Hi,
We have an application that is split into the 'core' part and separate 'module' parts.
The 'core' part defines (and persists) some base classes that are extended
and also persisted by specific 'modules'. What we're looking to achieve in the future is to be able to easily deploy additional modules: stop the server, drop in a new jar(s), start the server (or further down the road drop in a new jar(s) and have them picked up without server restart).
We are using hibernate 2.1.4, xdoclet, weblogic 8.1 and an ant based build process.

Now the question is: is it possible (is so how?) to set up hibernate such that
we can in that fashion add new persistent classes to the already existing inheritance hierarchy?
Currently all the maps are being generated from xdoclet in a single pass at system build time (for 'core' and 'modules' at the same time). But some modules will be added later when 'core' and initial set of modules is already deoployed.
What we would need is to be able to build individual modules' maps separately from 'core' maps and somehow plug them into the existing class hierarchy at deployment time. Is it possible? What would be the cleanest, least invasive way to do it?

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Pawel