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OSID Specifications
ontology package
Version 3.0.0
Release Candidate Preview
Interfaceosid.ontology.SubjectLookupSession
Implementsosid.OsidSession
Description

This session provides methods for retrieving Subject s.

This session defines views that offer differing behaviors when retrieving multiple objects.

  • comparative view: elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered
  • plenary view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
  • isolated ontology view: All subject methods in this session operate, retrieve and pertain to subjects defined explicitly in the current ontology. Using an isolated view is useful for managing subjects with the SubjectAdminSession.
  • federated ontology view: All subject methods in this session operate, retrieve and pertain to all subjects defined in this ontology and any other ontologies implicitly available in this ontology through ontology inheritence.

Subjects may have an additional records indicated by their respective record types. The record may not be accessed through a cast of the Subject.

MethodgetOntologyId
Description

Gets the Ontology Id associated with this session.

Returnosid.id.Idthe Ontology Id associated with this session
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetOntology
Description

Gets the Ontology associated with this session.

Returnosid.ontology.Ontologythe Ontology associated with this session
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcanLookupSubjects
Description

Tests if this user can perform Subject lookups. 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 to unauthorized users.

Returnboolean false if lookup methods are not authorized, true otherwise
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethoduseComparativeSubjectView
Description

The returns from the lookup 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.
MethodusePlenarySubjectView
Description

A complete view of the Subject 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.
MethoduseFederatedOntologyView
Description

Federates the view for methods in this session. A federated view will include subjects in ontologies which are children of this ontology in the ontology hierarchy.

CompliancemandatoryThis method is must be implemented.
MethoduseIsolatedOntologyView
Description

Isolates the view for methods in this session. An isolated view restricts lookups to this ontology only.

CompliancemandatoryThis method is must be implemented.
MethodgetSubject
Description

Gets the Subject specified by its Id. In plenary mode, the exact Id is found or a NOT_FOUND results. Otherwise, the returned Subject may have a different Id than requested, such as the case where a duplicate Id was assigned to a Subject and retained for compatibility.

Parametersosid.id.IdsubjectId Id of the Subject
Returnosid.ontology.Subjectthe subject
ErrorsNOT_FOUND subjectId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT subjectId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method is must be implemented.
MethodgetSubjectsByIds
Description

Gets a SubjectList corresponding to the given IdList. In plenary mode, the returned list contains all of the subjects specified in the Id list, in the order of the list, including duplicates, or an error results if an Id in the supplied list is not found or inaccessible. Otherwise, inaccessible Subjects may be omitted from the list and may present the elements in any order including returning a unique set.

Parametersosid.id.IdListsubjectIdsthe list of Ids to retrieve
Returnosid.ontology.SubjectListthe returned Subject list
ErrorsNOT_FOUNDan Id was not found
NULL_ARGUMENT subjectIds is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetSubjectsByGenusType
Description

Gets a SubjectList corresponding to the given subject genus Type which does not include subjects of genus types derived from the specified Type. In plenary mode, the returned list contains all known subjects or an error results. Otherwise, the returned list may contain only those subjects that are accessible through this session.

Parametersosid.type.TypesubjectGenusTypea subject genus type
Returnosid.ontology.SubjectListthe returned Subject list
ErrorsNULL_ARGUMENT subjectGenusType is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetSubjectsByParentGenusType
Description

Gets a SubjectList corresponding to the given subject genus Type and include any additional subject with genus types derived from the specified Type. In plenary mode, the returned list contains all known terms or an error results. Otherwise, the returned list may contain only those subjects that are accessible through this session.

Parametersosid.type.TypesubjectGenusTypea subject genus type
Returnosid.ontology.SubjectListthe returned Subject list
ErrorsNULL_ARGUMENT subjectGenusType is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetSubjectsByRecordType
Description

Gets a SubjectList containing the given term record Type. In plenary mode, the returned list contains all known subjects or an error results. Otherwise, the returned list may contain only those subjects that are accessible through this session.

Parametersosid.type.TypesubjectRecordTypea subject record type
Returnosid.ontology.SubjectListthe returned Subject list
ErrorsNULL_ARGUMENT subjectRecordType is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetSubjects
Description

Gets all Subjects. In plenary mode, the returned list contains all known subjects or an error results. Otherwise, the returned list may contain only those subjects that are accessible through this session.

Returnosid.ontology.SubjectLista SubjectList
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.