[0.8.1] getting rid of indexBy

[Cassie]

Currently the restful spec has the very strange url parameter called "indexBy". When included the container is supposed to return a map of data where the indexBy is the key into this map.

I think this was originally added to the spec so that appdata could be returned as a map from personId to data. (As opposed to an array of data)

I'd like to propose that we remove this parameter as a general concept and explicitly say that appdata will be returned in map format (where personId is the key) when json is being requested. The json will no longer return an array of data and will not support arbitrary maps. For the xml format we can still have the data returned in a list if we like but it will also only do one format - not multiple. 

- Cassie

ps - Just as a side note, the map format matches the opensocial js apis for app data.

[Chris Chabot]

+1, indexBy can lead to a lot of confusion (what if the indexBy field
isn't an unique key on some containers?) and i don't see the dire need
for it's utility.

[John Panzer]

+1, but this needs spec wording.  Right now the spec claims that AppData is a collection and that collections can have indexBy, this needs to be removed.  And the appdata section needs some additional wording to explain what format it's using :).

John Panzer (http://abstractioneer.org)

[Louis Ryan]

+1 with the concomitant spec clarifications.

[Chris Chabot]

We have 3 +1's on this thread, and no comments indicating that anyone objects so far. So if you have an opinion about this, please contribute your +1 / -1 vote.

-- Chris

[Evan Gilbert]

+1

[Zhen Wang]

+1

[Robert Evans]

+1

[Chris Chabot]

With 6 +1's this proposal has made it, and the thread is closed.

Congrats to all involved!

-- Chris