1 Reply Latest reply on Oct 19, 2005 2:27 PM by silviu.marcu

    Entity inheritance

    hypnotik

      I have the following entities:

      package hr.ursic.timesheet.entity;
      
      
      import java.util.*;
      import javax.persistence.*;
      
      /**
       * The Charge entity is an abstract superclass for WorkCharge and ExpenseCharge entities.
       * It is abstract as charges must be either work charges or expense charges and can't be
       * instantiated as generic charges.
       * A JOINED inheritance strategy is used so that a table for Charge entity stores common
       * fields for both work and expense charges while their specific fields are stored in tables
       * specific for WorkCharge and ExpenseCharge entities.
       * Each charge belongs to a single Employee entity and this relationship is specified on
       * the Charge entity. This relationship is Many-To-One.
       *
       */
      
      @Entity
      @Table(name="charge")
      @Inheritance(strategy=InheritanceType.JOINED)
      public abstract class Charge {
      
       // properties
       protected Long id;
       protected Date date;
      
       // relations
       protected Employee employee;
       protected Project project;
      
      
       // accessor methods for charge id
       @Id (generate=GeneratorType.AUTO)
       @Column (name="id")
       public Long getId(){
       return id;
       }
       public void setId(Long id){
       this.id = id;
       }
      
       // accessor methods for charge date
       @Column (name="charge_date")
       public Date getDate(){
       return date;
       }
       public void setDate(Date date){
       this.date = date;
       }
      
       // accessor methods for employee
       @ManyToOne
       @JoinColumn (name="employee")
       public Employee getEmployee(){
       return employee;
       }
       public void setEmployee(Employee employee){
       this.employee = employee;
       }
      }
      

      package hr.ursic.timesheet.entity;
      
      import hr.ursic.timesheetEJB.WorkChargeDetail;
      
      import javax.persistence.*;
      
      /**
       * WorkCharge is a concrete subclass of Charge entity and represents work charges. Since
       * JOINED inheritance strategy is used, a table for WorkCharge entity will hold only fields
       * specific for work charges. The common fields are stored in Charge entity table.
       *
       *
       */
      
      
      @Entity
      @Table(name="work_charge")
      public class WorkCharge extends Charge {
      
       // properties
       private Double time;
      
       // relations
       protected Activity activity;
      
       // accessor methods for work charge time
       @Column (name="charge_time")
       public Double getTime(){
       return time;
       }
       public void setTime(Double time){
       this.time = time;
       }
      
      
       // retrieve work charge details
       @Transient
       public WorkChargeDetail getDetails(){
       WorkChargeDetail workChargeDetail = new WorkChargeDetail();
       workChargeDetail.setEmployeeId(getEmployee().getId());
       workChargeDetail.setDate(this.getDate());
       return workChargeDetail;
       }
       public void setDetails(WorkChargeDetail workChargeDetail){
       setDate(workChargeDetail.getDate());
       setTime(workChargeDetail.getTime());
       }
      }
      

      package hr.ursic.timesheet.entity;
      
      import hr.ursic.timesheetEJB.ExpenseChargeDetail;
      import javax.persistence.*;
      
      /**
       * ExpenseCharge is a concrete subclass of Charge entity and represents expense charges. Since
       * JOINED inheritance strategy is used, a table for ExpenseCharge entity will hold only fields
       * specific for expense charges. The common fields are stored in Charge entity table.
       *
       *
       */
      
      @Entity
      @Table(name = "expense_charge")
      public class ExpenseCharge extends Charge {
      
       // properties
       private Double amount;
      
       // relations
       private ExpenseType expenseType;
      
       // accessor methods for expense charge amount
       @Column (name="amount")
       public Double getAmount() {
       return amount;
       }
       public void setAmount(Double amount) {
       this.amount = amount;
       }
      
       // retrieve work charge details
       @Transient
       public ExpenseChargeDetail getDetails(){
       ExpenseChargeDetail expenseChargeDetail = new ExpenseChargeDetail();
       expenseChargeDetail.setEmployeeId(getEmployee().getId());
       expenseChargeDetail.setDate(this.getDate());
       return expenseChargeDetail;
       }
      }
      


      The question is: if I have id for the Charge how can I determine if the Charge is in fact WorkCharge or ExpenseCharge?

        • 1. Re: Entity inheritance

          you dont need... you just select the objects and the framework gives you the correct object
          - the relations into db for joined are done using the same id
          -the charge table will contain the same id like the expensecharge or workcharge