When I retrieve a "Table" object using session.find(), and it subsequently gets updated back to the database (even though I do not make any change to the table object anywhere). I get a "Attempt to insert NULL value into column 'DESCRIPTION', table 'clientdb.dbo.CDB_TABLE'" error as a result..

I can explain why Hibernate thinks the object is dirty: when I do the find, the HQL column name generated does not match the name in the mapping file:

HQL: from CDB_TABLE in class com.kbcam.core.entity.Table where CDB_TABLE.description = ?
SQL: select CDB_TABLE.tableId as tableId, CDB_TABLE.description as descript2_ from CDB_TABLE CDB_TABLE where (CDB_TABLE.description=? )

Note that in the generated SQL, the description column has been aliased as "descript2_" (ie truncated) so it does not get matched to the "description" attribute in the class.

My question is this: how do I prevent the QueryTranslator from truncating the name to produce a shortened alias name?

Alternatively, do I have to change the mapping files?? (This is not as good for me, because the mapping files are generated automatically using XDoclet, God bless it)

your analysis of the problem is completely wrong. The SQL is fine. Check for a broken get/set pair.

Close enough for me! It turned out to be that the parameter to the setDescription column was mis-spelt, so the field was *not* getting set, even if the setter was called, resulting in Hibernate seeing the field as "dirty". Fixing the setter fixed the issue.