Re: [xwiki-devs] [Proposal] Automatic creation of objects with HTTP parameters

Sometimes it's important to be able to decide if the user wants an existing object by number, an existing object by filter, always a new object, or an existing or new object. So the request needs to be more complex. New special request parameters proposal: withXObject= /= _= _/parsed= An is a transparent string, it can be either a randomly generated string, or a sequence number such as obj42. We define the accepted s, for example: - /action=find | create | findOrCreate | delete - /match=/ (can appear multiple times to filter by multiple properties) - /matchMode=exclusive | and | or (default exclusive) - /select=first | all (default first) - /type= - /updateMode=replace | append (default replace) The new _/parsed syntax allows to set properties based on the generated data, such as the number of a different object created in the same request. This requires a second pass through the parameters after the standard readObjectsFromForm completes. The Velocity context will be populated with the standard API objects ($xwiki, $xcontext, $services, $doc, $tdoc, $request, $response...), plus the objects / attachments named in the request. If /select=all, then a list with the matches is placed in the context. For example: /save/Some/Page?withXObject=xr1 &xr1/action=findOrCreate &xr1/type=XWiki.XWikiRights &xr1/match=users/XWiki.jdoe &xr1/match=allow/1 &xr1_levels=view &xr1_levels=comment &withXObject=xr2 &xr2/action=findOrCreate &xr2/type=XWiki.XWikiRights &xr2/match=users/XWiki.jdoe &xr2/match=allow/0 &xr2_levels=edit ^ This searches for a rights object that specifies allow rights for the user jdoe. If the object exists, it replaces the levels with "view and edit". If it doesn't exist, it creates a new one, fills in the "users" and "allow" properties to the values specified in the match filter, and sets "levels" to "view and edit". Then it searches for a rights object that specifies deny rights for the same user, and updates or creates... Another example: /save/Some/Page?withXObject=comments &comments/action=delete &comments/type=XWiki.XWikiComment &comments/match=author/XWiki.jdoe &comments/match=author/xwiki:XWiki.jdoe &comments/matchMode=or &comments/select=all ^ This searches for all comments posted by jdoe, wiki-prefixed or not, and deletes them. One more: /save/Some/Page?withAttachment=upload1 &upload1/input=file &withXObject=photo1 &photo1/action=create &photo1/type=Media.PhotoClass &photo1_file/parsed=${upload1.filename} &photo1_author=Yousuf Karsh &photo1_date=1957-03-21 &withXObject=meta1 &meta1/action=create &meta1/type=Media.AnnotationClass &meta1_target/parsed=Media.PhotoClass_${photo1.number}/rect(130,92,830,1232) &meta1_comment=The contrast here is fantastic! &meta1_author/parsed=${xcontext.userReference} In one request, this uploads an image, creates a PhotoClass holding information about the attachment, and an annotation for that PhotoClass with a comment. On 04/10/2014 06:00 AM, Jean SIMARD wrote: > Yes, I won't know if it's updated or created. > > Now, using 'XWiki.XWikiRights_users = XWiki.Me' would not be sufficient > for the use case; what happens if you want to create 2 objects > 'XWiki.XWikiRights'? > > Can we imagine to introduce a new notation to explicitly mean that you > want to create a new object, like 'new_XWiki.XWikiRights_0_users' or > 'XWiki.XWikiRights_new_0_users' or 'XWiki.XWikiRights_n0_users'? > > This way, we can filter as following: > * If you try to update an object with 'XWiki.XWikiRights_0_users' and > the object #0 exists, the property is updated (use case already > existing) > * If you try to update an object with 'XWiki.XWikiRights_0_users' and > the object #0 doesn't exist, the parameter has no effect (use case > already existing) > * If you try to create an object with 'new_XWiki.XWikiRights_0_users' > and the object #0 exists, the parameter has no effect > * If you try to create an object with 'new_XWiki.XWikiRights_0_users' > and the object #0 doesn't exist, the object is created and the property > initialized > > Thanks > -- > Jean > > On jeu., 2014-04-10 at 11:59 +0300, Marius Dumitru Florea wrote: >> So if I put XWiki.XWikiRights_56_users on the request and there's no >> rights object what do you do? Create an object with number 0? Create >> an object with number 56? And if you want to add a new object how >> would you know the object number to put on the request so that you >> don't update existing objects instead? >> >> The current behaviour is this: >> >> 1) You ask the system to add a new object (i.e. allocate an object >> number) using the object add action, possibly passing property values >> like this >> >> XWiki.XWikiRights_users = XWiki.Me >> >> 2) You use the allocated number to update the object, passing property >> values like this >> >> XWiki.XWikiRights_N_users = XWiki.Me >> >> where N is the allocated object number. >> >> What you want is to do this in a single step, but you won't >> know/control if the object is added or updated. >> >> Thanks, >> Marius >> >> On Thu, Apr 10, 2014 at 11:36 AM, Jean SIMARD wrote: >>> Hi devs, >>> >>> In XWiki, if you send a POST request at the following URL >>> ('MySpace.MyPage' is a document that doesn't exist at the moment) >>> >>> /bin/save/MySpace/MyPage >>> >>> with the following HTTP parameters: >>> >>> * template=MySpace.MyTemplate >>> * XWiki.XWikiRights_0_users=XWiki.Me >>> * >>> >>> with 'MySpace.MyTemplate' a template document and 'XWiki.Me' a user of >>> the wiki. >>> >>> 2 cases: >>> >>> 1. If 'MySpace.MyTemplate' contains a 'XWiki.XWikiRights' object, then >>> the resulting document 'MySpace.MyPage' will have this object with its >>> property 'users' initialize with the value 'XWiki.Me' (see HTTP >>> parameters) >>> 2. If 'MySpace.MyTemplate' does not contain a 'XWiki.XWikiRights' >>> object, the resulting document 'MySpace.MyPage' will not contain it >>> either >>> >>> ### PROPOSAL >>> Create automatically the objects if they don't exist in the template >>> document. >>> ### >>> >>> To make it possible, it seems that we would need to refactor the method >>> 'readObjectsFromForm(EditForm, XWikiContext)' in the >>> 'com.xpn.xwiki.doc.XWikiDocument' class. And probably modify also the >>> 'getObject(String)' from 'com.xpn.xwiki.web.EditForm' class. >>> >>> 2 things to take care: >>> * It seems there is no unit test for these methods. >>> * May this proposal be a security problem? >>> >>> WDYT? >>> -- >>> Jean >>>