1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
\r
2 <chapter xml:id="data_models_and_access" xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" version="5.0" xml:lang="EN"
\r
3 xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
\r
5 <title>Evergreen Data Models and Access</title>
\r
7 <abstract id="DM_abstract">
\r
8 <simpara>This chapter was taken from Dan Scott's <emphasis>Developer Workshop</emphasis>, February 2010.</simpara>
\r
10 <section id="exploring_database_schema">
\r
11 <title>Exploring the Database Schema</title>
\r
12 <simpara>The database schema is tied pretty tightly to PostgreSQL. Although PostgreSQL<indexterm><primary>databases</primary><secondary>PostgreSQL</secondary></indexterm>
\r
13 adheres closely to ANSI SQL standards, the use of schemas, SQL functions<indexterm><primary>ANSI</primary></indexterm>
\r
14 implemented in both <systemitem>plpgsql</systemitem> and <systemitem>plperl</systemitem>, and PostgreSQL’s native full-text
\r
15 search would make it… challenging… to port to other database platforms.</simpara>
\r
16 <simpara>A few common PostgreSQL interfaces for poking around the schema and
\r
17 manipulating data are:</simpara>
\r
21 psql (the command line client)<indexterm><primary>databases</primary><secondary>PostgreSQL</secondary><tertiery>psql</tertiery></indexterm>
\r
26 pgadminIII (a GUI client).<indexterm><primary>databases</primary><secondary>PostgreSQL</secondary><tertiery>pgadminIII</tertiery></indexterm>
\r
30 <simpara>Or you can read through the source files in <filename class="directoy">Open-ILS/src/sql/Pg</filename>.</simpara>
\r
31 <simpara>Let’s take a quick tour through the schemas, pointing out some highlights
\r
32 and some key interdependencies:</simpara>
\r
36 actor.org_unit → asset.copy_location
\r
41 actor.usr → actor.card
\r
46 biblio.record_entry → asset.call_number → asset.copy
\r
51 config.metabib_field → metabib.*_field_entry
\r
55 This documentation also contains an Appendix for the Evergreen <xref linkend="databaseschema"/>.
\r
57 <section id="_database_access_methods">
\r
58 <title>Database access methods</title>
\r
59 <simpara>You could use direct access to the database via Perl DBI, JDBC, etc,
\r
60 but Evergreen offers several database CRUD services for
\r
61 creating / retrieving / updating / deleting data. These avoid tying
\r
62 you too tightly to the current database schema and they funnel database
\r
63 access through the same mechanism, rather than tying up connections
\r
64 with other interfaces.</simpara>
\r
66 <section id="_evergreen_interface_definition_language_idl">
\r
67 <title>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</title>
\r
68 <indexterm><primary>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</primary></indexterm>
\r
69 <simpara>Defines properties and required permissions for Evergreen classes.
