No functionality available to create a team (N)

[afig]

From an earlier version of M3's Wiki page:

• [ ] Add function createTeam to addClassDBRolesMgmtCore.sql
  • Same signature as createStudent, except first parameter is teamName and fullName is optional
  • Call createRole to create server role: no change anticipated to createRole Changes required: see comments below.
  • Grant role ClassDB_Team to the team role
  • Grant instructors privileges to the team's schema: exactly (?) as is done with new student roles
  • No need to set connection limit or statement timeout

[afig]

Functionality has been implemented along with basic tests in branch add-teams-functionality, however a change to createRole() may be needed (see ~Issue #223~ comments below)

[afig]

Having the fullName parameter for the future createTeam() be optional results in a conflict with the current implementation of createRole(). This is because createRole() raises an EXCEPTION if fullName is NULL or empty.

A few possible solutions are:

1. Have createRole() not enforce a non-empty fullName if isTeam is true. This will require it to be ensured that allowing a NULL or empty name does not lead to other issues. The ClassDB Role-Creation Process Diagram will also have to be updated.

2. Make fullName for teams required. Note that it may be slightly confusing for users to be required to enter two names for a team.

3. Leave fullName "optional", but coalesce with teamName before calling createRole().

The first solution is ideal, and is likely not be a huge effort to implement (there would not be any API changes since the behavior only impacts teams, which were not officially supported in 2.0). Solutions 2 and 3 are left as "backups" in the event of time constraints or issues with the first solution. Current development of teams is using solution 3 as a temporary measure so as to not slow down development.

[smurthys]

Option 3 in @afig's list works, but should probably be implemented within function createRole so that function can be evolved later.

To be specific, createRole can use a team's role name as full name if the full name supplied is empty (after trimming) or NULL.

[afig]

I like @smurthys's suggestion about implementing option 3, but in createRole(). This opens up a couple of questions, however:

1. In the event that createRole() does use a role name due to a NULL or empty full name, should a message be raised? What severity (NOTICE or WARNING) should be used? I would side with issuing a NOTICE, but would appreciate other perspectives on why or why not.

2. Should this behavior only apply to teams? I would say yes to maintain backwards compatibility and avoid interface changes.

[smurthys]

Now that @afig mentions the potential of raising a notice, it might be worth going all in:

• Change the check constraint on column RoleBase.FullName to disallow NULL and empty string only for users.
• In function createRole, assert that parameter fullName is non-NULL and non-empty only for users.
• In function createTeam, pass the team's full name on to createRole just as it is received.

I believe these changes should work.

[afig]

Sounds good, thanks for investigating @smurthys. I will make these changes and verify that they are the only ones necessary.