Please, help to find optimal strategy for multiple iteration

[anarinsky]

For the sake of simplicity my database contains 2 tables ? containers and fruits. I need to show a report that contains a list of fruits for every container

So, on my report page I have to iterate through the list of containers and for every container show the list of fruits

I generated the entities using seam-gen and received the following objects:
Container
ContainerList
ContainerHome

Fruit
FruitList
FruitHome


In the Container object I have the method that retrieves the set of fruits. However, due to the specifics of JSF I cannot iterate through the set on the page ? I can iterate only through the list. Also, the ContainerHome object has a method that retrieves the list of fruits for a particular container.

Please, let me know what it the best strategy?

I think that I have several options. First, I can add @Transient method in the Container object that retrieves the list of fruits. What is better ? to use the existent Set method and transfer Set to List or to write another query?

Second, I can somehow for every Container use the List method specified in the ContainerHome object. However, I do not know how to get the reference to the ContainerHome object for a particular Id on a JSF.

Should I create a new Session Bean for this task or I can use only Entity beans originally generated by seam-gen?

Thank you very much for a feedback

[pmuir]

Use this to create a list backed with the set http://jroller.com/page/pmuir?entry=using_sets_in_jsf

[anarinsky]

Thanks. Is it better (less complicated) than adding an additional @Transient method returning the List to the entity bean?

I still need to sort the collection ? how can I do this with this approach? Still, is it better to use a session bean or work only with entity beans?

[pmuir]

It's better design - you don't clutter up your model with workarounds for JSF flaws. As for sorting, just use a sorted set (Hibernate includes a few ways of sorting from annotations), the list should then be i the same order.