Hello,

I am trying to save() a new object that has a collection of other new objects. I have all-delete-orphan between parent and child. When I try to save() the parent, I always receive the "You may not dereference a collection with cascade="all-delete-orphan"" exception. I understand why I can't do that, but not sure why I'm getting this error here.

The code below shows what's happening. I create a new parent, then a new child, then add the child to the parent, then save(). When I add the child, I have to add it into a collection. Because the parent is new (not controlled by hibernate) its collection to hold the children is null, so I have to create a new collection. I believe here is where it breaks, but I don't think it should break. Of course, I could be using it wrong.

Person person = new Person();
person.addAddress(new Address());
dao.save(person);

I bind the child to the parent with this logic:

public void addAddress(Address address) {
if (addresses == null) {
addresses = new HashSet();
}

// make idempotent

for (Iterator i = getAddresses().iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
Address addr = (Address) i.next();

if (addr.getType() != null &&
addr.getType().equals(address.getType())) {
i.remove();
}
}

addresses.add(address);
}

The mapping:

<set
name="addresses"
lazy="true"
inverse="false"
cascade="all-delete-orphan"
sort="unsorted">

<key column="person_id" />

<one-to-many class="com.hic.core.Address" />
</set>


I'm using:

- hibernate 2.1
- Mysql 4, linux 2.6, jdk 1.4

Any ideas on how to handle this case? I think hibernate thinks I dereferenced the collection because I had to do a new HashSet() there. How else would I save a graph of new objects?

Thanks very much!
Seth

From the test suite:




How about a stack trace, perhaps even a Hibernate log.

Great, thanks. I'm glad it's just my setup. I'm sure Hibernate could do this.

Exception:

2004-03-04 10:47:18 StandardContext[/eBOSS]Problem committing txn, attempting rollback
net.sf.hibernate.HibernateException: You may not dereference a collection with cascade="all-delete-orphan"
at net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.updateUnreachableCollection(SessionImpl.java:2803)
at net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.flushCollections(SessionImpl.java:2672)
at net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.flushEverything(SessionImpl.java:2208)
at net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl.flush(SessionImpl.java:2186)
at net.sf.hibernate.transaction.JDBCTransaction.commit(JDBCTransaction.java:61)
at com.hic.core.dao.SessionManagerImpl.commitTransaction(Unknown Source)
at com.hic.web.SessionManagerFilter.doFilter(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:233)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:204)
at com.hic.web.ChooseContentTypeFilter.doFilter(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:233)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:204)

Sorry, but where do I find the Hibernate log?

Thanks!

ah hah! So, looks like a broken get/set pair, doesn't it!

Not sure exactly what you mean. I changed the code to this and I still see the problem:

public void addAddress(Address address) {
if (getAddresses() == null) {
setAddresses(new HashSet());
}

// make idempotent

for (Iterator i = getAddresses().iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
Address addr = (Address) i.next();

if (addr.getType() != null &&
addr.getType().equals(address.getType())) {
i.remove();
}
}

addresses.add(address);
}

Sorry for the verbosity:

