multiple-entity finder method return type

[Keith Rosenfield]

Hi All:

Does the return type of a multiple-entity finder method have to be Collection or can it also be Set?

[Marcos Maia]

It can also be a Set, see chapter 11 of ejb2.0 specs.
regards.

[Marcos Maia]

also notice:
from spec:
If the query is specified for a method whose result type is java.util.Set, but does not specify DISTINCT, the container must interpret the query as if SELECT DISTINCT had been specified.
regards.

[Keith Rosenfield]

Hi Marcos,

Originally posted by Marcos Maia:
It can also be a Set, see chapter 11 of ejb2.0 specs.

Are you sure this is the case? I looked through chapter 11, but could not find anything that would suggest this. Besides, I found the following sentence from 10.5.6.2 of the spec

The Bean Provider uses the Java� 2 java.util.Collection interface to define a collection typefor the result type of a finder method for an entity bean with container-managed persistence.

If you are certain that Set can be used as well, please point to the exact page of the spec that states that.
Thanks for you efforts.
[ February 03, 2004: Message edited by: Keith Rosenfield ]

[Marcos Maia]

Hi,
read the topic 11.2.8 from the specification - SELECT clause.
But I was researching and reading topics 10.5.6 and 10.5.7 I get to think that Set could only be used for ejbSelect methods???
I think specs are not that clear about this point, because as far as u can use DISTINCT for multi-object finders, what's the problem of returning a Set then???

regards.

[Keith Rosenfield]

Hi Marcos,
Are we in agreement now that java.ejb.Collection must be the return type of a multi-entity finder method?

Originally posted by Marcos Maia:
I think specs are not that clear about this point, because as far as u can use DISTINCT for multi-object finders, what's the problem of returning a Set then???

I don't know what the problem is with returning a set. Can anyone shed some light on this???
Thanks.

[Marcos Maia]

Originally posted by Keith Rosenfield:
Hi Marcos,
Are we in agreement now that java.ejb.Collection must be the return type of a multi-entity finder method?

I don't know what the problem is with returning a set. Can anyone shed some light on this???
Thanks.

Yes, I agree, but really don't like to don't know the how's about things. I'd love some light on this also.
regards.