\r
70 To reduce network overhead, a given object is identified via a
\r
71 class-hint and serialized as a JSON array of properties (no named properties).</simpara>
\r
72 <simpara>As of 1.6, fields will be serialized in the order in which they appear
\r
73 in the IDL definition file, and the is_new / is_changed / is_deleted
\r
74 properties are automatically added. This has greatly reduced the size of
\r
75 the <literal>fm_IDL.xml</literal> file and makes DRY people happier :)</simpara>
\r
79 … oils_persist:readonly tells us, if true, that the data lives in the database, but is pulled from the SELECT statement defined in the <oils_persist:source_definition>
\r
84 <simplesect id="_idl_basic_example_config_language_map">
\r
85 <title>IDL basic example (config.language_map)</title>
\r
86 <programlisting language="xml" linenumbering="unnumbered">
\r
87 <class id="clm" controller="open-ils.cstore open-ils.pcrud"
\r
88 oils_obj:fieldmapper="config::language_map"
\r
89 oils_persist:tablename="config.language_map"
\r
90 reporter:label="Language Map" oils_persist:field_safe="true"> <co id="dmCO5-1"/> <co id="dmCO5-2"/> <co id="dmCO5-3"/> <co id="dmCO5-4"/>
\r
91 <fields oils_persist:primary="code" oils_persist:sequence=""> <co id="dmCO5-5"/>
\r
92 <field reporter:label="Language Code" name="code"
\r
93 reporter:selector="value" reporter:datatype="text"/> <co id="dmCO5-6"/>
\r
94 <field reporter:label="Language" name="value"
\r
95 reporter:datatype="text" oils_persist:i18n="true"/> <co id="dmCO5-7"/>
\r
98 <permacrud xmlns="http://open-ils.org/spec/opensrf/IDL/permacrud/v1"> <co id="dmCO5-8"/>
\r
100 <create global_required="true" permission="CREATE_MARC_CODE"> <co id="dmCO5-9"/>
\r
101 <retrieve global_required="true"
\r
102 permission="CREATE_MARC_CODE UPDATE_MARC_CODE DELETE_MARC_CODE">
\r
103 <update global_required="true" permission="UPDATE_MARC_CODE">
\r
104 <delete global_required="true" permission="DELETE_MARC_CODE">
\r
110 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-1">
\r
112 The <literal>class</literal> element defines the attributes and permissions for classes,
\r
113 and relationships between classes.
\r
115 <indexterm><primary>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</primary><secondary>class element</secondary></indexterm>
\r
119 The <literal>id</literal> attribute on the <literal>class</literal> element defines the class hint that is
\r
120 used everywhere in Evergreen.
\r
125 The <literal>controller</literal> attribute defines the OpenSRF
\r
126 services that provide access to the data for the class objects.
\r
131 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-2">
\r
133 The <literal>oils_obj::fieldmapper</literal> attribute defines the name of the class that
\r
134 is generated by <literal>OpenILS::Utils::Fieldmapper</literal>.
\r
137 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-3">
\r
139 The <literal>oils_persist:tablename</literal> attribute defines the name of the table
\r
140 that contains the data for the class objects.
\r
143 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-4">
\r
145 The reporter interface uses <literal>reporter:label</literal> attribute values in
\r
146 the source list to provide meaningful class and attribute names. The
\r
147 <literal>open-ils.fielder</literal> service generates a set of methods that provide direct
\r
148 access to the classes for which <literal>oils_persist:field_safe</literal> is <literal>true</literal>. For
\r
153 srfsh# request open-ils.fielder open-ils.fielder.clm.atomic \
\r
154 {"query":{"code":{"=":"eng"}}}
\r
165 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-5">
\r
167 The <literal>fields</literal> element defines the list of fields for the class.
\r
169 <indexterm><primary>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</primary><secondary>fields element</secondary></indexterm>
\r
173 The <literal>oils_persist:primary</literal> attribute defines the column that acts as
\r
174 the primary key for the table.
\r
179 The <literal>oils_persist:sequence</literal> attribute holds the name of the database
\r
185 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-6">
\r
187 Each <literal>field</literal> element defines one property of the class.
\r
189 <indexterm><primary>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</primary><secondary>field element</secondary></indexterm>
\r
193 The <literal>name</literal> attribute defines the getter/setter method name for the field.
\r
198 The <literal>reporter:label</literal> attribute defines the attribute name as used in
\r
199 the reporter interface.
\r
204 The <literal>reporter:selector</literal> attribute defines the field used in the reporter
\r
205 filter interface to provide a selectable list. This gives the user a more
\r
206 meaningful access point than the raw numeric ID or abstract code.
\r
211 The <literal>reporter:datatype</literal> attribute defines the type of data held by
\r
212 this property for the purposes of the reporter.
\r
217 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-7">
\r
219 The <literal>oils_persist:i18n</literal> attribute, when <literal>true</literal>, means that
\r
220 translated values for the field’s contents may be accessible in
\r
224 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-8">
\r
226 <indexterm><primary>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</primary><secondary>permacrud element</secondary></indexterm>
\r
227 The <literal>permacrud</literal> element defines the permissions (if any) required
\r
228 to <emphasis role="strong">c</emphasis>reate, <emphasis role="strong">r</emphasis>etrieve, <emphasis role="strong">u</emphasis>pdate,
\r
229 and <emphasis role="strong">d</emphasis>elete data for this
\r
230 class. <literal>open-ils.permacrud</literal> must be defined as a controller for the class
\r
231 for the permissions to be applied.
