How to map an array or a list of enums?

[grettke_spdr]

Hi folks,

In EJB 3.0 via Seam 1.2.1.GA we want to persist an entity with an array of enums.

In the entity

public UnderwritingConcernEnum[] getConcerns() {
 return concerns;
 }

 public void setConcerns(UnderwritingConcernEnum[] concerns) {
 this.concerns = concerns;
 }

public enum UnderwritingConcernEnum {

 REINSURANCE("Reinsurance", "", "Re"),
 INSUREDS_REQUEST("Insured's Request", "", "IRt"),
 OLDER_ORNATE_STRUCTURE("Older Ornate Structure", "", "OOSe"),
 VALUATION("Valuation", "", "Vn"),
 LIABILTY_ACTIVITIES("Liability Exposures/Activities", "", "LAs"),
 OTHER("Other (Be Specific)", "", "Or");

 private final String label;
 private final String description;
 private final String value;

 UnderwritingConcernEnum(String label, String description, String value) {
 this.label = label;
 this.description = description;
 this.value = value;
 }

 public String getLabel() {
 return label;
 }

 public String getDescription() {
 return description;
 }

 public String getValue() {
 return value;
 }
}

We have tried using the ordinal enumeration attribute, and also removing it. Either way, this entity will no be persisted failing with the error.

18:56:41,484 INFO [STDOUT] Hibernate: insert into Contact (CONTACT_NAME, CONTAC
T_ROLE, CONTACT_EMAIL, CONTACT_PHONE, CONTACT_TITLE) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
18:56:41,515 INFO [STDOUT] Hibernate: insert into Account (priority, totalNumOf
Buildings, totalBuildingValueFromInForceMP, CONTACT_ID, concerns, cmicAccountNum
ber, expirationDate, acctName, acctAddress, acctCity, acctState, acctZip, todays
Date, comments, requestedBy) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?
)
18:56:41,531 ERROR [Priority1RequestActionMock] java.lang.ClassCastException: [L
com.churchmutual.rms.enums.UnderwritingConcernEnum;

There is seemingly no documentation on how to do this. Please talk me off of the ledge on this one.

[waynebaylor]

I'm not sure, but I've only seen persistent Collections being used with Hibernate--not arrays.

Have you tried using a

List<UnderwritingConcernEnum>

or

Set<UnderwritingConcernEnum>

instead of an array?

[grettke_spdr]

"waynebaylor" wrote:
I'm not sure, but I've only seen persistent Collections being used with Hibernate--not arrays.

Have you tried using a

List<UnderwritingConcernEnum>

or

Set<UnderwritingConcernEnum>

instead of an array?

I get

javax.persistence.PersistenceException: org.hibernate.MappingException: Could no
t determine type for: java.util.Set, for columns: [org.hibernate.mapping.Column(
concerns)]

When I try a set or a list. It seems like it expects me to use a @OneToMany and specity the targetEntity type here, but I don't want to unless I must.

I was hoping I could get away with enums for specifying options.

[waynebaylor]

So, I was wrong about the array. Hibernate does support arrays, but they're rarely used since Hibernate can't optimize them like Collections.

As far as using enums, here are some links:
http://www.hibernate.org/270.html
http://forum.hibernate.org/viewtopic.php?t=933393
http://www.nabble.com/Java-5-Enums-Persistence-::-How-to-t3865408s2369.html

The solution may be bigger than your problem :)

[grettke_spdr]

"waynebaylor" wrote:
So, I was wrong about the array. Hibernate does support arrays, but they're rarely used since Hibernate can't optimize them like Collections.

As far as using enums, here are some links:
http://www.hibernate.org/270.html
http://forum.hibernate.org/viewtopic.php?t=933393
http://www.nabble.com/Java-5-Enums-Persistence-::-How-to-t3865408s2369.html

The solution may be bigger than your problem :)

Interesting. Thus far I haven't had a problem with (single) enums. I use the built in annotation.

@Enumerated(EnumType.ORDINAL)
 public InspectionPriorityEnum getPriority() {
 return priority;
 }

It is collections of enums that are vexing me.

Is the approach taken in those links something akin to the solution for mapping collections?