I'm currently writing my diploma thesis partial about Hibernate. I've got the problem, that I don't know the exact detach() semantics:

- How does detach() react, if the object graph to detach is not completely loaded?

- How does detach() react, if others hold references to the same object? They think, the object is still within a session, but it's not if a thrid applies detach() !? I know, if I use threadlocal Sessions this won't be very common, but it could be an ugly side effect.

you'll find many usefull info in hibernate in action

I've got that book just beside me, but I'm missing that information.
Perhaps you may provide me the page
thanks

1 -> you just get detached proxys, which throw an exception upon being accessed

2 -> the session is not thread safe anyways

Chapters 4, 5 and 8.

But it's also possible in a single threaded environment, that multiple objects are holding a reference to the same object.

But perhaps I just don't know the magic behind detaching.
Does Hibernate copy the real object behind the proxy?
I thought Hibernate does not always put a proxy in front of an object - it prefers inspection.

It would need many pages to explain it, so reread the chapters. It's quite easy to understand, but it looks like you are totally on the wrong track.