Is it possible to map on a field instead of a class ?

dadr · **Joined:** Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:50 am **Posts:** 1

Hello,

I used to have something likes this :

A

Code:

Person

has a

Code:

Name

and an

Code:

Address

...
So i create mappings for a person, name and address.

But I would like to use a generic Object (TransferObject).
This TransferObject holds a map with it's properties.

To give an example for an Address :
Address is an empty class that simple extends my TransferObject.

Code:

public abstract class TransferObject {


      public static final String UNKNOWN_ID = "-1";

      private String id = UNKNOWN_ID ;

      private Map properties ;

      public TransferObject() {
                 properties = new HashMap(25);
      }

      public String getId() {
           return id ;
      }

      public void setId(String id) {
            this.id = id ;
      }

      public void setProperty(String key, Object property) {
           getProperties().put(key, property);
      }

      public Object getProperty(String key) {
            getProperties().get(key);
      }


      public Map getProperties() {
            return properties ;
      }


 }


public class Address extends TransferObject {
}

So far i made my TransferObject abstract and Address, Name and Person are empty classes that simply extend TransferObject. I made a custom PropertyAccessor for Hibernate to work with the map.

And everything works fine! (A big thanks to the Hibernate team to make this possible ! ;-))

Next step would be that i don't want to use the empty subclasses, but i want to keep using my existing mapping.
So i am thinking of adding a type field in my TransefObject class. But is there any way to make a conversion for the value of that type to the actual mapping Hibernate takes.

Again an example :
if the field type = "mypackage.Address" in my TransferObject.
Can i make Hibernate to take the mapping that corresponds with class="mypackage.Address" ?

And if i can do that, the following question will be : how ?

Hopefully someone can help me on this.

Thanks,
Davy.

keriksson · **Joined:** Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:25 am **Posts:** 8

I am currently trying to do something similar, and would be interested in how the custom PropertyAccessor looks like.

It would be great with some help, I am trying to figure out how a workaround to get dynamic-insert/update to work when using properties within a dynamic-component.

Regards

keriksson · **Joined:** Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:25 am **Posts:** 8

Or as a matter of fact, what would be interesting to see is the custom getter/setters.

Regards