RepositoryService.describe

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tim-erwin

Hello fellows,

I just recognized the function describe() in the RepositoryService. What can I use it for? I found out that (although "describe" sounds like a writing process) it gives me some more details of the predicate's aspects and associations. E.g.:

Type: 
Name:  {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}content
Desc:  Base Content Object
Title: Content

Aspects: 

Name:  {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}titled
Desc:  Titled
Title: Titled
Properties: 
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}description
   Desc:         Content Description
   Title:        Description
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}mltext
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}title
   Desc:         Content Title
   Title:        Title
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}mltext
   DefaultValue: null

Name:  {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}auditable
Desc:  Auditable
Title: Auditable
Properties: 
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}modifier
   Desc:         Who last modified this item
   Title:        Modifier
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}text
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}modified
   Desc:         When this item as last modified
   Title:        Modified Date
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}datetime
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}creator
   Desc:         Who created this item
   Title:        Creator
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}text
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}accessed
   Desc:         When this item was last accessed 
   Title:        Last Accessed Date
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}datetime
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}created
   Desc:         Created Date
   Title:        Created Date
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}datetime
   DefaultValue: null

Name:  {http://www.alfresco.org/model/system/1.0}referenceable
Desc:  Referenceable
Title: Referenceable
Properties: 
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/system/1.0}node-uuid
   Desc:         Node Identifier
   Title:        Node Identifier
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}text
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/system/1.0}node-dbid
   Desc:         
   Title:        null
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}long
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/system/1.0}store-protocol
   Desc:         Store Protocol
   Title:        Store Protocol
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}text
   DefaultValue: null
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/system/1.0}store-identifier
   Desc:         Store Identifier
   Title:        Store Identifier
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}text
   DefaultValue: null

Name:  {http://www.alfresco.org/model/application/1.0}inlineeditable
Desc:  Inline Editable
Title: Inline Editable
Properties: 
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/application/1.0}editInline
   Desc:         Edit Inline
   Title:        Edit Inline
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}boolean
   DefaultValue: null

Name:  {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}author
Desc:  Author
Title: Author
Properties: 
   {http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0}author
   Desc:         Author
   Title:        Author
   Datatype:     {http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0}text
   DefaultValue: null‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

How can this information be of value to me? I mean: what additional value does it have over get()? It seems it's just giving me the details of the content model or sth.

Many regards,
Tim-Erwin

rwetherall

Hi,

The describe method returns information about the content model definition of the items provided.  This can be used to determine wheter properties and associations can be set on a perticular node.

The get method returns information about a perticular instance of a node, ie the property and association values.

Have a look here for more information about the web service API http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Alfresco_Content_Management_Web_Services

Cheers,
Roy