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

This session creates, updates, and deletes Ontologies. 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 an Ontology, an OntologyForm is requested using getOntologyFormForCreate() specifying the desired record Types or none if no record Types are needed. The returned OntologyForm 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 OntologyForm is submiited to a create operation, it cannot be reused with another create operation unless the first operation was unsuccessful. Each OntologyForm corresponds to an attempted transaction.

For updates, OntologyForms are requested to the Ontology Id that is to be updated using getOntologyFormForUpdate(). Similarly, the OntologyForm has metadata about the data that can be updated and it can perform validation before submitting the update. The OntologyForm can only be used once for a successful update and cannot be reused.

The delete operations delete Ontologies.

This session includes an Id aliasing mechanism to assign an external Id to an internally assigned Id.

MethodcanCreateOntologies
Description

Tests if this user can create Ontologies. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known creating an Ontology 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.

Returnboolean false if Ontology creation is not authorized, true otherwise
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcanCreateOntologyWithRecordTypes
Description

Tests if this user can create a single Ontology using the desired record types. While OntologyManager.getOntologyRecordTypes() can be used to examine which records are supported, this method tests which record(s) are required for creating a specific Ontology. Providing an empty array tests if an Ontology can be created with no records.

Parametersosid.type.Type[]ontologyRecordTypesarray of ontology record types
Returnboolean true if Ontology creation using the specified Types is supported, false otherwise
ErrorsNULL_ARGUMENT ontologyRecordTypes is null
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetOntologyFormForCreate
Description

Gets the ontology form for creating new ontologies. A new form should be requested for each create transaction.

Parametersosid.type.Type[]ontologyRecordTypesarray of ontology record types
Returnosid.ontology.OntologyFormthe ontology form
ErrorsNULL_ARGUMENT ontologyRecordTypes is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
UNSUPPORTEDunable to get form for requested record types
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcreateOntology
Description

Creates a new Ontology.

Parametersosid.ontology.OntologyFormontologyFormthe form for this Ontology
Returnosid.ontology.Ontologythe new Ontology
ErrorsILLEGAL_STATE ontologyForm already used in a create transaction
INVALID_ARGUMENTone or more of the form elements is invalid
NULL_ARGUMENT ontologyForm is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
UNSUPPORTED ontologyForm did not originate from getOntologyFormForCreate()
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcanUpdateOntologies
Description

Tests if this user can update Ontologies. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known updating an Ontology 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.

Returnboolean false if Ontology modification is not authorized, true otherwise
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodgetOntologyFormForUpdate
Description

Gets the ontology form for updating an existing ontology. A new ontology form should be requested for each update transaction.

Parametersosid.id.IdontologyIdthe Id of the Ontology
Returnosid.ontology.OntologyFormthe ontology form
ErrorsNOT_FOUND ontologyId is not found
NULL_ARGUMENT ontologyId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodupdateOntology
Description

Updates an existing ontology.

Parametersosid.ontology.OntologyFormontologyFormthe form containing the elements to be updated
ErrorsILLEGAL_STATE ontologyForm already used in an update transaction
INVALID_ARGUMENTthe form contains an invalid value
NULL_ARGUMENT ontologyForm is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
UNSUPPORTED ontologyForm did not originate from getOntologyFormForUpdate()
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcanDeleteOntologies
Description

Tests if this user can delete ontologies. A return of true does not guarantee successful authorization. A return of false indicates that it is known deleting an Ontology 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.

Returnboolean false if Ontology deletion is not authorized, true otherwise
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethoddeleteOntology
Description

Deletes an Ontology.

Parametersosid.id.IdontologyIdthe Id of the Ontology to remove
ErrorsNOT_FOUND ontologyId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT ontologyId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodcanManageOntologyAliases
Description

Tests if this user can manage Id aliases for ontologies. 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.

Returnboolean false if Ontology aliasing is not authorized, true otherwise
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.
MethodaliasOntology
Description

Adds an Id to an Ontology for the purpose of creating compatibility. The primary Id of the Ontology is determined by the provider. The new Id performs as an alias to the primary Id. If the alias is a pointer to another ontology, it is reassigned to the given ontology Id.

Parametersosid.id.IdontologyIdthe Id of an Ontology
osid.id.IdaliasIdthe alias Id
ErrorsALREADY_EXISTS aliasId is already assigned
NOT_FOUND ontologyId not found
NULL_ARGUMENT ontologyId or aliasId is null
OPERATION_FAILEDunable to complete request
PERMISSION_DENIEDauthorization failure
CompliancemandatoryThis method must be implemented.