OSID - osid.subscription.PublisherHierarchySession Service Interface Definition

Interface	osid.subscription.PublisherHierarchySession
Implements	`osid.OsidSession`
Description	This session defines methods for traversing a hierarchy of `Publisher` objects. Each node in the hierarchy is a unique `Publisher.` The hierarchy may be traversed recursively to establish the tree structure through `getParentPublishers()` and `getChildPublishers().` To relate these `Ids` to another OSID, `getPublisherNodes()` can be used for retrievals that can be used for bulk lookups in other OSIDs. Any `Publisher` available in the Subscription 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 `getParentPublishers()` or `getChildPublishers()` 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: publisher elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered plenary view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
Method	getPublisherHierarchyId
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	getPublisherHierarchy
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	canAccessPublisherHierarchy
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	useComparativePublisherView
Description	The returns from the publisher 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	usePlenaryPublisherView
Description	A complete view of the `Publisher` 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	getRootPublisherIds
Description	Gets the root publisher `Ids` in this hierarchy.
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the root publisher `Ids`
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getRootPublishers
Description	Gets the root publishers in the publisher hierarchy. A node with no parents is an orphan. While all publisher `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.subscription.PublisherList`		the root publishers
Errors	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
Errors	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method is must be implemented.
Method	hasParentPublishers
Description	Tests if the `Publisher` has any parents.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	a publisher `Id`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the publisher has parents, f `alse` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isParentOfPublisher
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a direct parent of publisher.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	the `Id` of a publisher
Return	`boolean`		`true` if this `id` is a parent of `publisherId,` f `alse` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `publisherId` 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	getParentPublisherIds
Description	Gets the parent `Ids` of the given publisher.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	a publisher `Id`
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the parent `Ids` of the publisher
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getParentPublishers
Description	Gets the parent publishers of the given `id.`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	the `Id` of the `Publisher` to query
Return	`osid.subscription.PublisherList`		the parent publishers of the `id`
Errors	NOT_FOUND		a `Publisher` identified by `Id is` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isAncestorOfPublisher
Description	Tests if an `Id` is an ancestor of a publisher.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	the `Id` of a publisher
Return	`boolean`		`tru` e if this `id` is an ancestor of `publisherId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `publisherId` 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	hasChildPublishers
Description	Tests if a publisher has any children.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	a publisher `Id`
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `publisherId` has children, `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isChildOfPublisher
Description	Tests if a publisher is a direct child of another.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	the `Id` of a publisher
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a child of `publisherId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `publisherId` 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	getChildPublisherIds
Description	Gets the child `Ids` of the given publisher.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	the `Id` to query
Return	`osid.id.IdList`		the children of the publisher
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getChildPublishers
Description	Gets the child publishers of the given `id.`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	the `Id` of the `Publisher` to query
Return	`osid.subscription.PublisherList`		the child publishers of the `id`
Errors	NOT_FOUND		a `Publisher` identified by `Id is` not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	isDescendantOfPublisher
Description	Tests if an `Id` is a descendant of a publisher.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`id`	an `Id`
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	the `Id` of a publisher
Return	`boolean`		`true` if the `id` is a descendant of the `publisherId,` `false` otherwise
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`id` or `publisherId` 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	getPublisherNodeIds
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given publisher.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	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 publisher node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.
Method	getPublisherNodes
Description	Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given publisher.
Parameters	`osid.id.Id`	`publisherId`	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.subscription.PublisherNode`		a publisher node
Errors	NOT_FOUND		`publisherId` is not found
	NULL_ARGUMENT		`publisherId` is `null`
	OPERATION_FAILED		unable to complete request
	PERMISSION_DENIED		authorization failure
Compliance	`mandatory`		This method must be implemented.