Merge pull request #6 from Language-Research-Technology/refactor-rocrate-file

feat!: separate file access from entity endpoints and add RO-Crate metadata endpoint

Author: johnf

docs/getting-started/authorization.md

@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@ is accessible and redirect to enrollment URLs when access is restricted.
 
 ## Access Property Structure
 
-Each entity in the API includes an `access` object with the following
-structure:
+The API uses an `access` property to communicate access permissions. The structure differs between **Entities** and **Files**:
+
+### Entity Access Structure
+
+Entities (Collections, Objects, and MediaObjects) include both metadata and content access controls:
 
 ```json
 {
@@ -26,19 +29,33 @@ structure:
 }
 ```
 
-### Required Fields
+**Required Fields:**
+- **`metadata`** (boolean): Whether the current user has access to view the entity's metadata
+- **`content`** (boolean): Whether the current user has access to download or view the entity's content files
+
+**Optional Fields:**
+- **`metadataAuthorizationUrl`** (string): URL where users can request access to metadata when `metadata` is `false`
+- **`contentAuthorizationUrl`** (string): URL where users can request access to content when `content` is `false`
+
+### File Access Structure
+
+Files (accessed via `/files` endpoints) only include content access controls, as file metadata is always accessible:
+
+```json
+{
+  "access": {
+    "content": true
+  }
+}
+```
 
-- **`metadata`** (boolean): Whether the current user has access to view the
-entity's metadata
-- **`content`** (boolean): Whether the current user has access to download or
-view the entity's content files
+**Required Fields:**
+- **`content`** (boolean): Whether the current user has access to download the file
 
-### Optional Fields
+**Optional Fields:**
+- **`contentAuthorizationUrl`** (string): URL where users can request access to content when `content` is `false`
 
-- **`metadataAuthorizationUrl`** (string): URL where users can request access
-to metadata when `metadata` is `false`
-- **`contentAuthorizationUrl`** (string): URL where users can request access to
-content when `content` is `false`
+**Note:** All examples in the sections below demonstrate Entity access patterns. For Files, only the content-related fields apply
 
 ## Authorization Rules
 

docs/getting-started/overview.md

@@ -99,6 +99,47 @@ curl -X POST https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/search \
   }'
 ```
 
+### Get RO-Crate Metadata
+
+Retrieve the raw RO-Crate JSON-LD metadata for any entity:
+
+```bash
+curl https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entity/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001/crate
+```
+
+This returns the complete RO-Crate metadata conforming to the RO-Crate specification.
+
+### List Files
+
+List all files in the repository:
+
+```bash
+curl https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/files
+```
+
+You can filter files by memberOf to show files attached to a specific entity:
+
+```bash
+curl https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/files?memberOf=https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001
+```
+
+**Note**: The `/files` endpoint returns files from the repository's file system. Not all files are represented as RO-Crate entities. To list MediaObject entities (files that are part of the RO-Crate), use `/entities?entityType=http://schema.org/MediaObject`.
+
+### Access File Content
+
+For MediaObject entities, you can directly access the file content:
+
+```bash
+curl https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/file/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001%2Ffile.wav
+```
+
+This endpoint supports:
+
+- Content disposition (inline or attachment)
+- Custom filenames
+- HTTP range requests for partial content
+- Redirects to file storage locations
+
 ## Understanding Responses
 
 ### Success Responses

docs/getting-started/use-cases.md

@@ -96,31 +96,116 @@ curl -X POST https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/search \
   }'
 ```
 
-## 3. Downloading Files from Entities
+## 3. Retrieving RO-Crate Metadata
 
-### Getting File Information
+### Get Complete RO-Crate JSON-LD
 
-First, get entity details to see available files:
+Access the raw RO-Crate metadata for any entity:
 
 ```bash
-curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entity/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001"
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entity/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001/crate"
 ```
 
-### Downloading Files
+**Response:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "@context": "https://w3id.org/ro/crate/1.1/context",
+  "@graph": [
+    {
+      "@id": "ro-crate-metadata.json",
+      "@type": "CreativeWork",
+      "conformsTo": {
+        "@id": "https://w3id.org/ro/crate/1.1"
+      },
+      "about": {
+        "@id": "./"
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "@id": "./",
+      "@type": "Dataset",
+      "name": "Recordings of West Alor languages",
+      "description": "A compilation of recordings featuring various West Alor languages"
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+This is useful for:
+
+- Validating RO-Crate compliance
+- Accessing extended metadata not exposed in the entity API
+- Archival and preservation workflows
+- Integration with RO-Crate tools
 
