source: trunk/doc/src/docbook/appendix/incompatible.xml @ 4131

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<appendix id="appendix.incompatible">
  <title>API changes that may affect backwards compatibility</title>
  <para>
    In this document we list all changes to code in the <emphasis>Public API</emphasis>
    that may be backwards incompatible with existing client applications
    and or plug-ins. See <xref linkend="api_overview.public_api" /> for more
    information about what we mean with the <emphasis>Public API</emphasis>
    and backwards compatible.
  </para>
  
  <note>
    <para>
    There is no history for releases prior to BASE 2.2 because
    we did not actively keep track of them. We believe that if such
    changes exists, they are minor and does not affect many plug-ins
    since in those days very few 3rd-party plug-ins existed.
    </para>
  </note>
  
  <sect1 id="appendix.incompatible.2.6">
    <title>BASE 2.6 release</title>
    
    <bridgehead>Feature identification methods</bridgehead>
    <para>
      Array design features can now be identified by three different methods:
      COORDINATES, POSITION and FEATURE_ID. The coordinates method was the
      only one supported earlier. 
    </para>
    
    <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      Client and plug-in code that depends on features having unique COORDINATES 
      may no longer work if used with an array design using a different identification method.
      Code that is, directly or indirectly, using a 
      <classname docapi="net.sf.basedb.core">FeatureBatcher</classname> or 
      <classname docapi="net.sf.basedb.core">RawDataBatcher</classname> are 
      probably affected by this. For example, a raw data importer which 
      doesn't know how to set the position or the feature ID can't import data to
      an array design that is using one of the new identification methods.
      </para>
    </listitem>
    
    <listitem>
      <para>
      The POSITION identification method will require a unqiue position number. 
      This value used to be an auto-generated sequence starting at 1. The other
      identification methods will still do that, but when using the POSITION identification
      method the only requirement is that the position value is a unique positive integer. 
      Client or plug-in code that depends on the position beeing a number between
      1 and the number of features may fail if used with an array design using 
      the POSITION identification method.
      </para>
    </listitem>   
    </itemizedlist>
    
    <bridgehead>Data file types</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The <methodname>DataFileType.setValidatorClass()</methodname> and
      <methodname>DataFileType.setMetadataReaderClass()</methodname> no longer
      verifies that the specified class names exists and implements the required interfaces.
      This validation will instead happen at commit time. The reason for this change is
      the added support for having the validator/meta data reader in external JAR files.
      This means that the validation can't happen until both the class names and JAR paths
      has been set. If a client application need validation before commit time it should use
      <methodname>DataFileType.getValidator()</methodname> and 
      <methodname>DataFileType.getMetadataReader()</methodname> after the class names and JAR
      paths has been set.
    </para>

    <bridgehead>Job.Status.ABORTING</bridgehead>
    <para>
      Added the <constant>ABORTING</constant> option to the <classname>Job.Status</classname>
      enumeration. This option is used when the <constant>ABORT</constant> signal has been 
      sent to an executing job, but the job has not yet responded to it.
      Code that uses the job's status to decide what action to take may fail
      since this is a new option. In most cases, it should be handled in the same way
      as if the job is <constant>EXECUTING</constant>.
    </para>
    
    <bridgehead>Hybridization to Labeled extracts link</bridgehead>
    <para>
      This link can now hold information about which sub-array a labeled
      extract belongs to on a multi-array hybridization. Code that is
      unaware of the concept of sub-arrays may find hybridizations 
      where the number of labeled extracts doesn't match the number
      channels in the platform used, and that more than one labeled
      extract has the same label. This was previously considered as
      an error condition by the experiment validator. With the
      new scheme the validation has to be done on a sub-array basis instead
      of on the complete hybridization.
    </para>
    