\r
235 <callout arearefs="dmCO5-9">
\r
237 Each action requires one or more <literal>permission</literal> values that the
\r
238 user must possess to perform the action.
\r
243 If the <literal>global_required</literal> attribute is <literal>true</literal>, then the user must
\r
244 have been granted that permission globally (depth = 0) to perform
\r
250 The <literal>context_field</literal> attribute denotes the <literal><field></literal> that identifies
\r
251 the org_unit at which the user must have the pertinent permission.
\r
255 <indexterm><primary>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</primary><secondary>action element</secondary></indexterm>
\r
257 An action element may contain a <literal><context_field></literal> element that
\r
258 defines the linked class (identified by the <literal>link</literal> attribute) and
\r
259 the field in the linked class that identifies the org_unit where
\r
260 the permission must be held.
\r
264 <indexterm><primary>Evergreen Interface Definition Language (IDL)</primary><secondary>context_field element</secondary></indexterm>
\r
266 If the <literal><context_field></literal> element contains a <literal>jump</literal> attribute,
\r
267 then it defines a link to a link to a class with a field identifying
\r
268 the org_unit where the permission must be held.
\r
277 <simplesect id="_reporter_data_types_and_their_possible_values">
\r
278 <title>Reporter data types and their possible values</title>
\r
282 <literal>bool</literal>: Boolean <literal>true</literal> or <literal>false</literal>
\r
287 <literal>id</literal>: ID of the row in the database
\r
292 <literal>int</literal>: integer value
\r
297 <literal>interval</literal>: PostgreSQL time interval
\r
302 <literal>link</literal>: link to another class, as defined in the <literal><links></literal>
\r
303 element of the class definition
\r
308 <literal>money</literal>: currency amount
\r
313 <literal>org_unit</literal>: list of org_units
\r
318 <literal>text</literal>: text value
\r
323 <literal>timestamp</literal>: PostgreSQL timestamp
\r
328 <simplesect id="_idl_example_with_linked_fields_actor_workstation">
\r
329 <title>IDL example with linked fields (actor.workstation)</title>
\r
330 <simpara>Just as tables often include columns with foreign keys that point
\r
331 to values stored in the column of a different table, IDL classes
\r
332 can contain fields that link to fields in other classes. The <literal><links></literal>
\r
333 element defines which fields link to fields in other classes, and
\r
334 the nature of the relationship:</simpara>
\r
335 <programlisting language="xml" linenumbering="unnumbered">
\r
336 <class id="aws" controller="open-ils.cstore"
\r
337 oils_obj:fieldmapper="actor::workstation"
\r
338 oils_persist:tablename="actor.workstation"
\r
339 reporter:label="Workstation">
\r
340 <fields oils_persist:primary="id"
\r
341 oils_persist:sequence="actor.workstation_id_seq">
\r
342 <field reporter:label="Workstation ID" name="id"
\r
343 reporter:datatype="id"/>
\r
344 <field reporter:label="Workstation Name" name="name"
\r
345 reporter:datatype="text"/>
\r
346 <field reporter:label="Owning Library" name="owning_lib"
\r
347 reporter:datatype="org_unit"/>
\r
348 <field reporter:label="Circulations" name="circulations"
\r
349 oils_persist:virtual="true" reporter:datatype="link"/> <co id="dmCO6-1"/>
\r
351 <links> <co id="dmCO6-2"/>
\r
352 <link field="owning_lib" reltype="has_a" key="id"
\r
353 map="" class="aou"/> <co id="dmCO6-3"/>
\r
354 <link field="circulations" reltype="has_many" key="workstation"
\r
355 map="" class="circ"/>
\r
356 <link field="circulation_checkins" reltype="has_many"
\r
357 key="checkin_workstation" map="" class="circ"/>
\r
362 <callout arearefs="dmCO6-1">
\r
364 This field includes an <literal>oils_persist:virtual</literal> attribute with the value of
\r
365 <literal>true</literal>, meaning that the linked class <literal>circ</literal> is a virtual class.
