Assume that all entity access is via Local interfaces (starting from a session facade) and in the same transaction, relies on lazy loading, uses CMR/CMP, etc. within JBoss 3.0.x.

Is the following simulation of EJB inheritance with a fine-grained object model still a major no-no? I'm thinking that this approach is OK BECAUSE of the above mentioned container technologies. Please set me straight if I am messed up. (I would love to hear from dsundstrom as well.)

Pseudo-code for EJB inheritance:

public abstract class PatientBean
implements EntityBean {

...

// ejb-jar.xml not shown but assumed correct and optimal

// CMR for Person simulating PersonBean BASE CLASS (delegation)
public abstract void setPerson(PersonLocal lEntity);
public abstract PersonLocal getPerson();

// ? HERE IS THE QUESTION. THIS SIMULATES INHERITANCE
// AND IS A CMP GETTER/SETTER FOR A BASE CLASS (Person) ENTITY
// EJB ATTRIBUTE. IS THIS OK OR TRULY A SCALABILITY
// ISSUE?
public String getFirstName()
{
return getPerson().getFirstName();
}

public void setFirstName( String pFirstName )
{
getPerson().setFirstName(pFirstName);
}

// Typical CMP getter for derived (Patient) entity
// (shown here for completenes and contrast);
public abstract void setGender( char pGender );

...
}

Please keep it tight (answer only question asked) and don't go off topic for this post.

Thanks in advance!
Paul