source: doc/API

C++ API

(see bottom for notes on C, Perl, Python and Java)

ABAC::abac_chunk_t
   Structure, represents a blob of memory
   used to load/return Identity credentials and Attribute certificates
     -unsigned char *data
     -int len

ABAC::Context
    An ABAC Context

   Context()
     default constructor
     (C:abac_context_new)

   Context(const Context &)
     copy constructor, used for cloning the context
     (C:abac_context_dup)

   ~Context()
     default destructor
     (C:abac_context_free)

   int load_id_file(char *)
     load identity certificate from an id file
     (C:abac_context_load_id_file)

   int load_id_chunk(abac_chunk_t)
     load id certificate from an chunk
     (C:abac_context_load_id_chunk)

   int load_id_id(ID&)
     load id certificate from an existing ID
     (C:abac_context_load_id_id)

   int load_attribute_file(char *)
     load attribute certificate from an id file. 
     (C:abac_context_load_attribute_file)

   int load_attribute_chunk(abac_chunk_t)
     load attribute certificate from an chunk
     (C:abac_context_load_attribute_chunk)

   returns : 
        ABAC_CERT_SUCCESS   successfully loaded
        ABAC_CERT_INVALID   invalid certificate (or file not found)
        ABAC_CERT_BAD_SIG   invalid signature

   void load_directory(char *)
     load a directory full of certificates:

        first: ${path}/NAME_ID.{der,pem} as identity certificates
               implicitly looking for ${path}/NAME_private.{der,pem} as
               the private key file
        last: ${path}/NAME_attr.xml as attribute certificates
      (C:abac_context_load_directory)

   std::vector<Credential> query(char *, char *, bool &)
     run the query:
        role <-?- principal
     returns true/false in success
     returns a proof upon success, partial proof on failure
     (C:abac_context_query)
     (C::abac_free_credentials_free)

   std::vector<Credential> credentials(bool &)
     returns a vector of all the credentials loaded in the context
     (C:abac_context_credentials)
     (C::abac_context_credentials_free)

   void set_nickname(char *key, char *nick)
     Set the nickname (value printed) for keyid.  The substitution is made 
     in Role::short_string(Context) and when bake(Context) is called on a new
     attribute.
     (C:abac_context_set_nickname)

ABAC::Role
   A Role, most calls are rarely used outside the library 

   Role()
     default constructor, do not use, for swig only

   Role(abac_role_t*)
     copy constructor, used for cloning an Role
     (C:abac_role_dup)

   Role(char *)
     instantiate a role from a string
     (C:abac_role_from_string)

   Role(const Role &)
     copy constructor, used for cloning an Role
     (C:abac_role_dup)

   ~Role()
     default destructor
     (C:abac_role_free)

   bool is_principal()
     (C:abac_role_is_principal)

   bool is_role()
     (C:abac_role_is_role)

   bool is_linking()
     (C:abac_role_is_linking)
     indicates the type of role encoded

   char* string()
     string representation of the role
     (C:abac_role_string)

   char* short_string()
     string representation of the role
     (C:abac_role_short_string)

   char* linked_role()
     the linked role of a linking role
     i.e., A.r1.r2, linked_role() returns A.r1
     (C:abac_role_linked_role)

   char* role_name()
     the role name of any role (the part after the last dot)
     (C:abac_role_role_name)

   char* principal()
     the principal part of any role
     (C:abac_role_principal)

ABAC::Credential
   This is never instantiated directly. These will only ever be
   returned as a result of calls to Context::query or
   Context::credentials.