\r
368 <callout arearefs="dmCO6-2">
\r
370 The <literal><links></literal> element contains 0 or more <literal><link></literal> elements.
\r
373 <callout arearefs="dmCO6-3">
\r
375 Each <literal><link></literal> element defines the field (<literal>field</literal>) that links to a different
\r
376 class (<literal>class</literal>), the relationship (<literal>rel_type</literal>) between this field and the target
\r
377 field (<literal>key</literal>). If the field in this class links to a virtual class, the (<literal>map</literal>)
\r
378 attribute defines the field in the target class that returns a list of matching
\r
379 objects for each object in this class.
\r
385 <section id="open_ils_cstore_literal_data_access_interfaces">
\r
386 <title><literal>open-ils.cstore</literal> data access interfaces</title>
\r
387 <indexterm><primary>cstore</primary></indexterm>
\r
388 <simpara>For each class documented in the IDL, the <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal> service
\r
389 automatically generates a set of data access methods, based on the
\r
390 <literal>oils_persist:tablename</literal> class attribute.</simpara>
\r
391 <simpara>For example, for the class hint <literal>clm</literal>, cstore generates the following
\r
392 methods with the <literal>config.language_map</literal> qualifer:</simpara>
\r
396 <literal>open-ils.cstore.direct.config.language_map.id_list {"code" { "like": "e%" } }</literal>
\r
398 <simpara>Retrieves a list composed only of the IDs that match the query.</simpara>
\r
402 <literal>open-ils.cstore.direct.config.language_map.retrieve "eng"</literal>
\r
404 <simpara>Retrieves the object that matches a specific ID.</simpara>
\r
408 <literal>open-ils.cstore.direct.config.language_map.search {"code" : "eng"}</literal>
\r
410 <simpara>Retrieves a list of objects that match the query.</simpara>
\r
414 <literal>open-ils.cstore.direct.config.language_map.create <_object_></literal>
\r
416 <simpara>Creates a new object from the passed in object.</simpara>
\r
420 <literal>open-ils.cstore.direct.config.language_map.update <_object_></literal>
\r
422 <simpara>Updates the object that has been passed in.</simpara>
\r
426 <literal>open-ils.cstore.direct.config.language_map.delete "eng"</literal>
\r
428 <simpara>Deletes the object that matches the query.</simpara>
\r
432 <section id="_open_ils_pcrud_data_access_interfaces">
\r
433 <title>open-ils.pcrud data access interfaces</title>
\r
434 <indexterm><primary>pcrud</primary></indexterm>
\r
435 <simpara>For each class documented in the IDL, the <literal>open-ils.pcrud</literal> service
\r
436 automatically generates a set of data access methods, based on the
\r
437 <literal>oils_persist:tablename</literal> class attribute.</simpara>
\r
438 <simpara>For example, for the class hint <literal>clm</literal>, <literal>open-ils.pcrud</literal> generates the following
\r
439 methods that parallel the <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal> interface:</simpara>
\r
443 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.id_list.clm <_authtoken_>, { "code": { "like": "e%" } }</literal>
\r
448 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.retrieve.clm <_authtoken_>, "eng"</literal>
\r
453 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.search.clm <_authtoken_>, { "code": "eng" }</literal>
\r
458 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.create.clm <_authtoken_>, <_object_></literal>
\r
463 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.update.clm <_authtoken_>, <_object_></literal>
\r
468 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.delete.clm <_authtoken_>, "eng"</literal>
\r
473 <section id="_transaction_and_savepoint_control">
\r
474 <title>Transaction and savepoint control</title>
\r
475 <simpara>Both <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal> and <literal>open-ils.pcrud</literal> enable you to control database transactions
