API:EPrints/DataObj

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NAME

EPrints::DataObj - Base class for records in EPrints.

DESCRIPTION

This module is a base class which is inherited by EPrints::DataObj::EPrint, EPrints::User, EPrints::DataObj::Subject and EPrints::DataObj::Document and several other classes.

It is ABSTRACT - its methods should not be called directly.

get_system_field_info

 $sys_fields = EPrints::DataObj->get_system_field_info

ABSTRACT.

Return an array describing the system metadata of the this dataset.

new

 $dataobj = EPrints::DataObj->new( $session, $id, [$dataset] )

ABSTRACT.

Return new data object, created by loading it from the database.

$dataset is used by EPrint->new to save searching through all four tables that it could be in.

new_from_data

 $dataobj = EPrints::DataObj->new_from_data( $session, $data, $dataset )

ABSTRACT.

Construct a new EPrints::DataObj object based on the $data hash reference of metadata.

Used to create an object from the data retrieved from the database.

get_defaults

 $defaults = EPrints::User->get_defaults( $session, $data )

Return default values for this object based on the starting data.

Should be subclassed.

remove

 $success = $dataobj->remove

ABSTRACT

Remove this data object from the database.

Also removes any sub-objects or related files.

Return true if successful.

clear_changed

 $dataobj->clear_changed( )

Clear any changed fields, which will result in them not being committed unless force is used.

This method is used by the Database to avoid unnecessary commits.

commit

 $success = $dataobj->commit( [$force] )

ABSTRACT.

Write this object to the database.

If $force isn't true then it only actually modifies the database if one or more fields have been changed.

Commit may also log the changes, depending on the type of data object.

get_value

 $value = $dataobj->get_value( $fieldname )

Get a the value of a metadata field. If the field is not set then it returns undef unless the field has the property multiple set, in which case it returns [] (a reference to an empty array).

set_value

 $dataobj->set_value( $fieldname, $value )

Set the value of the named metadata field in this record.

get_values

 @values = $dataobj->get_values( $fieldnames )

Returns a list of all the values in this record of all the fields specified by $fieldnames. $fieldnames should be in the format used by browse views - slash seperated fieldnames with an optional .id suffix to indicate the id part rather than the main part.

For example "author.id/editor.id" would return a list of all author and editor ids from this record.

get_session

 $session = $dataobj->get_session

Returns the EPrints::Session object to which this record belongs.

get_data

 $data = $dataobj->get_data

Returns a reference to the hash table of all the metadata for this record keyed by fieldname.

get_dataset

 $dataset = $dataobj->get_dataset

Returns the EPrints::DataSet object to which this record belongs.

is_set

 $bool = $dataobj->is_set( $fieldname )

Returns true if the named field is set in this record, otherwise false.

Warns if the field does not exist.

exists_and_set

 $bool = $dataobj->exists_and_set( $fieldname )

Returns true if the named field is set in this record, otherwise false.

If the field does not exist, just return false.

This method is useful for plugins which may operate on multiple repositories, and the fact a field does not exist is not an issue.

get_id

 $id = $dataobj->get_id

Returns the value of the primary key of this record.

get_gid

 $id = $dataobj->get_gid

Returns the globally referential fully-qualified identifier for this object or undef if this object can not be externally referenced.

render_value

 $xhtml = $dataobj->render_value( $fieldname, [$showall] )

Returns the rendered version of the value of the given field, as appropriate for the current session. If $showall is true then all values are rendered - this is usually used for staff viewing data.

render_citation

 $xhtml = $dataobj->render_citation( [$style], [%params] )

Renders the record as a citation. If $style is set then it uses that citation style from the citations config file. Otherwise $style defaults to the type of this record. If $params{url} is set then the citiation will link to the specified URL.

render_citation_link

 $xhtml = $dataobj->render_citation_link( [$style], %params )

Renders a citation (as above) but as a link to the URL for this item. For example - the abstract page of an eprint.

render_description

 $xhtml = $dataobj->render_description

Returns a short description of this object using the default citation style for this dataset.

render

 ($xhtml, $title ) = $dataobj->render

Return a chunk of XHTML DOM describing this object in the normal way. This is the public view of the record, not the staff view.

render_full

 ($xhtml, $title ) = $dataobj->render_full

Return an XHTML table in DOM describing this record. All values of all fields are listed. This is the staff view.

uri

 $url = $dataobj->uri

Returns a unique URI for this object. Not certain to resolve as a URL.

If $c->{dataobj_uri}->{eprint} is a function, call that to work it out.

get_url

 $url = $dataobj->get_url

Returns the URL for this record, for example the URL of the abstract page of an eprint.

get_control_url

 $url = $dataobj->get_control_url

Returns the URL for the control page for this object.

get_type

 $type = $dataobj->get_type

Returns the type of this record - type of user, type of eprint etc.

to_xml

 $xmlfragment = $dataobj->to_xml( %opts )

Convert this object into an XML fragment.

%opts are:

no_xmlns=>1 : do not include a xmlns attribute in the outer element. (This assumes this chunk appears in a larger tree where the xmlns is already set correctly.

showempty=>1 : fields with no value are shown.

version=>"code" : pick what version of the EPrints XML format to use "1" or "2"

embed=>1 : include the data of a file, not just it's URL.

export

 $plugin_output = $detaobj->export( $plugin_id, %params )

Apply an output plugin to this items. Return the results.

queue_changes

 $dataobj->queue_changes

Add all the changed fields into the indexers todo queue.

queue_all

 $dataobj->queue_all

Add all the fields into the indexers todo queue.

has_owner

 $boolean = $dataobj->has_owner( $user )

Return true if $user owns this record. Normally this means they created it, but a group of users could count as owners of the same record if you wanted.

It's false on most dataobjs, except those which override this method.

in_editorial_scope_of

 $boolean = $dataobj->in_editorial_scope_of( $user )

As for has_owner, but if the user is identified as someone with an editorial scope which includes this record.

Defaults to true. Which doesn't mean that they have the right to edit it, just that their scope matches. You also need editor rights to use this. It's currently used just to filter eprint editors so that only ones with a scope AND a priv can edit.

UNDOCUMENTED METHODS

These methods were found in the source code but didn't have any POD associated with them. This may be because we haven't got around to documenting them yet or it could be because they are internal to the API and not intended for use by other parts of EPrints.

under_construction

$boolean = $dataobj->set_under_construction()

Returns true if this dataobj is under construction i.e. don't perform expensive maintenance processes on this object yet.