   Credential()
     default constructor, do not use, for swig only

   Credential(abac_credential_t*)
     copy constructor, used for cloning a credential
     (C:abac_credential_head)
     (C:abac_credential_tail)
     (C:abac_credential_dup)

   Credential(const Credential&)
     copy constructor, used for cloning a credential
     (C:abac_credential_head)
     (C:abac_credential_tail)
     (C:abac_credential_dup)

   ~Credential()
     default destructor
     (C:abac_credential_free)

   Role &head()
     returns the head of the credential

   Role &tail()
     returns the tail of the credential

   abac_chunk_t attribute_cert()
     returns the attribute certificate in chunk, suitable for
     transmission over the network or storage in a file
     (C:abac_credential_attribute_cert)

   abac_chunk_t issuer_cert()
     returns the issuer certificate in chunk, again suitable for
     network transmission or file storage
     (C:abac_credential_issuer_cert)

ABAC::ID
   An ID holds a principal credential. It maybe imported from an existing
   ID credential via external files, constructed from a streaming chunk,
   or instantiated on the fly

   ID()
     default constructor, do not use, for swig only

   ID(const ID &)
     copy constructor, used for cloning an ID
     (C:abac_id_dup)

   ~ID()
     default destructor
     (C:abac_id_free)

   ID(char *)
     load an ID certificate from a file, will throw an exception
     if the certificate cannot be loaded
     (C:abac_id_from_file)

   ID_chunk(abac_chunk_t chunk)
     create an ID certificate from an certificate chunk, will
     throw an exception if the certificate cannot be loaded
     (C:abac_id_from_chunk)

   ID(char *,int)
     generates a new ID(cert&key) with the supplied CN and validity period
     - CN must be alphanumeric and begin with a letter
     - validity must be at least one second
     will throw an exception if either of the above is violated
     (C:abac_id_generate)

   void load_privkey(char *)
     loads the private key associated with the ID credential,
     will throw an exception if the key cannot be loaded
     (C:abac_id_privkey_from_file)

   void load_privkey_chunk(abac_chunk_t)
     loads the private key associated with the ID credential,
     will throw an exception if the key cannot be loaded
     (C:abac_id_privkey_from_chunk)

   int has_privkey()
     check to see if there is a privkey in this ID
     (C:abac_id_has_privkey)

   char *keyid()
     returns the SHA1 keyid of the id cert
     (C:abac_id_keyid)

   char *cn()
     returns the cn of the id cert
     (C:abac_id_cn)

   char *cert_filename()
     returns the default libabac filename for the cert. 
     value must be freed by caller.
     (C:abac_id_cert_filename)

   void write_cert(FILE *)
     writes a PEM-encoded certificate to a file handle
     (C:abac_id_write_cert)

   void write_cert(string &)
     writes a PEM-encoded certificate to a file named in string

   void write_cert_file(const char *)
     writes a PEM-encoded certificate to a file

   void write_cert_name(const char *)
     writes a PEM-encoded certificate to a file
     (added to support original libcreddy users)

   char *privkey_filename()
     returns the default libabac filename for the private key. 
     value must be freed by caller.
     (C:abac_id_privkey_filename)

   void write_privkey(FILE *)
     write the private key to a file handle
     throws a std::logic_error if no private key is loaded
     (C:abac_id_write_privkey)

   void write_privkey(string &)
     writes a private key to file named in string

   void write_privkey_file(const char *)
     writes a private key to a file

   void write_privkey_name(const char *)
     writes a private key to a file
     (added to support original libcreddy users)

   abac_chunk_t cert_chunk()
     returns a DER-encoded binary representation of the X.509 ID cert
     associated with this ID.
     can be passed to libabac's Context::load_id_chunk()
     (C:abac_id_cert_chunk)

   abac_chunk_t privkey_chunk()
     returns a PEM-encoded binary representation of the private key
     associated with this ID.
     (C:abac_id_privkey_chunk)

ABAC::Attribute
   This is the attribute representation for the access policy rule
       LHS <- RHS
   The sequence of generation is to
       first, instantiate the object, ie, LHS (head)
       second, adding subject(s) to it, ie, RHS (tail)
       and then baking it.
   Only once it's baked can you access the X.509 cert.
   Once it's been baked you can no longer add subjects to it

   Attribute()
     default constructor, do not use, for swig only

   ~Attribute()
     default destructor
     (C:abac_attribute_free)