\r
476 to ensure that a set of operations either all succeed, or all fail,
\r
477 atomically:</simpara>
\r
481 <literal>open-ils.cstore.transaction.begin</literal>
\r
486 <literal>open-ils.cstore.transaction.commit</literal>
\r
491 <literal>open-ils.cstore.transaction.rollback</literal>
\r
496 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.transaction.begin</literal>
\r
501 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.transaction.commit</literal>
\r
506 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.transaction.rollback</literal>
\r
510 <simpara>At a more granular level, <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal> and <literal>open-ils.pcrud</literal> enable you to set database
\r
511 savepoints to ensure that a set of operations either all succeed, or all
\r
512 fail, atomically, within a given transaction:</simpara>
\r
516 <literal>open-ils.cstore.savepoint.begin</literal>
\r
521 <literal>open-ils.cstore.savepoint.commit</literal>
\r
526 <literal>open-ils.cstore.savepoint.rollback</literal>
\r
531 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.savepoint.begin</literal>
\r
536 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.savepoint.commit</literal>
\r
541 <literal>open-ils.pcrud.savepoint.rollback</literal>
\r
545 <simpara>Transactions and savepoints must be performed within a stateful
\r
546 connection to the <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal> and <literal>open-ils.pcrud</literal> services.
\r
547 In <literal>srfsh</literal>, you can open a stateful connection using the <literal>open</literal>
\r
548 command, and then close the stateful connection using the <literal>close</literal>
\r
549 command - for example:</simpara>
\r
550 <screen>srfsh# open open-ils.cstore
\r
551 ... perform various transaction-related work
\r
552 srfsh# close open-ils.cstore</screen>
\r
553 <simplesect id="_json_queries">
\r
554 <title>JSON Queries</title>
\r
555 <indexterm><primary>JSON</primary></indexterm>
\r
556 <simpara>Beyond simply retrieving objects by their ID using the <literal>\*.retrieve</literal>
\r
557 methods, you can issue queries against the <literal>\*.delete</literal> and <literal>\*.search</literal>
\r
558 methods using JSON to filter results with simple or complex search
\r
559 conditions.</simpara>
\r
560 <simpara>For example, to generate a list of barcodes that are held in a
\r
561 copy location that allows holds and is visible in the OPAC:</simpara>
\r
562 <programlisting language="sh" linenumbering="unnumbered">
\r
563 srfsh# request open-ils.cstore open-ils.cstore.json_query <co id="dmCO7-1"/>
\r
564 {"select": {"acp":["barcode"], "acpl":["name"]}, <co id="dmCO7-2"/>
\r
565 "from": {"acp":"acpl"}, <co id="dmCO7-3"/>
\r
566 "where": [ <co id="dmCO7-4"/>
\r
567 {"+acpl": "holdable"}, <co id="dmCO7-5"/>
\r
568 {"+acpl": "opac_visible"} <co id="dmCO7-6"/>
\r
572 "barcode":"BARCODE1",
\r
577 "barcode":"BARCODE2",
\r
582 <callout arearefs="dmCO7-1">
\r
584 Invoke the <literal>json_query</literal> service.
\r
587 <callout arearefs="dmCO7-2">
\r
589 Select the <literal>barcode</literal> field from the <literal>acp</literal> class and the <literal>name</literal>
\r
590 field from the <literal>acpl</literal> class.
\r
593 <callout arearefs="dmCO7-3">
\r
595 Join the <literal>acp</literal> class to the <literal>acpl</literal> class based on the linked field
\r
596 defined in the IDL.
\r
599 <callout arearefs="dmCO7-4">
\r
601 Add a <literal>where</literal> clause to filter the results. We have more than one
\r
602 condition beginning with the same key, so we wrap the conditions inside
\r
606 <callout arearefs="dmCO7-5">
\r
608 The first condition tests whether the boolean value of the <literal>holdable</literal>
\r
609 field on the <literal>acpl</literal> class is true.
