OSID - osid.ontology.OntologyHierarchySession Service Interface Definition

Interface	osid.ontology.OntologyHierarchySession
Implements	`osid.OsidSession`
Description	This session defines methods for traversing a hierarchy of `Ontology` objects. Each node in the hierarchy is a unique `Ontology.` The hierarchy may be traversed recursively to establish the tree structure through `getParentOntologies()` and `getChildOntologies().` To relate these `Ids` to another OSID, `getOntologyNodes()` can be used for retrievals that can be used for bulk lookups in other OSIDs. Any `Ontology` available in the Ontology 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 `getParentOntologies()` or `getChildOntologies()` 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: ontology elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered plenary view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
Method	getOntologyHierarchyId
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	getOntologyHierarchy
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	canAccessOntologyHierarchy
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 an application that may wish not to offer traversal operations to unauthorized users.
Return	`boolean`		`false` if hierarchy traversal methods are not authorized, `true` otherwise
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	useComparativeOntologyView
Description	The returns from the ontology 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	usePlenaryOntologyView
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	getRootOntologyIds
Description	Gets the root ontology `Ids` in this hierarchy.
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the root ontology `Ids`
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getRootOntologies
Description	Gets the root ontologies in this ontology hierarchy.
Return	`osid.ontology.OntologyList`		the root ontologies
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method is must be implemented.
Method	hasParentOntologies
Description	Tests if the `Ontology` has any parents.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the ontology has parents, `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isParentOfOntology
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a direct parent of an ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`boolean`		`true` if this `id` is a parent of `ontologyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `ontologyId` 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	getParentOntologyIds
Description	Gets the parent `Ids` of the given ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the parent `Ids` of the ontology
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getParentOntologies
Description	Gets the parents of the given ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`osid.ontology.OntologyList`		the parents of the ontology
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isAncestorOfOntology
Description	Tests if an `Id` is an ancestor of an ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`boolean`		`true` if this `id` is an ancestor of `ontologyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `ontologyId` 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	hasChildOntologies
Description	Tests if an ontology has any children.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `ontologyId` has children, `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isChildOfOntology
Description	Tests if an ontology is a direct child of another.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a child of `ontologyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `ontologyId` 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	getChildOntologyIds
Description	Gets the child `Ids` of the given ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the children of the ontology
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getChildOntologies
Description	Gets the children of the given ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.ontology.OntologyList`		the children of the ontology
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isDescendantOfOntology
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a descendant of an ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	the `Id` of an ontology
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a descendant of the `ontologyId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `ontologyId` 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	getOntologyNodeIds
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	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 ontology node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getOntologyNodes
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given ontology.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`ontologyId`	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.ontology.OntologyNode`		an ontology node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`ontologyId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`ontologyId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.