   Attribute(ID&, char*,int)
     constructor that creates an attribute policy to be signed by the issuer
     with the given role with a specified validity period
     An exception will be thrown if:
       - the issuer has no private key
       - the Head role is invalid
       - the validity period is invalid (must be >= 0 second)
       - The issuer is invalid
     (C:abac_attribute_create)

   bool principal(char *keyid) 
     {keyid}
     validate the principal and insert into the attribute
     throw a std::logic_error if the cert's been baked and keyid bad
     (C:abac_attribute_principal)

  bool role(char *keyid, char *role)
     {keyid.role}
     validate the principal and role and insert into the attribute
     throw a std::logic_error if the cert's been baked and keyid bad
     (C:abac_attribute_role)

  bool linking_role(char *keyid, char *role, char *linked)
     {keyid.linked.role}
     validate the role and linking role and insert into the attribute
     throw a std::logic_error if the cert's been baked and keyid bad
     (C:abac_attribute_linking_role)

   bool bake()
     Generate the cert. Call this after you've added subjects to your cert.
     This returns false if there are no subjects
     This will throw an exception if the cert's already been baked.
     (C:abac_attribute_bake)

   bool bake(Context c)
     Generate the cert. Call this after you've added subjects to your cert.
     This returns false if there are no subjects
     This will throw an exception if the cert's already been baked.
     This version annotated the baked credential with any mnemonic names in the
     context.
     (C:abac_attribute_bake_context)

   bool baked()
     returns true iff the certificate has been baked.
     (C:abac_attribute_baked)

   set_output_format(char *fmt)
     {fmt}
     Set the attribute's output format.  Valid choices are GENIv1.0 and
     GENIV1.1.  Default is GENIv1.1.

   get_output_format(char *fmt)
     Get the attribute's output format.  Do not delete the string/

   void write(FILE *)
     write an attribute certificate in XML to an open file handle
     Throws an exception if the certificate isn't baked
     (C:abac_attribute_write)

   void write(const string&)
     write an attribute certificate in XML to file named in string

   void write_file(const char *)
     write an attribute certificate in XML to file

   void write_name(const char *)
     write an attribute certificate in XML to file
     (added to support original libcreddy users)

   abac_chunk_t cert_chunk()
     returns a XML structure of the attribute certificate in a abac_chunk_t
     Throws an exception if the certificate isn't baked
     the chunk can be passed to libabac's Context::load_attribute_chunk()
     (C:abac_attribute_cert_chunk)
C API

The C API is nearly identical to the C++ API. Due to lack of namespaces,
all function names are preceeded by abac_. Furthermore, the parameter
representing the object must be passed explicitly. Each of the C++ calls
are appended with a matching C routine call. The C function declaration 
can be found in abac.h

Examples:

    C++:    head.role_name()
    C:      abac_role_name(head)
    or 
    C++:    ctxt.load_attribute_file("test_attr.der")
    C:      abac_context_load_attribute_file(ctxt, "test_attr.der")

Instead of copy constructors, the C API uses _dup.  Therefore,
to copy a role use abac_role_dup(m_role), 
to copy a context use abac_context_dup(m_ctxt),
to copy a ID use abac_id_dup(m_id) 
and to copy an attribute use abac_attribute_dup(m_attr)

abac_context_query() and abac_context_credentials() return
NULL-terminated arrays of Credential objects (abac_credential_t * in C).
When you are done with them, you must free the whole array at once using
abac_context_credentials_free().

PERL, PYTHON AND JAVA API

The Perl, Python and Java APIs are even more similar to the C++ API. The main
changes are the use of native types instead of C/C++ types.

    - native strings instead of char *

    Java:
        - String instead of char * 
        - Context::query returns a vector of Credentials:
            credentials = ctxt.query(role, principal)
            success if credentials' size is > 0

    Perl:
        - arrayref instead of vector
        - string instead of chunk_t
        - Context::query returns a list of two elements:
            my ($success, $credentials) = $ctxt->query($role, $principal)
            $success is a boolean
            $credentials is an arrayref of Credential objects

    Python:
        - tuple instead of vector
        - bytearray instead of chunk_t (>= 2.6)
        - string instead of chunk_t (< 2.6)
        - Context::query returns a tuple with two elements:
            (success, credentials) = ctxt.query(role, principal)
            success is a boolean
            credentials is a tuple of Credential objects