OSID - osid.provisioning.DistributorAdminSession Service Interface Definition

Interface	osid.provisioning.DistributorAdminSession
Implements	`osid.OsidSession`
Implemented By	`osid.provisioning.batch.DistributorBatchAdminSession`
Used By	`osid.provisioning.ProvisioningManager`
Used By	`osid.provisioning.ProvisioningProxyManager`
Description	This session creates, updates, and deletes `Distributors`. The data for create and update is provided by the consumer via the form object. `OsidForms` are requested for each create or update and may not be reused. Create and update operations differ in their usage. To create a `Distributor`, a `DistributorForm` is requested using `getDistributorFormForCreate()` specifying the desired record `Types` or none if no record `Types` are needed. The returned `DistributorForm` will indicate that it is to be used with a create operation and can be used to examine metdata or validate data prior to creation. Once the `DistributorForm` is submiited to a create operation, it cannot be reused with another create operation unless the first operation was unsuccessful. Each `DistributorForm` corresponds to an attempted transaction. For updates, `DistributorForms` are requested to the `Distributor` `Id` that is to be updated using `getDistributorFormForUpdate()`. Similarly, the `DistributorForm` has metadata about the data that can be updated and it can perform validation before submitting the update. The `DistributorForm` can only be used once for a successful update and cannot be reused. The delete operations delete `Distributors`. This session includes an `Id` aliasing mechanism to assign an external `Id` to an internally assigned Id.
Method	canCreateDistributors
Description	Tests if this user can create `Distributors`. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known creating a `Distributor`. will result in a `PERMISSION_DENIED`. This is intended as a hint to an application that may not wish to offer create operations to unauthorized users.
Return	`boolean`		`false` if `Distributor` creation is not authorized, `true` otherwise
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	canCreateDistributorWithRecordTypes
Description	Tests if this user can create a single `Distributor` using the desired record types. While `ProvisioningManager.getDistributorRecordTypes()` can be used to examine which records are supported, this method tests which record(s) are required for creating a specific `Distributor`. Providing an empty array tests if a `Distributor` can be created with no records.
Parameters	`osid.type.Type[]`	`distributorRecordTypes`	array of distributor record types
Return	`boolean`		`true` if `Distributor` creation using the specified record `Types` is supported, `false` otherwise
Errors	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorRecordTypes` is `null`
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getDistributorFormForCreate
Description	Gets the distributor form for creating new distributors. A new form should be requested for each create transaction.
Parameters	`osid.type.Type[]`	`distributorRecordTypes`	array of distributor record types
Return	`osid.provisioning.DistributorForm`		the distributor form
Errors	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorRecordTypes` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
	UNSUPPORTED		unable to get form for requested record types
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	createDistributor
Description	Creates a new `Distributor`.
Parameters	`osid.provisioning.DistributorForm`	`distributorForm`	the form for this `Distributor`
Return	`osid.provisioning.Distributor`		the new `Distributor`
Errors	ILLEGAL_STATE		`distributorForm` already used in a create transaction
	INVALID_ARGUMENT		one or more of the form elements is invalid
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorForm` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
	UNSUPPORTED		`distributorForm` did not originate from `getDistributorFormForCreate()`
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	canUpdateDistributors
Description	Tests if this user can update `Distributors`. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known updating a `Distributor` will result in a `PERMISSION_DENIED`. This is intended as a hint to an application that may not wish to offer update operations to unauthorized users.
Return	`boolean`		`false` if `Distributor` modification is not authorized, `true` otherwise
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getDistributorFormForUpdate
Description	Gets the distributor form for updating an existing distributor. A new distributor form should be requested for each update transaction.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` of the `Distributor`
Return	`osid.provisioning.DistributorForm`		the distributor form
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`distributorId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	updateDistributor
Description	Updates an existing distributor
Parameters	`osid.provisioning.DistributorForm`	`distributorForm`	the form containing the elements to be updated
Errors	ILLEGAL_STATE		`distributorForm` already used in an update transaction
	INVALID_ARGUMENT		the form contains an invalid value
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorForm` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
	UNSUPPORTED		`distributorForm` did not originate from `getDistributorFormForUpdate()`
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	canDeleteDistributors
Description	Tests if this user can delete `Distributors`. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known deleting a `Distributor` will result in a `PERMISSION_DENIED`. This is intended as a hint to an application that may not wish to offer delete operations to unauthorized users.
Return	`boolean`		`false` if `Distributor` deletion is not authorized, `true` otherwise
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	deleteDistributor
Description	Deletes a `Distributor`.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` of the `Distributor` to remove
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`distributorId` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	canManageDistributorAliases
Description	Tests if this user can manage `Id` aliases for `Distributors`. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known changing an alias will result in a `PERMISSION_DENIED`. This is intended as a hint to an application that may opt not to offer alias operations to an unauthorized user.
Return	`boolean`		`false` if `Distributor` aliasing is not authorized, `true` otherwise
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	aliasDistributor
Description	Adds an `Id` to a `Distributor` for the purpose of creating compatibility. The primary `Id` of the `Distributor` is determined by the provider. The new `Id` performs as an alias to the primary `Id`.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` of a `Distributor`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`aliasId`	the alias `Id`
Errors	ALREADY_EXISTS		`aliasId` is already assigned
	NOT_FOUND		`distributorId` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorId` or `aliasId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.