    <para>
      A similar issue arises when inheriting annotations to a raw bioassay
      which stems from a specific sub-array on a mutli-array hybridization.
      This raw bioassay should only inherit annotations from the labeled
      extracts that are part of the same sub-array. For API compatibility
      reasons the <methodname>Hybridization.getAnnotatableParents()</methodname>
      will still return <emphasis>all</emphasis> labeled extracts. Code
      that is calling this method in order to find the parents to
      a raw bioassay should instead call the new method,
      <methodname>Hybridizations.getAnnotatableParents(int)</methodname>,
      where the <code>int</code> is the sub-array index value for
      the raw bioassay.
    </para>
    
  </sect1>  
  
  <sect1 id="appendix.incompatible.2.5">
    <title>BASE 2.5 release</title>
    
    <bridgehead>Raw data types</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The <sgmltag class="attribute">storage</sgmltag> attribute of the
      <sgmltag class="starttag">raw-data-type</sgmltag> has been deprecated
      for the <filename>raw-data-types.xml</filename> file. BASE will refuse
      to start if it finds this attribute. Raw data types which doesn't use
      the database for storing data should be registered as <classname docapi="net.sf.basedb.core">Platform</classname>:s
      instead.
    </para>
    
    <para>
      Applications or plug-ins that filters on the <property>rawDataType</property>
      property for <classname docapi="net.sf.basedb.core">RawBioAssay</classname> or <classname docapi="net.sf.basedb.core">Experiment</classname>
      may need to change. The ID given to raw data types that doesn't use the
      database for storing data are prefixed with "<constant>platform.</constant>".
      The ID for the Affymetrix platform has changed from <constant>affymetrix</constant>
      to <constant>platform.affymetrix</constant>.
    </para>
    
    <bridgehead>Raw bioassays</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The property <property>spots</property> which used to hold the number
      of spots in the database OR in the file(s) has been split into two
      properties:
    </para>
    <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      <property>spots</property>: Now only holds the number of database spots
      </para>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      <property>numFileSpots</property>: Holds the number of spots that are stored in files
      </para>
    </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
    
    <para>
      Applications or plug-ins that filters on the <property>spots</property> property
      may no longer work as expected for file-only platforms, since this value is now
      always 0. They should use the <property>numFileSpots</property> property instead.
    </para>
    
    <bridgehead>Array designs</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The <methodname>ArrayDesign.isAffyChip()</methodname> method has
      been deprecated. Applications or plug-ins that filter on the <property>affyChip</property>
      property may no longer work as expected. The applications should
      instead filter on the <property>platform.externalId</property> and
      look for the value given by the constant <constant>Platform.AFFYMETRIX</constant>.
    </para>
    
    <programlisting language="java">
// This may no longer work
query.restrict(
   Restrictions.eq(
      Hql.property("affyChip"), 
      Expressions.parameter("affyChip", true, Type.BOOLEAN)
   )
);

// Use this instead
query.restrict(
   Restrictions.eq(
      Hql.property("platform.externalId"), 
      Expressions.string(Platform.AFFYMETRIX)
   )
);
</programlisting>
    
    
  </sect1>
  
  <sect1 id="appendix.incompatible.2.4">
    <title>BASE 2.4 release</title>
    
    <bridgehead>Plug-in API</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The <methodname>InteractivePlugin.isInContext()</methodname>
      method may now throw exceptions to indicate error-level
      messages. Messages that are returned by the method are
      considered as a warning message and are by default no longer
      shown to the users. 
      See <xref linkend="plugin_developer.api.interfaces.interactive" />
      and <xref linkend="webclient.configuration.preferences.plugins" />.
    </para>
    
    <bridgehead>Custom JSP pages for plug-ins</bridgehead>
    <para>
      Plug-ins using custom JSP pages for parameter input are recommended
      to pass along the <varname>requestId</varname> parameter. The parameter
      is optional, but if used it will prevent data from two different
      plug-ins configurations to get mixed up. See 
      <xref linkend="plugin_developer.api.jspparameters" />.
    </para>
    
    <bridgehead>JEP parser</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The <methodname>Jep.nodeToExpression()</methodname>
      and <methodname>Jep.nodeToString()</methodname> methods
      return <constant>NULL</constant> if they find an unqouted
      <constant>NULL</constant> string in the expression. This
      allows JEP to convert expressions like <code>ch(1) == NULL</code>
      into a Query API expression testing for null. To get the
      old behaviour use <code>ch(1) == 'NULL'</code>.
    </para>
    
