ejb spec's point clarification..

[mallika shah]

Can someone please clarify the meaning of this paragraph taken from specs..

A message-driven bean instance has no state for a specific client. However, the instance variables of the
message-driven bean instance can contain state across the handling of client messages. Examples of
such state include an open database connection and a reference to an enterprise bean.

This portion is confusing for me "However, the instance variables of the
message-driven bean instance can contain state across the handling of client messages"

its the same for stateless session benas.Please clarify with an example if possible..

thanks,
mallika

[Benoît de Chateauvieux]

Hi mallika,

It means that a MDB or a SB Stateless can have instance variable (connections, counters, etc.). Those instance variable are the State of the EJB.

But they don't maintain conversational state with a specific client.
No conversational state means that if you receive 2 messages o 2 calls to a SB Stateless, you can't be sure that the same instance of EJB will serve you.

Hope it helps,

Beno�t