OSID - osid.provisioning.DistributorHierarchySession Service Interface Definition

Interface	osid.provisioning.DistributorHierarchySession
Implements	`osid.OsidSession`
Description	This session defines methods for traversing a hierarchy of `Distributor` objects. Each node in the hierarchy is a unique `Distributor.` The hierarchy may be traversed recursively to establish the tree structure through `getParentDistributors()` and `getChildDistributors().` To relate these `Ids` to another OSID, `getDistributorNodes()` can be used for retrievals that can be used for bulk lookups in other OSIDs. Any `Distributor` available in the Provisioning OSID is known to this hierarchy but does not appear in the hierarchy traversal until added as a root distributor or a child of another distributor. 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 `getParentDistributors()` or `getChildDistributors()` in lieu of a `PERMISSION_DENIED` error that may disrupt the traversal through authorized provisionways. This session defines views that offer differing behaviors when retrieving multiple objects. comparative distributor view: distributor elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered plenary distributor view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
Method	getDistributorHierarchyId
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	getDistributorHierarchy
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	canAccessDistributorHierarchy
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	useComparativeDistributorView
Description	The returns from the distributor 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	usePlenaryDistributorView
Description	A complete view of the `Distributors` 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	getRootDistributorIds
Description	Gets the root distributor `Ids` in this hierarchy.
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the root distributor `Ids`
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getRootDistributors
Description	Gets the root distributor in the distributor hierarchy. A distributor with no parents is an orphan. While all distributor `Ids` are known to the hierarchy, an orphan does not appear in the hierarchy unless explicitly added as a root distributor or child of another distributor.
Return	`osid.provisioning.DistributorList`		the root distributors
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method is must be implemented.
Method	hasParentDistributors
Description	Tests if the `Distributor` has any parents.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	a distributor `Id`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the distributor has parents, f `alse` otherwise
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	isParentOfDistributor
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a direct parent of distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` of a distributor
Return	`boolean`		`true` if this `id` is a parent of `distributorId,` f `alse` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`distributorId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `distributorId` 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	getParentDistributorIds
Description	Gets the parent `Ids` of the given distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	a distributor `Id`
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the parent `Ids` of the distributor
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	getParentDistributors
Description	Gets the parents of the given distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.provisioning.DistributorList`		the parents of the distributor
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	isAncestorOfDistributor
Description	Tests if an `Id` is an ancestor of a distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` of a distributor
Return	`boolean`		`tru` e if this `id` is an ancestor of `distributorId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`distributorId` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`distributorId` or `id` 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	hasChildDistributors
Description	Tests if a distributor has any children.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	a distributor `Id`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `distributorId` has children, `false` otherwise
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	isChildOfDistributor
Description	Tests if a distributor is a direct child of another.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` of a distributor
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a child of `distributorId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`distributorId` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `distributorId` 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	getChildDistributorIds
Description	Gets the child `Ids` of the given distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the children of the distributor
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	getChildDistributors
Description	Gets the children of the given distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.provisioning.DistributorList`		the children of the distributor
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	isDescendantOfDistributor
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a descendant of a distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` of a distributor
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a descendant of the `distributorId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`distributorId` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `distributorId` 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	getDistributorNodeIds
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` to query
	`cardinal`	`ancestorLevels`	the maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the distributor.
	`cardinal`	`descendantLevels`	the maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the distributor.
	`boolean`	`includeSiblings`	`true` to include the siblings of the given distributor, `false` to omit the siblings
Return	`osid.hierarchy.Node`		a distributor node
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	getDistributorNodes
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given distributor.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`distributorId`	the `Id` to query
	`cardinal`	`ancestorLevels`	the maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the hierarchy.
	`cardinal`	`descendantLevels`	the maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the hierarchy.
	`boolean`	`includeSiblings`	`true` to include the siblings of the given distributor, `false` to omit the siblings
Return	`osid.provisioning.DistributorNode`		a distributor node
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.