How to code: A->B using BMP

Hello All,

I am using BMP because I have created a composite entity. I also am populating one of the entity beans with data obtained from a service.

I have three entity beans that I want to connect together. Is it better to store an entity pk or a reference to the entity?

Example:

EntityBeanA{
EntityBeanB b;
}

or

EntityBeanA{
entityBeanBPrimaryKey bPk;
}

Before updating EntityBeanB, should the code be:
A.getB() to get B?

Thanks in advance.

-Saha

You can't use references. Let's step back and take a look.

class EntityA implements EntityBean
{
private EntityB childBean;
....
}

If you plan to pass the references then you must have instantiated both the bean in the accessing program by these steps
- find and load EntityA with a primary key
- read the foreignkey from the EntityA to the calling program
- use this foreignKey to load EntityB at the calling program
- pass the references of EntityB back to EntityA

Other way is
- find and load EntityA with the primary key
- EntityA before exiting load() method find and loads the EntityB

You don't want to store the EntityB through reference unless you have access to the referenced objects already.

Thank you, I will implement as primary key, then look it up lazily.