hierarchy Id associated with this session
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetCatalogHierarchy
Description

Gets the hierarchy associated with this session.

Returnosid.hierarchy.Hierarchythe hierarchy associated with this session
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcanAccessCatalogHierarchy
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.

Returnboolean false if hierarchy traversal methods are not authorized, true otherwise
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethoduseComparativeCatalogView
Description

The returns from the catalog 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.

CompliancemandatoryThis method is must be implemented.
MethodusePlenaryCatalogView
Description

A complete view of the Catalog 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.

CompliancemandatoryThis method is must be implemented.
MethodgetRootCatalogIds
Description

Gets the root catalog Ids in this hierarchy.

Returnosid.id.IdListthe root catalog Ids
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure occurred
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetRootCatalogs
Description

Gets the root catalogs in the catalog hierarchy. A node with no parents is an orphan. While all catalog Ids are known to the hierarchy, an orphan does not appear in the hierarchy unless explicitly added as a root node or child of another node.

Returnosid.cataloging.CatalogListthe root catalogs
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method is must be implemented.
MethodhasParentCatalogs
Description

Tests if the Catalog has any parents.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIda catalog Id
Returnboolean true if the catalog has parents, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure occurred
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisParentOfCatalog
Description

Tests if an Id is a direct parent of a catalog.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id of a catalog
Returnboolean true if this id is a parent of catalogId, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT id or catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure occurred
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id not found return false.

MethodgetParentCatalogIds
Description

Gets the parent Ids of the given catalog.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIda catalog Id
Returnosid.id.IdListthe parent Ids of the catalog
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure occurred
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetParentCatalogs
Description

Gets the parent catalogs of the given id.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id of the Catalog to query
Returnosid.cataloging.CatalogListthe parent catalogs of the id
ErrorsNOT_FOUNDa Catalog identified by Id is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisAncestorOfCatalog
Description

Tests if an Id is an ancestor of a catalog.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id of a catalog
Returnboolean true if this id is an ancestor of catalogId. false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId or id is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure occurred
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id not found return false.

MethodhasChildCatalogs
Description

Tests if a catalog has any children.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIda catalogId
Returnboolean true if the catalogId has children, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisChildOfCatalog
Description

Tests if a catalog is a direct child of another.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id of a catalog
Returnboolean true if the id is a child of catalogId, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId or id is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id not found return false.

MethodgetChildCatalogIds
Description

Gets the child Ids of the given catalog.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id to query
Returnosid.id.IdListthe children of the catalog
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetChildCatalogs
Description

Gets the child catalogs of the given id.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id of the Catalog to query
Returnosid.cataloging.CatalogListthe child catalogs of the id
ErrorsNOT_FOUNDa Catalog identified by Id is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisDescendantOfCatalog
Description

Tests if an Id is a descendant of a catalog.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id of a catalog
Returnboolean true if the id is a descendant of the catalogId, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND catalogId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId or id is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id is not found return false.

MethodgetCatalogNodeIds
Description

Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given catalog.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id to query
cardinalancestorLevelsthe maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the node.
cardinaldescendantLevelsthe maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the node.
booleanincludeSiblings true to include the siblings of the given node, false to omit the siblings
Returnosid.hierarchy.Nodea catalog node
ErrorsNOT_FOUNDa Catalog identified by Id is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetCatalogNodes
Description

Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given catalog.

Parametersosid.id.IdcatalogIdthe Id to query
cardinalancestorLevelsthe maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the node.
cardinaldescendantLevelsthe maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the node.
booleanincludeSiblings true to include the siblings of the given node, false to omit the siblings
Returnosid.cataloging.CatalogNodea catalog node
ErrorsNOT_FOUNDa Catalog identified by Id is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT catalogId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.