[feature request] list collection trees

[line-o]

It could be useful to have methods that list entire collection subtrees.

Even nicer would be, if the API would provide a method similar to the ls command line tool.

• filter entries by glob patterns
• sort by size, age, name

[reinhapa]

@line-o how would the API look like? Any suggestions on how to use it within code?

[line-o]

As noted by @adamretter in Slack it would be beneficial to limit network requests for remote databases. Therefore, there should be exactly one request that will gather all accessible resources and collections (recursively). Your idea of using an interface like FileWalker might not allow that.

In other words we need to limit the capabilities to a set of options that can be set at the initial request that will then tell the remote database which resources it needs to provide.

Sorting can then be done on the client - the code that will handle the list of resources.

[line-o]

I am unsure in which Class this kind of method would fit best. How about a new method in Collection

List<String> list(Map options) throws XMLDBException;

[line-o]

With options including

• depth (how many levels deep to traverse down)
• include (list of glob patterns, only resources and collections that match at least one pattern are returned)
• exclude (list of glob patterns, only resources that match none of the patterns are returned)
• type (one of Collection, Resource, BinaryResource, XmlResource; only items of that type are returned)

[reinhapa]

I will give it a taught, maybe something like the nio walk file tree could be an option...