Hi there,

In my application the mapping information isn't available at design/compile time.

Is it possible to generate the DB-Tables, Java Source and Classes at runtime based on a mapping that I would generate also at runtime? Does anybody did this before?

Couldn't find much information how to use the Hibernate Tools directly in the java code and not in Ant....

thanks
michael

Maybe this helps:

You could call the ant tasks directy from your Java Code.

Or write an ant taks generating the hbm.xml files and than do the rest with the hibernate ant tasks.

HTH
Ernst

Thanks,
but am I right that there is now way to directly use Hibernate's API without ant to generate the various files?

greetings
michael

you can configure hibernate 100% programmatically, but hibernate2 is dependent on having a classloader that gives you classes that matches the mapped classes.

In Hibernate3 you have the possibility to have dynamic mappings which basically just allows you to use untyped Map's instead of concrete classes.

(hibernate3 is still in alpha stage)

Cool that sounds interesting.

Last question:
Are the dynamic Map features already documented somewhere or do I have to browse the API (which package) and figure out how it works?

thanks
michael

You can just use <dynamic-class> and <dynamic-component> in the Mapping file and drop the classname - I'd say just try it and experiment a little.