[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] opened session
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] loading [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] attempting to resolve [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] object not resolved in any cache [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Materializing entity: [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] about to open: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.SQL] select business0_.id as id2_, business0_.name as name2_, business0_.type as type2_, business0_.description as descript4_2_, business0_.state as state2_, business0_.person_id as person_id2_, employment1_.id as id0_, employment1_.employees as employees0_, employment1_.beganEmployment as beganEmp3_0_, employment1_.firstWagesPaid as firstWag4_0_, person2_.id as id1_, person2_.firstName as firstName1_, person2_.lastName as lastName1_ from BUSINESS business0_ left outer join EMPLOYMENT employment1_ on business0_.id=employment1_.id left outer join PERSON person2_ on business0_.person_id=person2_.id where business0_.id=?
Hibernate: select business0_.id as id2_, business0_.name as name2_, business0_.type as type2_, business0_.description as descript4_2_, business0_.state as state2_, business0_.person_id as person_id2_, employment1_.id as id0_, employment1_.employees as employees0_, employment1_.beganEmployment as beganEmp3_0_, employment1_.firstWagesPaid as firstWag4_0_, person2_.id as id1_, person2_.firstName as firstName1_, person2_.lastName as lastName1_ from BUSINESS business0_ left outer join EMPLOYMENT employment1_ on business0_.id=employment1_.id left outer join PERSON person2_ on business0_.person_id=person2_.id where business0_.id=?
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] preparing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001' to parameter: 1
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.loader.Loader] processing result set
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] returning null as column: id0_
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] returning null as column: id1_
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.loader.Loader] result row: null, null, 402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.loader.Loader] Initializing object from ResultSet: 402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.loader.Loader] Hydrating entity: com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] returning 'sadfadf' as column: name2_
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.PersistentEnumType] returning '0' as column: type2_
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] returning 'asdfsad' as column: descript4_2_
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.PersistentEnumType] returning '0' as column: state2_
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] returning null as column: person_id2_
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.loader.Loader] done processing result set (1 rows)
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] done closing: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] closing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.loader.Loader] total objects hydrated: 1
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] resolving associations for [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] collection not cached
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] collection not cached
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] loading [com.hic.eboss.Employment#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] attempting to resolve [com.hic.eboss.Employment#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] collection not cached
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] done materializing entity [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] initializing non-lazy collections
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.transaction.JDBCTransaction] begin
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.transaction.JDBCTransaction] current autocommit status:false
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] object already associated with session
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] flushing session
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] processing cascades for: com.hic.eboss.Business
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.eboss.Business.addresses
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.eboss.Business.phoneNumbers
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to saveOrUpdate()
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] saveOrUpdate() unsaved instance
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] saving [com.hic.core.Person#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] processing cascades for: com.hic.core.Person
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] done processing cascades for: com.hic.core.Person
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] processing cascades for: com.hic.core.Person
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to saveOrUpdate()
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] saveOrUpdate() unsaved instance
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] saving [com.hic.core.Phone#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0004]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.core.Person.addresses
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to saveOrUpdate()
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] saveOrUpdate() unsaved instance
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] saving [com.hic.core.Address#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0005]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] done processing cascades for: com.hic.core.Person
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] done processing cascades for: com.hic.eboss.Business
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Flushing entities and processing referenced collections
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.AbstractEntityPersister] com.hic.eboss.Business.localContact is dirty
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Updating entity: [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.eboss.Business.activities#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001], was: [com.hic.eboss.Business.activities#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.eboss.Business.addresses#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001], was: [com.hic.eboss.Business.addresses#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.eboss.Business.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001], was: [com.hic.eboss.Business.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.WrapVisitor] Wrapped collection in role: com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.WrapVisitor] Wrapped collection in role: com.hic.core.Person.addresses
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003], was: [<unreferenced>]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.core.Person.addresses#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003], was: [<unreferenced>]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Processing unreferenced collections
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Scheduling collection removes/(re)creates/updates
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Flushed: 3 insertions, 1 updates, 0 deletions to 4 objects
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Flushed: 2 (re)creations, 0 updates, 0 removals to 5 collections
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.Printer] listing entities:
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.Printer] com.hic.eboss.Business{addresses=uninitialized, phoneNumbers=uninitialized, type=0, employment=null, activities=uninitialized, description=asdfsad, state=0, localContact=Person#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003, name=sadfadf, id=402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001}
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.Printer] com.hic.core.Person{addresses=[], phoneNumbers=[], firstName=asdf, id=402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003, lastName=asdfsadf}
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.Printer] com.hic.core.Address{street2=, country=ARM, street1=asdfasdf, type=physical, state=AL, zip=asdf, city=asdfasdf, id=402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0005}
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.Printer] com.hic.core.Phone{extension=, areaCode=, type=business, suffix=4444, prefix=333, id=402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0004}
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] executing flush
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Inserting entity: [com.hic.core.Person#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] about to open: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.SQL] insert into PERSON (firstName, lastName, id) values (?, ?, ?)
Hibernate: insert into PERSON (firstName, lastName, id) values (?, ?, ?)