\r
612 <callout arearefs="dmCO7-6">
\r
614 The second condition tests whether the boolean value of the
\r
615 <literal>opac_visible</literal> field on the <literal>acpl</literal> class is true.
\r
619 <simpara>For thorough coverage of the breadth of support offered by JSON
\r
620 query syntax, see <ulink url="http://open-ils.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=documentation:technical:jsontutorial">JSON Queries: A Tutorial</ulink>.</simpara>
\r
622 <simplesect id="_fleshing_linked_objects">
\r
623 <title>Fleshing linked objects</title>
\r
624 <simpara>A simplistic approach to retrieving a set of objects that are linked to
\r
625 an object that you are retrieving - for example, a set of call numbers
\r
626 linked to the barcodes that a given user has borrowed - would be to:
\r
627 1. Retrieve the list of circulation objects (<literal>circ</literal> class)
\r
628 for a given user (<literal>usr</literal> class).
\r
629 2. For each circulation object, look up the target copy (<literal>target_copy</literal>
\r
630 field, linked to the <literal>acp</literal> class).
\r
631 3. For each copy, look up the call number for that copy (<literal>call_number</literal>
\r
632 field, linked to the <literal>acn</literal> class).</simpara>
\r
633 <simpara>However, this would result in potentially hundreds of round-trip
\r
634 queries from the client to the server. Even with low-latency connections,
\r
635 the network overhead would be considerable. So, built into the <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal> and
\r
636 <literal>open-ils.pcrud</literal> access methods is the ability to <emphasis>flesh</emphasis> linked fields -
\r
637 that is, rather than return an identifier to a given linked field,
\r
638 the method can return the entire object as part of the initial response.</simpara>
\r
639 <simpara>Most of the interfaces that return class instances from the IDL offer the
\r
640 ability to flesh returned fields. For example, the
\r
641 <literal>open-ils.cstore.direct.\*.retrieve</literal> methods allow you to specify a
\r
642 JSON structure defining the fields you wish to flesh in the returned object.</simpara>
\r
643 <formalpara><title>Fleshing fields in objects returned by <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal></title><para>
\r
644 <programlisting language="sh" linenumbering="unnumbered">
\r
645 srfsh# request open-ils.cstore open-ils.cstore.direct.asset.copy.retrieve 1, \
\r
647 "flesh": 1, <co id="dmCO8-1"/>
\r
648 "flesh_fields": { <co id="dmCO8-2"/>
\r
649 "acp": ["location"]
\r
653 </para></formalpara>
\r
655 <callout arearefs="dmCO8-1">
\r
657 The <literal>flesh</literal> argument is the depth at which objects should be fleshed.
\r
658 For example, to flesh out a field that links to another object that includes
\r
659 a field that links to another object, you would specify a depth of 2.
\r
662 <callout arearefs="dmCO8-2">
\r
664 The <literal>flesh_fields</literal> argument contains a list of objects with the fields
\r
665 to flesh for each object.
