Package net.cnri.do_api

This package provides a high level interface for working with digital objects.

See:
          Description

Class Summary
DataElement This is a high level interface to a data element for a digital object.
DigitalObject This is a high level interface to an arbitrary object in the DNA system.
EntityMap An EntityMap stores a mapping from identifiers to local, human readable names.
Repository This object provides high level access to a digital object repository.
 

Package net.cnri.do_api Description

This package provides a high level interface for working with digital objects. A Repository basically represents a service through which objects can be accessed. A Repository instance represents a connection to a digital object server and enables a client to create, access, delete and verify digital objects. The DigitalObject class provides an interface to interact with a digital object, its elements and attributes. The DataElement class provides the methods needed to access the data element contents and attributes.

Related Documentation

For more information about the Digital Object Architecture and this interface visit the CNRI web site.

Getting Started

To begin using this API you will need the do.jar file which was likely included with this documentation. Make sure this do.jar file is in your classpath within your development environment.

As this API is for client access to digital objects, you will need to have access to a repository or digital object server in which you have been granted rights to create and/or manipulate objects. You can contact sreilly@cnri.reston.va.us in order to obtain access to a development repository or the software to run your own digital object server.

The first step to using the API is to instantiate your authentication information. There are two methods of authenticating your client with the repository system: secret key, and public key. Both methods use the same keys and verification methods as the handle system. The preferred method of authentication uses public keys and is provided by the PKAuthentication class. If you must revert to secret key authentication you can use the SecretKeyAuthentication class. Both are subclasses of DOAuthentication which is required by the Repository class to establish a connection.

Given an instance of DOAuthentication and the identifier for the digital object server you can instantiate a Repository object and use it to create or access objects within that server.