OSID - osid.forum.ForumHierarchySession Service Interface Definition

Interface	osid.forum.ForumHierarchySession
Implements	`osid.OsidSession`
Description	This session defines methods for traversing a hierarchy of `Forum` objects. Each node in the hierarchy is a unique `Forum.` The hierarchy may be traversed recursively to establish the tree structure through `getParentForums()` and `getChildForums().` To relate these `Ids` to another OSID, `getForumNodes()` can be used for retrievals that can be used for bulk lookups in other OSIDs. Any `Forum` available in the Reply 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 `getParentForums()` or `getChildForums()` 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: forum elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered plenary view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
Method	getForumHierarchyId
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	getForumHierarchy
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	canAccessForumHierarchy
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	useComparativeForumView
Description	The returns from the forum 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	usePlenaryForumView
Description	A complete view of the `Forum` 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	getRootForumIds
Description	Gets the root forum `Ids` in this hierarchy.
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the root forum `Ids`
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getRootForums
Description	Gets the root forums in the forum hierarchy. A node with no parents is an orphan. While all forum `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.
Return	`osid.forum.ForumList`		the root forums
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method is must be implemented.
Method	hasParentForums
Description	Tests if the `Forum` has any parents.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	a forum `Id`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the forum has parents, f `alse` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isParentOfForum
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a direct parent of forum.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	the `Id` of a forum
Return	`boolean`		`true` if this `id` is a parent of `forumId,` f `alse` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `forumId` 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	getParentForumIds
Description	Gets the parent `Ids` of the given forum.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	a forum `Id`
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the parent `Ids` of the forum
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getParentForums
Description	Gets the parent forums of the given `id.`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	the `Id` of the `Forum` to query
Return	`osid.forum.ForumList`		the parent forums of the `id`
Errors	NOT_FOUND		a `Forum` identified by `Id is` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isAncestorOfForum
Description	Tests if an `Id` is an ancestor of a forum.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	the `Id` of a forum
Return	`boolean`		`tru` e if this `id` is an ancestor of `forumId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `forumId` 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	hasChildForums
Description	Tests if a forum has any children.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	a forum `Id`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `forumId` has children, `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isChildOfForum
Description	Tests if a forum is a direct child of another.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	the `Id` of a forum
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a child of `forumId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `forumId` 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	getChildForumIds
Description	Gets the child `Ids` of the given forum.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the children of the forum
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getChildForums
Description	Gets the child forums of the given `id.`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	the `Id` of the `Forum` to query
Return	`osid.forum.ForumList`		the child forums of the `id`
Errors	NOT_FOUND		a `Forum` identified by `Id is` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isDescendantOfForum
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a descendant of a forum.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	the `Id` of a forum
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a descendant of the `forumId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `forumId` 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	getForumNodeIds
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given forum.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	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`		a forum node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getForumNodes
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given forum.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`forumId`	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.forum.ForumNode`		a forum node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`forumId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`forumId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.