How to model stored procedure records in Grails? - grails

I need to call some stored procedures that return their own kinds of records, that are not directly mapped to tables or views.
I have used stored procedures in the past with groovy.sql.Sql and plain (unmodelled) Maps, but for this application I would like to model those records with something akin to domain classes, in order to define data types, data binding, validation, associations to other entities, and so on.
What is the best way to do so?
Should I model the stored procedure records as proper domain classes (entities) and then try to disable (or redefine) their database persistence? How?
Should I use non-domain POJOs where I selectively enable the features I need? (such as validation with #Validatable) How can I handle associations then? (Associations arise when the record returned from the SP contains a foreign key to some other persisted entity.)

If you want data binding, validation and associations to be maintained in an easy way then you should go with the Domain approach.
To disable database persistence for a domain class you can add static mapWith = "none" to a domain class and a table won't be created for that domain class.
Sample Entity class:
#ToString
public class SPTest {
Long idField
User user
GroupIntegrationKey integrationKey
static constraints = {
}
static mapWith = "none"
}
Stored Procedure statement:
SELECT id AS idField, user_id AS user, key AS integrationKey FROM
my_domain;
In order to map the result of the SP to the entity you can use result transformers.
Query query = session.createSQLQuery("CALL getSPData()");
List<Map> results = query.with {
resultTransformer = AliasToEntityMapResultTransformer.INSTANCE
list()
}
Now iterate over list and create a new entity object
List<MyDomain> list = results.collect {
new MyDomain(it)
}
System.err.println(list)
Drawbacks:
You can not map identifier field
You would have to iterate over result again to create entity objects
You can not map hasMany relationships
If you want to go with pojo, then in that case you would have to create your own version of getters to get associated objects.

Related

Joins in Grails Criteria

I'm trying to write a criteria query in grails, for the following domains:
class Data {
Long createdById // this is user id
// other fields
}
class User {
Company company
// other fields
}
Now data, as the name suggest stores some data. It is not directly related to User but has a field createdById which is the id of User. (I cannot give direct reference of User in Data because these belongs to different projects, where Data is from a custom reusable plugin.)
Now I want to write criteria on Data and list all records where it was created by users of a given company. that is data.id == User.id and user.company == givenCompany
In order to use any GORM/Hibernate query method (criteria, where, or HQL) you need an association between the domain classes. Since you can't make an association from Data to User, you cannot use GORM to write your query with your domain classes are they are. In other words, you need to use SQL; HQL (DomainClass.executeQuery() will not work). But...
With HQL
If you're willing to modify User and maintain some redundant data, you can use HQL.
class User {
Company company
// other fields
/* Add uni-directional one-to-many */
static hasMany = [data: Data]
}
def data = AnyDomainClass.executeQuery('SELECT d FROM User as u INNER JOIN u.data AS d WHERE u.company = :company', [company: givenCompany])
The uni-directional one-to-many association creates a join table which would need to be maintained to reflect Data.createdById. The HQL join syntax hints at the fact that associations are required. If you must use a criteria query...
With criteria query
To use a criteria query you'll need to modify User and add an additional domain class. The reason is that a criteria query cannot project an association like HQL can. For example, this will not work:
def data = User.withCriteria {
eq('company', givenCompany)
projections {
property('data')
}
}
Due to not being able to modify Data, this --which is the simplest solution-- will also not work:
def data = Data.withCriteria {
user {
eq('company', givenCompany)
}
}
So, you need a middle-man in order to project Data instances:
class User {
Company company
// other fields
static hasMany = [userData: UserData]
}
class UserData {
Data data
static belongsTo = [user: User]
}
def data = User.withCriteria {
eq('company', givenCompany)
projections {
userData {
property('data')
}
}
}
As you can imagine, this method also requires some data maintenance.
Using SQL
Lastly, you have the option of using SQL and having the query return domain class instances. It boils down to something like this:
AnyDomainClass.withNewSession { session ->
def data = session.createSQLQuery('SQL GOES HERE').addEntity(Data).list()
}
More info
For more information, check out my following articles:
Domain class associations and how they work on the DB level
Joining domain classes with GORM queries
Using SQL and returning domain class instances. Available on Jan 22nd.
If you are able to create sql query for this and not able to create criteria for this then you can look for executeQuery
I hope it should work

