Sessions and Transactions

I want to make sure I understand the session-per-conversation pattern where there is a long running Session (cache) and multiple database transactions.

If Session has flush mode set to never and I commit a database transaction is that transactional piece of work written to the database? If so, what is the purpose of ever calling flush if I have a commit at the very end of the last piece of work?

The root of the question is that I'm a bit confused about the relationship between commit and flush.

Thanks!

No, only when flush() is called. That's the purpose of FlushMode.NEVER, as per documentation. Search for the section about "Flushing".

Ok got it, thanks! Flush is when things get written to db.

Follow up question...when the session is flushed is the Session cache still populated?

Here is my situation and why I am asking...

I have an workflow app (not web based) that will execute a series of tasks, some of which need to be commited (in the db) incase the app fails mid process. I'd like to have a Session bound to a longer running workflow to take advantage of the cache but still allow a task to be able to commit to the db. This pattern seems to break the session-per-conversation because the db needs to be synchronized mid stream (but i still want the cache).

If the Session cache is still around after flush it sounds like I can flush at commit time and start stop Transactions around specific tasks???

clear()

Just to clarify then...Flush does not clear the cache right? Clear does.

Thanks!

And load() loads stuff :)