    <bridgehead>Parsing strings into numeric values</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The <methodname>Type.parseString(String)</methodname> method for 
      <constant>Type.FLOAT</constant> and <constant>Type.DOUBLE</constant>
      has changed it's behaviour for <constant>NaN</constant>
      and <constant>Infinity</constant> values. The methods used to
      return <constant>Float.NaN</constant>, <constant>Float.NEGATIVE_INFINITY</constant>,
      <constant>Float.POSITIVE_INFINITY</constant> or the corresponding
      <classname>Double</classname> values. Since databases doesn't like
      these special values and eventually most values will go into the database,
      the <methodname>parseString</methodname> method now returns <constant>null</constant> 
      instead.
    </para>
    
    <bridgehead>Extended properties and raw data types</bridgehead>
    <para>
      We have added validation code to check for invalid values. If you
      have modified the <filename>extended-properties.xml</filename>
      or the <filename>raw-data-types.xml</filename> file and they
      contain invalid values, you may not be able to start BASE until 
      they are fixed. The validation is rather strict and things that may
      have worked before (because you were lucky or the because the database
      has been forgiving) may no longer work. Here is an overview of the most
      important validation rules:
    </para>
    
    <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      Names and identifiers for extended properties and raw data type
      can only contain letters, digits and underscores. They must not
      start with a digit.
      </para>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      Names of database tables and columns can only contain letters, 
      digits and underscores. They must not start with a digit.
      </para>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      There mustn't be any duplicate tables, columns, properties, etc.
      for a given context. For example, no duplicate tables in the
      database, no duplicate columns in a table, and no duplicate
      properties for a raw data type.
      </para>
    </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
    
  </sect1>
  
  <sect1 id="appendix.incompatible.2.3">
    <title>BASE 2.3 release</title>
    
    <bridgehead>FlatFileParser</bridgehead>
    <para>
      The <methodname>hasMoreData()</methodname> method has changed the 
      order of checks made to determine the line type. The checks are
      now made in the following order:
      
      <orderedlist>
      <listitem>
        <para>
        Check if the line should be ignored.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
        Check if the line is a data footer.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
        Check if the line is the start of a new section.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
        Check if the line is a data line.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      </orderedlist>
      The data line check has been moved to the last since it was difficult
      to create settings that made sure section and data footer lines where
      matched correctly.
    </para>

    <bridgehead>BASE 1 Plug-in executer</bridgehead>
    
    <para>
      Changed to store information about plug-in parameters as XML in the
      database instead of in the orignal BASE 1 plug-in definition file.
      Existing BASE 1 plug-ins must be re-configured before they can be 
      used. To do this:
    </para>
    
    <orderedlist>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      Go to 
      <menuchoice>
        <guimenu>Administrate</guimenu>
        <guisubmenu>Plugins</guisubmenu>
        <guimenuitem>Configurations</guimenuitem>
      </menuchoice>
      </para>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
      Step through the configuration wizard for all BASE 1 plug-in
      configurations. You do not need to change any parameters. 
      Just click on the <guibutton>Next</guibutton> button
      until the configuration is complete.
      </para>
    </listitem>
    </orderedlist>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="appendix.incompatible.2.2">
    <title>BASE 2.2 release</title>
    
    <bridgehead>BASE 1 Plug-in executer</bridgehead>
    
    <para>
      No longer provides a default mapping between BASE 1 and BASE 2
      raw data columns. To solve this add a <guilabel>Formula</guilabel>
      item with the same name as the BASE 1 column name and an expression
      that picks the BASE 2 raw data property. For example:
    </para>
    
<literallayout>
<guilabel>Name</guilabel>          BCh1Mean
<guilabel>Type</guilabel>          Column expression
<guilabel>Raw data type</guilabel> GenePix
<guilabel>Channels</guilabel>      2
<guilabel>Expressions</guilabel>   1: raw('ch1BgMean')
</literallayout>

  </sect1>

</appendix>