\r
669 <simpara>Let’s flesh things a little deeper. In addition to the copy location,
\r
670 let’s also flesh the call number attached to the copy, and then flesh
\r
671 the bibliographic record attached to the call number.</simpara>
\r
672 <formalpara><title>Fleshing fields in fields of objects returned by <literal>open-ils.cstore</literal></title><para>
\r
673 <programlisting language="java" linenumbering="unnumbered">
\r
674 request open-ils.cstore open-ils.cstore.direct.asset.copy.retrieve 1, \
\r
678 "acp": ["location", "call_number"],
\r
683 </para></formalpara>
\r
686 <section id="_adding_an_idl_entry_for_resolverresolver">
\r
687 <title>Adding an IDL entry for ResolverResolver</title>
\r
688 <simpara>Most OpenSRF methods in Evergreen define their object interface in the
\r
689 IDL. Without an entry in the IDL, the prospective caller of a given
\r
690 method is forced to either call the method and inspect the returned
\r
691 contents, or read the source to work out the structure of the JSON
\r
692 payload. At this stage of the tutorial, we have not defined an entry
\r
693 in the IDL to represent the object returned by the
\r
694 <literal>open-ils.resolver.resolve_holdings</literal> method. It is time to complete
\r
695 that task.</simpara>
\r
696 <simpara>The <literal>open-ils.resolver</literal> service is unlike many of the other classes
\r
697 defined in the IDL because its data is not stored in the Evergreen
\r
698 database. Instead, the data is requested from an external Web service
\r
699 and only temporarily cached in <literal>memcached</literal>. Fortunately, the IDL
\r
700 enables us to represent this kind of class by setting the
\r
701 <literal>oils_persist:virtual</literal> class attribute to <literal>true</literal>.</simpara>
\r
702 <simpara>So, let’s add an entry to the IDL for the <literal>open-ils.resolver.resolve_holdings</literal>
\r
704 <programlisting language="xml" linenumbering="unnumbered"></programlisting>
\r
705 <simpara>And let’s make <literal>ResolverResolver.pm</literal> return an array composed of our new
\r
706 <literal>rhr</literal> classes rather than raw JSON objects:</simpara>
\r
707 <programlisting language="perl" linenumbering="unnumbered"></programlisting>
\r
708 <simpara>Once we add the new entry to the IDL and copy the revised <literal>ResolverResolver.pm</literal>
\r
709 Perl module to <literal>/openils/lib/perl5/OpenILS/Application/</literal>, we need to:</simpara>
\r
710 <orderedlist numeration="arabic">
\r
713 Copy the updated IDL to both the <literal>/openils/conf/</literal> and
\r
714 <literal>/openils/var/web/reports/</literal> directories. The Dojo approach to
\r
715 parsing the IDL uses the IDL stored in the reports directory.
\r
720 Restart the Perl services to make the new IDL visible to the services
\r
721 and refresh the <literal>open-ils.resolver</literal> implementation
\r
726 Rerun <filename>/openils/bin/autogen.sh</filename> to regenerate the JavaScript versions<indexterm><primary>autogen</primary></indexterm>
\r
727 of the IDL required by the HTTP translator and gateway.
\r
731 <simpara>We also need to adjust our JavaScript client to use the nifty new<indexterm><primary>JavaScript</primary></indexterm>
\r
732 objects that <literal>open-ils.resolver.resolve_holdings</literal> now returns.
\r
733 The best approach is to use the support in Evergreen’s Dojo extensions<indexterm><primary>Dojo toolkit</primary></indexterm>
\r
734 to generate the JavaScript classes directly from the IDL XML file.</simpara>
\r
735 <formalpara><title>Accessing classes defined in the IDL via Fieldmapper</title><para>
\r
736 <programlisting language="html" linenumbering="unnumbered"></programlisting>
\r
737 </para></formalpara>
\r
739 <callout arearefs="">
\r
741 Load the Dojo core.
\r
744 <callout arearefs="">
\r
746 <literal>fieldmapper.AutoIDL</literal> reads <filename>/openils/var/reports/fm_IDL.xml</filename> to
\r
747 generate a list of class properties.
\r
750 <callout arearefs="">
\r
752 <literal>fieldmapper.dojoData</literal> seems to provide a store for Evergreen data
\r
756 <callout arearefs="">
\r
758 <literal>fieldmapper.Fieldmapper</literal> converts the list of class properties into
\r
762 <callout arearefs="">
\r
764 <literal>fieldmapper.standardRequest</literal> invokes an OpenSRF method and returns
\r
765 an array of objects.
\r
768 <callout arearefs="">
\r
770 The first argument to <literal>fieldmapper.standardRequest</literal> is an array
\r
771 containing the OpenSRF service name and method name.
\r
774 <callout arearefs="">
\r
776 The second argument to <literal>fieldmapper.standardRequest</literal> is an array
\r
777 containing the arguments to pass to the OpenSRF method.
\r
780 <callout arearefs="">
\r
782 As Fieldmapper has instantiated the returned objects based on their
\r
783 class hints, we can invoke getter/setter methods on the objects.
\r