I'm just writing to clarify the basic behavior of the second-level cache.

If I understand the second-level cache correctly, I should get the same *exact* object back from the cache, not just an object that satisfies an equality test with .equals().

Thus in the following example, if DomesticCat is configured for caching, this test case should succeed, right?

// Save cat
DomesticCat cat = new DomesticCat();
Long id= (Long) sess1.save(fritz);

// Load in new session
DomesticCat foundCat = (DomesticCat) sess2.load(cat.getClass(), id);

// Assert sameness
assertSame(cat, foundCat);

No, this only applies for the first-level cache.

I see. So I was hoping to do something like this...

Object o = sess.load(123456L);

synchronize(o) {
// Do some stuff with o
blah blah

// Save o
sess.update(o);
}


... to implement a serialized, local transaction on a cached object. And if I understand correctly, the only way to do this is with the JBoss treecache?

Many thanks for the quick response.

Not sure out the synchronized session access, but the behavior of the second level cache is what you want.

You would expect a database hit to return a new, but value-equal, object. Since the cache is transparent to you, certainly you would want it to return the same sort of (new) object a direct database hit would.

Sounds like your needs fall entirely within the first-level (session) cache, though, if it all takes place in a single session. Maybe it would help if you described what you need this behavior for?