-Download a specific file:
+## 4. Working with Files
+
+### Understanding Entities vs Files
+
+The API provides two ways to work with files:
+
+- **`/entities`** - Returns RO-Crate entities including MediaObjects (files that are part of the RO-Crate metadata)
+- **`/files`** - Returns files from the repository's file system
+
+**Important**: Not all files are represented as RO-Crate entities. MediaObject entities are typically a subset of all files in the repository.
+
+### Listing Files from the File System
+
+List all files in the repository:
 
 ```bash
-# Direct download
-wget "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entity/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001/file/recording.wav"
+# List all files
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/files"
+
+# List files attached to a specific entity
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/files?memberOf=https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001"
+
+# Paginate through files
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/files?limit=50&offset=0"
 ```
 
-### Getting Download URLs
+### Listing MediaObject Entities
 
-Instead of direct download, get the file location:
+List files that are part of the RO-Crate:
 
 ```bash
-curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entity/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001/file/recording.wav?noRedirect=true"
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entities?entityType=http://schema.org/MediaObject"
+```
+
+MediaObject entities include a `fileId` field that references the file in the `/files` endpoint:
+
+```json
+{
+  "id": "https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/LRB/001/recording.wav",
+  "name": "recording.wav",
+  "entityType": "http://schema.org/MediaObject",
+  "fileId": "https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/LRB/001/recording.wav",
+  ...
+}
+```
+
+### Accessing File Content
+
+```bash
+# Direct file download
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/file/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001%2Frecording.wav" -o recording.wav
+```
+
+### Download as Attachment
+
+Force download with a custom filename:
+
+```bash
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/file/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001%2Frecording.wav?disposition=attachment&filename=my-recording.wav"
+```
+
+### Getting File Location
+
+Get the file location without downloading:
+
+```bash
+curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/file/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001%2Frecording.wav?noRedirect=true"
 ```
 
 **Response:**
@@ -131,22 +216,32 @@ curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entity/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.a
 }
 ```
 
-## 4. Paginating Through Large Result Sets
+### Partial Content Download
+
+Use HTTP range requests for streaming or resuming downloads:
+
+```bash
+# Download first 1KB
+curl -H "Range: bytes=0-1023" \
+  "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/file/https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.paradisec.org.au%2Frepository%2FLRB%2F001%2Frecording.wav"
+```
+
+## 5. Paginating Through Large Result Sets
 
 ### Basic Pagination
 
 ```bash
 # First page
 curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entities?limit=100&offset=0"
 
-# Second page  
+# Second page
 curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entities?limit=100&offset=100"
 
 # Third page
 curl "https://data.ldaca.edu.au/api/entities?limit=100&offset=200"
 ```
 
-## 5. Working with Communication Modes
+## 6. Working with Communication Modes
 
 Language archives often categorise data by communication mode:
 

docs/intro.md

@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ engines.
 ### 📊 **Rich Metadata**
 
 - Complete RO-Crate entity information
-- Hierarchical collection browsing
+- Hierarchical collection browsing (Collections, Objects, and MediaObjects)
+- Access to raw RO-Crate metadata
 - File access and download
 - Conformance to LDAC profiles
 
@@ -78,9 +79,11 @@ The RO-Crate API is already in use by several major research data repositories:
 ### Entity Management
 
 - List entities with filtering and pagination
-- Retrieve detailed entity information
+- List files with filtering and pagination
+- Retrieve detailed entity information for Collections, Objects, and MediaObjects
 - Navigate collection hierarchies
-- Access files and media
+- Access file content directly
+- Retrieve raw RO-Crate JSON-LD metadata
 
 ### Advanced Search
 
@@ -97,6 +100,30 @@ The RO-Crate API is already in use by several major research data repositories:
 - Configurable content disposition
 - Location-based redirects for distributed storage
 
+## Understanding Entities vs Files
+
+The API provides two complementary ways to access content:
+
+### `/entities` Endpoints
+
+The `/entities` endpoints return RO-Crate entities, which can be:
+- **Collections** - Groups of related items
+- **Objects** - Individual items that may contain files
+- **MediaObjects** - Individual files that are part of the RO-Crate
+
+MediaObject entities include a `fileId` field that can be used with the `/files` endpoints.
+
+### `/files` Endpoints
+
+The `/files` endpoints return files from the repository's file system.
+
+**Important**: In a repository, not all files are necessarily represented as file entities in an RO-Crate. Therefore:
+- MediaObject entities will typically be a **subset** of all files
+- Some files may be accessible via `/files` but not appear in `/entities`
+- Files that are part of the RO-Crate metadata will have corresponding MediaObject entities
+
+Use `/entities` when you need RO-Crate metadata about files, and `/files` when you need to browse or access the repository's file system directly.
+
 ## Getting Started
 
 Choose your path based on your needs: