OSID Functional Patterns

Summary

OSIDs define operations upon service entities. These operations cluster around a typical set of functions.

Typical Clusters

Retrieving OsidObjects

Lookup OsidSessions define a set of operations for retrieving OsidObjects in the current OsidCatalog. They generally include:

retrieving a unique OsidObject by Id
retrieving all OsidObjects
retrieving OsidObjects by major dimensions
- by Type
- by date (Temporals)
- by constraining OsidObject (Subjugateables)
- by peers (OsidRelationships)
- by provider (Sourceables)

Searching OsidObjects

Query and search OsidSessions define operations for querying OsidObjects in the current OsidCatalog. There are two flavors.

simple query
complex search defining a means of sending and retrieving data from the search engine

Managing OsidObjects

Admin OsidSessions define operations for administering OsidObjects in the current OsidCatalog. These operations include:

creating OsidObjects
updating OsidObjects
deleting OsidObjects
aliasing OsidObjects

Subscribing to OsidObject Events

Notification OsidSessions define operations to subscribe and receive evens pertaining to OsidObjects events occurring in the current OsidCatalog by way of OsidReceiver callback interfaces. Subscriptions are based on:

new OsidObjects
changed OsidObjects
removed OsidObjects

Subscriptions may be specified along major dimensions such as:

by constraining OsidObject (Subjugateables)
by peers (OsidRelationships)

Organizing OsidObjects

Cataloging OsidSessions include the ability to convey and manage collections of OsidObjects.

examining the mapping between OsidObjects and OsidCatalogs
managing the mapping between OsidObjects and OsidCatalogs
managing dynamic OsidCatalogs

Additional Functional Patterns

The functional clusters listed above exist for all OsidObjects. There are additional patterns depending on the nature of the OsidObject.

Transactional Processing

Some services capture the concept of a request and a response. The request and response as service entities are typically OsidObjects. OsidSessions for the submission of requests will be present.

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