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] preparing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Dehydrating entity: [com.hic.core.Person#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'asdf' to parameter: 1
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'asdfsadf' to parameter: 2
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003' to parameter: 3
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Inserting entity: [com.hic.core.Phone#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0004]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] done closing: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] closing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] about to open: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.SQL] insert into PHONE (areaCode, prefix, suffix, extension, type, id) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
Hibernate: insert into PHONE (areaCode, prefix, suffix, extension, type, id) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] preparing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Dehydrating entity: [com.hic.core.Phone#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0004]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '' to parameter: 1
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '333' to parameter: 2
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '4444' to parameter: 3
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '' to parameter: 4
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'business' to parameter: 5
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0004' to parameter: 6
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Inserting entity: [com.hic.core.Address#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0005]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] done closing: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] closing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] about to open: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.SQL] insert into ADDRESS (street1, street2, city, state, zip, type, country, id) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
Hibernate: insert into ADDRESS (street1, street2, city, state, zip, type, country, id) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] preparing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Dehydrating entity: [com.hic.core.Address#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0005]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'asdfasdf' to parameter: 1
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '' to parameter: 2
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'asdfasdf' to parameter: 3
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'AL' to parameter: 4
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'asdf' to parameter: 5
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'physical' to parameter: 6
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'ARM' to parameter: 7
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2d0005' to parameter: 8
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] done closing: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] closing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Updating entity: [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] about to open: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.SQL] update BUSINESS set name=?, type=?, description=?, state=?, person_id=? where id=?
Hibernate: update BUSINESS set name=?, type=?, description=?, state=?, person_id=? where id=?
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] preparing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.persister.EntityPersister] Dehydrating entity: [com.hic.eboss.Business#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'sadfadf' to parameter: 1
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.PersistentEnumType] binding '0' to parameter: 2
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding 'asdfsad' to parameter: 3
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.PersistentEnumType] binding '0' to parameter: 4
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003' to parameter: 5
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.type.StringType] binding '402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001' to parameter: 6
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] done closing: 0 open PreparedStatements, 0 open ResultSets
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.BatcherImpl] closing statement
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.collection.BasicCollectionPersister] Inserting collection: [com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.collection.BasicCollectionPersister] collection was empty
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.collection.BasicCollectionPersister] Inserting collection: [com.hic.core.Person.addresses#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.collection.BasicCollectionPersister] collection was empty
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] post flush
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.transaction.JDBCTransaction] commit
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] flushing session
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] processing cascades for: com.hic.eboss.Business
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.eboss.Business.addresses
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.eboss.Business.phoneNumbers
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to saveOrUpdate()
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] saveOrUpdate() persistent instance
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] done processing cascades for: com.hic.eboss.Business
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] processing cascades for: com.hic.core.Person
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] cascading to collection: com.hic.core.Person.addresses
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.engine.Cascades] done processing cascades for: com.hic.core.Person
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Flushing entities and processing referenced collections
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.eboss.Business.activities#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001], was: [com.hic.eboss.Business.activities#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.eboss.Business.addresses#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001], was: [com.hic.eboss.Business.addresses#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.eboss.Business.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001], was: [com.hic.eboss.Business.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb177bcc00fb177e141d0001]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.WrapVisitor] Wrapped collection in role: com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.WrapVisitor] Wrapped collection in role: com.hic.core.Person.addresses
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003], was: [<unreferenced>]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection found: [com.hic.core.Person.addresses#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003], was: [<unreferenced>]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Processing unreferenced collections
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] Collection dereferenced: [com.hic.core.Person.phoneNumbers#402801e6fb17be2200fb17bf2d2c0003]
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.transaction.JDBCTransaction] rollback
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] transaction completion
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] closing session
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] disconnecting session
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] transaction completion
[DEBUG,net.sf.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl] running Session.finalize()

What I find odd is that during the cascade, Hibernate find all the child objects and performs the inserts. So the collections are somehow becoming dereferenced (unreferenced?) /after/ the cascading?

There is something major I'm not seeing. hmm...

well, since you did not show the get/set pair, I will stick with my first assumption.

Thanks Gavin, I found the problem.

(some background) I assumed that if Hibernate was building an object from scratch, it would pass in a proxy/wrapper/impl of a Collection to any setFoo(Collection collection) call. I thought that the proxy impl would have special Hibernate functionality. I therefore, didn't want to replace that collection with another collection in the next call to setFoo(Collection collection). So to compensate, I was doing:

setFoo(Collection collection) {
if (this.collection == null) {
this.collection = collection;
} else {
this.collection.clear();
this.collection.addAll(collection);
}
}

As you can see, I was trying to compensate for a misunderstanding of mine.

I changed the code to:

setFoo(Collection collection) {
this.collection = collection;
}

And it's now working great. Looks like Hibernate is smarter than I am! :)

Not sure where I got the first misunderstanding, but glad it's gone.

Thanks again.