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OSID Specifications
inquiry package
Version 3.0.0
Release Candidate Preview
Interfaceosid.inquiry.InquestHierarchySession
Implementsosid.OsidSession
Description

This session defines methods for traversing a hierarchy of Inquest objects. Each node in the hierarchy is a unique Inquest. The hierarchy may be traversed recursively to establish the tree structure through getParentInquests() and getChildInquests(). To relate these Ids to another OSID, getInquestNodes() can be used for retrievals that can be used for bulk lookups in other OSIDs. Any Inquest available in the Control OSID is known to this hierarchy but does not appear in the hierarchy traversal until added as a root inquest or a child of another inquest.

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 getParentInquests() or getChildInquests() in lieu of a PERMISSION_DENIED error that may disrupt the traversal through authorized inquiryways.

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

  • comparative inquest view: inquest elements may be silently omitted or re-ordered
  • plenary inquest view: provides a complete set or is an error condition
MethodgetInquestHierarchyId
Description

Gets the hierarchy Id associated with this session.

Returnosid.id.Idthe hierarchy Id associated with this session
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetInquestHierarchy
Description

Gets the hierarchy associated with this session.

Returnosid.hierarchy.Hierarchythe hierarchy associated with this session
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcanAccessInquestHierarchy
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.

Returnboolean false if hierarchy traversal methods are not authorized, true otherwise
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethoduseComparativeInquestView
Description

The returns from the inquest 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.
MethodusePlenaryInquestView
Description

A complete view of the Inquests 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.
MethodgetRootInquestIds
Description

Gets the root inquest Ids in this hierarchy.

Returnosid.id.IdListthe root inquest Ids
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetRootInquests
Description

Gets the root inquest in the inquest hierarchy. an inquest with no parents is an orphan. While all inquest Ids are known to the hierarchy, an orphan does not appear in the hierarchy unless explicitly added as a root inquest or child of another inquest.

Returnosid.inquiry.InquestListthe root inquests
ErrorsOPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method is must be implemented.
MethodhasParentInquests
Description

Tests if the Inquest has any parents.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdan inquest Id
Returnboolean true if the inquest has parents, f alse otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisParentOfInquest
Description

Tests if an Id is a direct parent of inquest.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id of an inquest
Returnboolean true if this id is a parent of inquestId, f alse otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT id or inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id not found return false.

MethodgetParentInquestIds
Description

Gets the parent Ids of the given inquest.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdan inquest Id
Returnosid.id.IdListthe parent Ids of the inquest
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetParentInquests
Description

Gets the parents of the given inquest.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id to query
Returnosid.inquiry.InquestListthe parents of the inquest
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisAncestorOfInquest
Description

Tests if an Id is an ancestor of an inquest.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id of an inquest
Returnboolean tru e if this id is an ancestor of inquestId, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId or id is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id not found return false.

MethodhasChildInquests
Description

Tests if an inquest has any children.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdan inquest Id
Returnboolean true if the inquestId has children, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisChildOfInquest
Description

Tests if an inquest is a direct child of another.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id of an inquest
Returnboolean true if the id is a child of inquestId, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT id or inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id not found return false.

MethodgetChildInquestIds
Description

Gets the child Ids of the given inquest.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id to query
Returnosid.id.IdListthe children of the inquest
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetChildInquests
Description

Gets the children of the given inquest.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id to query
Returnosid.inquiry.InquestListthe children of the inquest
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodisDescendantOfInquest
Description

Tests if an Id is a descendant of an inquest.

Parametersosid.id.Ididan Id
osid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id of an inquest
Returnboolean true if the id is a descendant of the inquestId, false otherwise
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT id or inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
Provider Notes

If id is not found return false.

MethodgetInquestNodeIds
Description

Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given inquest.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id to query
cardinalancestorLevelsthe maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the inquest.
cardinaldescendantLevelsthe maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the inquest.
booleanincludeSiblings true to include the siblings of the given inquest, false to omit the siblings
Returnosid.hierarchy.Nodean inquest node
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetInquestNodes
Description

Gets a portion of the hierarchy for the given inquest.

Parametersosid.id.IdinquestIdthe Id to query
cardinalancestorLevelsthe maximum number of ancestor levels to include. A value of 0 returns no parents in the hierarchy.
cardinaldescendantLevelsthe maximum number of descendant levels to include. A value of 0 returns no children in the hierarchy.
booleanincludeSiblings true to include the siblings of the given inquest, false to omit the siblings
Returnosid.inquiry.InquestNodean inquest node
ErrorsNOT_FOUND inquestId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT inquestId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.