New User Object Model

Describes how user and session objects should be handled by Helma. Implemented.

Separating the user from the session.

Current situation:
The object "user" currently is a mix-up between the session object and the user data stored in the database. This is a proposal for a distinction between these two concepts to achieve a cleaner implementation of Helma's user model. It is aimed to reduce the user object to a standard HopObject and put everything session-related into a separate session object.

The browser session should be represented by a global object "session" without prototype. This session object contains the standard methods of the transient "user" object in the current model (ie. onSince(), lastActive() etc.).

In case of an authenticated session (ie. user is logged in) the corresponding HopObject of prototype user is mapped to a property of "session" called "user" (ie. session.user). In addition, a user's sessions can be accessed using the global function getUserSessions(). The current handler "user" is replaced by "session".

The default URL mapping of the user object to /user and the mapping of the collection of all users to /users become obsolete. Instead, application developers are responsible for an appropriate mapping / mountpoint of the users' collection (eg. /members or /people).

Example:
root's type.properties
members = mountpoint(membermgr)

membermgr's type.properties
_children = collection(user)
_children.foreign = ID
_children.accessName = NAME

http://localhost:8080/members > membermgr/main.hac
http://localhost:8080/members/username > user/main.hac

in main.hac, "this" refers to the HopObject "username" of the user prototype.

countUsers() is obsolete because root.members.size() does the job. Same with getAllUsers() > root.members.list(); ie. replacements by standard HopObject functions.

session
no prototype, global object available to all requests from http

HopObject*  session.user
String    session._id (ie. cookie value)
String    session.message (res.message becomes obsolete)
date    session.onSince()
date    session.lastActive()
void    session.touch()
HopObject*  session.login()
void    session.logout()

HopObject*  registerUser (username, password)
int    countSessions()
session          getSession(sessioncookie)
HopObject*  getUser(username)
user[]    getActiveUsers()
user[]    getRegisteredUsers()
sessions[]  getSessions()
sessions[]  getUserSessions(username | HopObject* [or both?])

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Page last modified on 2002-04-10 16:21 by hns

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