Hi

I'm interested to hear people's opinions on the way I've implemented a 
solution. I'd like to know if there's a cleaner or simpler pattern...



Requirement:

When a user clicks an 'update' button, create a new record in a table and also 
update an existing record in the same table. The UI page uses <h:inputText/> 
fields. Application flow:

1. User selects an existing record from a CRUD page and is presented with an 
edit page for a that record
2. User edits some fields of that record and clicks 'update'
3. A new record must be created, which is a copy of the existing record but 
with any fields the user changed in step 2 upated with those changes
4. Some non-UI fields of the existing record must be changed and the record 
then updated in the table (this record must otherwise remain unchanged)



A solution:

Relevant code (abridged for brevity):


i.  Edit page extract:

note: This page is rendered after the user selects a record from a different 
CRUD page.

<h:form>
  | 
  |     <s:decorate id="decoration" template="edit.xhtml">      
  |             <h:inputText id="one"
  |                     value="#{myEntityHome.instance.UIProperty}" >
  |                     <a:support event="onblur" reRender="decoration"
  |                             bypassUpdates="true" ajaxSingle="true" />
  |             </h:inputText>
  |     </s:decorate>
  | 
  |     <h:commandButton id="update" value="Update" 
action="#{myEntityHome.update}" />
  | 
  | </h:form>



ii.  Extended Home component:

note:

a. find() is invoked in step 1 (when the user selects a record on the CRUD 
page).

b. update() is invoked in step 2 (when the user clicks the update button).

c. Assume MyEntity is a simple EJB Entity with properties corresponding to 
those referenced below.


  | @Name("myEntityHome")
  | public class MyEntityHome extends EntityHome<MyEntity>
  | 
  |     private MyEntity existingEntity;
  |     private List<AssociatedEntityList> associatedEntityLists = new 
ArrayList<AssociatedEntityList>();
  |     
  |     @In(create = true)
  |     EntityManager em;
  | 
  |     public List<AssociatedEntityList> getAssociatedEntityLists() {
  |             return associatedEntityLists;
  |     }
  | 
  |     @Override
  |     public MyEntity find() {
  | 
  |             // Store the contents of the existing entity
  |             MyEntity myEntity = super.find();
  |             existingEntity = new MyEntity(myEntity.getId(), 
  |                     myEntity.getUIProperty(),
  |                     myEntity.getNonUIProperty(),
  |                     myEntity.getAssociatedEntityLists());
  |             return myEntity;
  |     }
  |     
  |     
  |     @Begin(join = true, flushMode = FlushModeType.MANUAL)
  |     @Override
  |     @Transactional
  |     public String update() {
  | 
  |             // For step 3
  |             MyEntity myEntity = createNewEntity();
  |                                     
  |             // For step 4: Refresh the existing entity as the user may have 
changed
  |             // some UI fields, which must not be updated in the db
  |             em.refresh(getInstance());
  |             
  |             // For step 4
  |             getInstance().setNonUIProperty("changed");
  |             
  |             entityManager.flush();
  |             Contexts.removeFromAllContexts("myEntityHome");
  |             return "createdAndUpdated";
  |     }
  |     
  |     
  |     private MyEntity createNewEntity() {
  | 
  |             MyEntity myEntity = new MyEntity();
  | 
  |             // Copy contents of current UI fields into the newly created 
entity
  |             myEntity.setUIPropertyOne(getInstance().getUIPropertyOne());
  | 
  |             // Copy contents of non-UI fields into the newly created entity
  |             
myEntity.setNonUIPropertyOne(getInstance().getNonUIPropertyOne());
  | 
  |             // Copy associated entities into the newly created entity
  |             for (AssociatedEntityList ael : associatedEntityLists)
  |                     ael.setMyEntity(myEntity);
  |             myEntity.setAssociatedEntityLists(associatedEntityLists);
  | 
  |             return myEntity;
  |     }

As you can see, I'm using EntityManager refreshing and manual flushing and am 
having to make a 'clone' (which could be done by implementing Cloneable 
instead) of the existing entity in createNewEntity().


Any feedback appreciated...


Thanks


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