The basic YAZ representation of an OID is an array of integers, terminated with the value -1. The ODR module provides two utility-functions to create and copy this type of data elements:
Odr_oid *odr_getoidbystr(ODR o, char *str);
Creates an OID based on a string-based representation using dots (.) to separate elements in the OID.
Odr_oid *odr_oiddup(ODR odr, Odr_oid *o);
Creates a copy of the OID referenced by the o
parameter.
Both functions take an ODR stream as parameter. This stream is used to
allocate memory for the data elements, which is released on a
subsequent call to odr_reset() on that stream.
The OID module provides a higher-level representation of the family of object identifiers which describe the Z39.50 protocol and its related objects. The definition of the module interface is given in the oid.h file.
The interface is mainly based on the oident structure. The definition of this structure looks like this:
typedef struct oident
{
oid_proto proto;
oid_class oclass;
oid_value value;
int oidsuffix[OID_SIZE];
char *desc;
} oident;
The proto field takes one of the values
PROTO_Z3950
PROTO_GENERAL
Use PROTO_Z3950 for Z39.50 Object Identifers, PROTO_GENERAL for other types (such as those associated with ILL).
The oclass field takes one of the values
CLASS_APPCTX
CLASS_ABSYN
CLASS_ATTSET
CLASS_TRANSYN
CLASS_DIAGSET
CLASS_RECSYN
CLASS_RESFORM
CLASS_ACCFORM
CLASS_EXTSERV
CLASS_USERINFO
CLASS_ELEMSPEC
CLASS_VARSET
CLASS_SCHEMA
CLASS_TAGSET
CLASS_GENERAL
corresponding to the OID classes defined by the Z39.50 standard. Finally, the value field takes one of the values
VAL_APDU
VAL_BER
VAL_BASIC_CTX
VAL_BIB1
VAL_EXP1
VAL_EXT1
VAL_CCL1
VAL_GILS
VAL_WAIS
VAL_STAS
VAL_DIAG1
VAL_ISO2709
VAL_UNIMARC
VAL_INTERMARC
VAL_CCF
VAL_USMARC
VAL_UKMARC
VAL_NORMARC
VAL_LIBRISMARC
VAL_DANMARC
VAL_FINMARC
VAL_MAB
VAL_CANMARC
VAL_SBN
VAL_PICAMARC
VAL_AUSMARC
VAL_IBERMARC
VAL_EXPLAIN
VAL_SUTRS
VAL_OPAC
VAL_SUMMARY
VAL_GRS0
VAL_GRS1
VAL_EXTENDED
VAL_RESOURCE1
VAL_RESOURCE2
VAL_PROMPT1
VAL_DES1
VAL_KRB1
VAL_PRESSET
VAL_PQUERY
VAL_PCQUERY
VAL_ITEMORDER
VAL_DBUPDATE
VAL_EXPORTSPEC
VAL_EXPORTINV
VAL_NONE
VAL_SETM
VAL_SETG
VAL_VAR1
VAL_ESPEC1
again, corresponding to the specific OIDs defined by the standard. Refer to the Registry of Z39.50 Object Identifiers for the whole list.
The desc field contains a brief, mnemonic name for the OID in question.
The function
struct oident *oid_getentbyoid(int *o);
takes as argument an OID, and returns a pointer to a static area containing an oident structure. You typically use this function when you receive a PDU containing an OID, and you wish to branch out depending on the specific OID value.
The function
int *oid_ent_to_oid(struct oident *ent, int *dst);
Takes as argument an oident structure - in which the proto, oclass/, and value fields are assumed to be set correctly - and returns a pointer to a the buffer as given by dst containing the base representation of the corresponding OID. The function returns NULL and the array dst is unchanged if a mapping couldn't place. The array dst should be at least of size OID_SIZE.
The oid_ent_to_oid() function can be used whenever
you need to prepare a PDU containing one or more OIDs. The separation of
the protocol element from the remainder of the
OID-description makes it simple to write applications that can
communicate with either Z39.50 or OSI SR-based applications.
The function
oid_value oid_getvalbyname(const char *name);
takes as argument a mnemonic OID name, and returns the /value field of the first entry in the database that contains the given name in its desc field.
Three utility functions are provided for translating OIDs' symbolic names (e.g. Usmarc into OID structures (int arrays) and strings containing the OID in dotted notation (e.g. 1.2.840.10003.9.5.1). They are:
int *oid_name_to_oid(oid_class oclass, const char *name, int *oid);
char *oid_to_dotstring(const int *oid, char *oidbuf);
char *oid_name_to_dotstring(oid_class oclass, const char *name, char *oidbuf);
oid_name_to_oid() translates the specified symbolic name, interpreted as being of class oclass. (The class must be specified as many symbolic names exist within multiple classes - for example, Zthes is the symbolic name of an attribute set, a schema and a tag-set.) The sequence of integers representing the OID is written into the area oid provided by the caller; it is the caller's responsibility to ensure that this area is large enough to contain the translated OID. As a convenience, the address of the buffer (i.e. the value of oid) is returned.
oid_to_dotstring() Translates the int-array oid into a dotted string which is written into the area oidbuf supplied by the caller; it is the caller's responsibility to ensure that this area is large enough. The address of the buffer is returned.
oid_name_to_dotstring() combines the previous two functions to derive a dotted string representing the OID specified by oclass and name, writing it into the buffer passed as oidbuf and returning its address.
Finally, the module provides the following utility functions, whose meaning should be obvious:
void oid_oidcpy(int *t, int *s);
void oid_oidcat(int *t, int *s);
int oid_oidcmp(int *o1, int *o2);
int oid_oidlen(int *o);
Note: The OID module has been criticized - and perhaps rightly so - for needlessly abstracting the representation of OIDs. Other toolkits use a simple string-representation of OIDs with good results. In practice, we have found the interface comfortable and quick to work with, and it is a simple matter (for what it's worth) to create applications compatible with both ISO SR and Z39.50. Finally, the use of the /oident database is by no means mandatory. You can easily create your own system for representing OIDs, as long as it is compatible with the low-level integer-array representation of the ODR module.