Editing Template:API Content (section)

==Principal Modules==

This is a list of the principal modules in the EPrints API. These modules are the primary means of connecting to and manipulating objects in the repository.


===[[API:EPrints/Repository|EPrints::Repository]]===

An repository is an eprints archive with its own website configuration and data. One install of the Eprints software can run several separate repositories. Sharing code but with totally different configurations. Before EPrints 2.4 this was known as EPrints::Archive. This was changed to avoid confusion with the eprint status of "archive".

===[[API:EPrints/Database|EPrints::Database]]===

The connection to the MySQL (or other database) back end. ''datasets'' are stored in the MySQL system, but you do not have to address it directly.

===[[API:EPrints/DataSet|EPrints::DataSet]]===

A dataset is a collection of ''items'' of the same type. It can be searched.

Some datasets all have the same "config id". The "config id" is used to get information about the dataset from the archive config - inbox, buffer, archive and deletion all have the same metadata fields and types.

Core datasets are:

{|
| DATASET ID 
| COMMENT
|-
| eprint
| EPrint records are the core of the system.
|-
| user
| Users registered with the system.
|-
| subject
| The subject tree.
|-               
| document
| Documents belonging to EPrints. Every document is part of an EPrint record.
|-
| subscription
| Subscriptions made by users. Every subscription is a part of a subscription record.
|-
| history
| Stores actions performed on records.
|}

In addtion to these datasets are four virtual datasets: inbox, buffer, archive and deletion. These act just like "eprint" except that they are filtered to only contain records with those status.
  
Note that prior to 2.4 the "eprint" dataset was virtual, rather than "inbox", "buffer" etc. The history dataset was introduced in 2.4.

===[[API:EPrints/MetaField|EPrints::MetaField]]===

A single field in a dataset. Each dataset has a few "system" fields which Eprints uses to manage the system and then any number of ''archive'' specific fields which you may configure.

===[[API:EPrints/DataObj|EPrints::DataObj]]===

The "super class" of ''subjects'', ''users'', ''eprints'' and ''documents'' etc. In the very core of the system these are all treated identically and much of the configuration and methods of these classes of "thing" are identical. We use the term ''item'' to speak about the general case.

; '''type''' or '''user-type''' or '''eprint-type''' : ''users'', ''eprints'' and ''documents'' all have a "type". This controls how they are "cited" and also for ''users'' and ''eprints'' it controls what ''fields'' may be edited, and which are required.

====[[API:EPrints/DataObj/Document|EPrints::DataObj::Document]]====

A document is a single format of an ''eprint'', e.g. HTML, PDF, PS etc. It can contain more than one file, for example HTML may contain more than one html page + image files. The actual files are stored in the filesystem. Pre 2.4 this was known as EPrints::Document.

====[[API:EPrints/DataObj/EPrint|EPrints::DataObj::EPrint]]====

An eprint is a record in the system which has one or more ''documents'' and some ''metadata''. Usually, more than one ''document'' is to provide the same information in multiple formats, although this is not compulsory. Pre 2.4 this was known as EPrints::EPrint.

====[[API:EPrints/DataObj/SavedSearch|EPrints::DataObj::SavedSearch]]====

Some software refers to this concept as ''alerts''.

A stored search which is performed every day/week/month and any new results are then mailed to the user who owns the subscription.

This diagram does not show "Subscription". Subscription is a subclass of DataObj (like EPrint, User etc.). A subscription is associated with one User. A user is associated with 0..n Subscription's.

====[[API:EPrints/DataObj/Subject|EPrints::DataObj::Subject]]====

A ''subject'' has an id and a list of who its parents are. There is a built-in ''subject'' with the id "ROOT" to act as the top level. A subject can have more than one parent to allow you to create a rich lattice, rather than just a tree, but loops are not allowed.

====[[API:EPrints/DataObj/User|EPrints::DataObj::User]]====

A user registered with the system. (NOT necessarily the author of the ''eprint'' they deposit). Pre 2.4 this was known as EPrints::User