GORM and Composite Keys in associations

I have legacy database and some tables have composite ids
class Client {
String id
static hasMany = [
settings: Setting
]
static mapping = {
id column: 'client_id', generator: 'assigned'
}
}
class Setting {
Client client
String nodeId
String ccyPairPattern
Character qualifier
static mapping = {
id composite: ['client', 'nodeId', 'pattern', 'qualifier']
}
}
I want to delete entry from GORM association:
client.get('1').removeFromSettings(settingToRemove)
// settingToRemove.delete(flush: true)
// delete-orphans does not help
This always raises exception after flush
org.hibernate.StaleObjectStateException: Row was updated or deleted by another transaction (or unsaved-value mapping was incorrect) :
This happens because method removeFrom* sets client property to null and generates query to delete with clientId = null as client is part of composite key
What is the best solution in this case. Looks like GORM has poor support for composite keys or my mapping is incorrect.
When you use hasMany without a belongsTo on the many side, in other words a unidirectional association, you get a join table. For example...
class PurchaseOrder {
static hasMany = [items: Item]
}
class Item { }
Would yield three database tables: purchase_order, item, and purchase_order_items. The purchase_order_items table would contain two columns: purchase_order_id and item_id. You can read more about join tables here.
Since you're dealing with a legacy database, I think the best solution is not to use addTo*() and removeFrom*().
Ensure you don't have a join table. If you have a join table, remove the hasMany association.
You'll need to add/remove Setting instances manually.
Example:
def client = Client.get(1)
// Adding a setting
def setting = new Setting(client: client, nodeId: blah...)
setting.save()
// Removing a setting
/*
The prototype is used to search for a domain instance with a composite primary key.
So simply set the composite key properties accordingly.
*/
def prototype = new Setting(client: client, nodeId: blah...)
def setting = Setting.get(prototype)
setting.delete()
Lacking a hasMany association, you won't be able to access a client's settings via the client.settings property. Instead you'd have to query for them like this:
def settings = Setting.findByClient(client)
A consequence of using a legacy database is that if the database doesn't align with that GORM/Hibernate expects it will be limited in what it can do for you.

Grails/Gorm: how to filter a list of domain objects without affecting the database

Say we have something like the standard Book domain object and bookCategory object. In my controller I want to return a subset of list of books to the view. That subset is not achievable using a find query. When I try to filer the return object, it deletes relationships from the database!
I tried this:
class BookCategory{
String name
static hasMany = [books:Book]
}
class Book{
String title
}
def myController() {
def categories
categories = BookCategory.list()
def user = getCurrentUser()
categories.each { category ->
category.books.removeAll { book ->
!isBookBannedForThisUser(book.title, user)
}
[bookCategories: categories]
}
}
The problem is that it permanently removes these books from the categories for all users from the database!!!
I tried putting the method in a service and using a readonly transaction, but this did not help.
I assume that even if I copy all the categories and books into new list, they will still update the DB as they will still have the book IDs (which I need)
Saving to the database when you dont say save() is very dangerous. is there a way to disable this feature completely?
There is a fundamental flaw in your approach. Do not modify your domain instances if you don't intend to have the changes persisted. Doing so is going to cause you headaches.
Your domain model is suppose to be your system of record. Any changes to it are suppose to be persisted.
If you need to gather up data and manipulate it without having it reflected in your domain model then use a DTO (data transfer object) or similar pattern.
Simply calling .discard() will discard the changes you have made from being persisted when the session automatically flushes.
Instead of working against the framework, and disabling behavior, change your approach to be correct.

How do I use a stored Procedure to return a single entity in Entity Framework 4?

New to Entity Framework .Using EF4. I have found articles and managed to use stored procedures to return a list of entities.
But cannot see/work out how you return a single entity.
Given that I have a stored procedure "GetCustomerById" that return a single customer How do I map it?
Using the Model Browser I right click on "Function Import" and I have added my StoredProcedure
however whatever I select does not seem to return a "Single Entity"
Am I missing the obvious?
thanks a lot for any link or suggestions
When you do Function Import you need to select the entity your SP returns from the drop down (i.e. Customer). The catch is EF does NOT directly returns Customer object as per your selection but System.Data.Objects.ObjectResult which implements IEnumerable.
To be more specific, here is the generated code for your function:
public ObjectResult<Customer> GetCustomerById(Nullable<global::System.Int32> Id)
That's because EF has no idea if your SP returns a single record or a list of them so it wraps the result inside ObjectResult. You can enumerate through this to get your Customer entity like any other IEnumerable object. For example:
Customer myCustomer = context.GetCustomerById(1).First();

LINQ Modelling Automagically Retrieving Data Via EntityRef

I'm using LINQ to model my database, but I'm writing it by hand (Steve Sanderson recommends this in his ASP.NET MVC book). What I need to know is what's happening when you create an EntityRef, and how it's referenced. If I create my queries manually (without using LINQ), but use LINQ to model it, and I bring back just the ID of something, then reference the actual table column using EntityRef in the view, does it do the join, or does it re-query the database for that bit of information?
To clear things up, if I have this in my repository:
public IEnumerable<MyTable> ListMyTable(int? myColumnVar)
{
string query = "SELECT * FROM MyTable WHERE MyColumn = {0}";
return this.ExecuteQuery<MyTable>(query, myColumnVar);
}
and then in my controller I do this:
IEnumerable<MyTable> mytables = _contractsControlService.ListMyTable(1);
return View(mytables);
then in my view I do things like
<%=tbl.Ref.MyColumn %>
I'm referencing something set out by the LINQ model, but isn't actually in the table output. How does it get that data?
To clear things up further, we're using systems which require ultimate speed, so the LINQ-to-SQL is too slow for us, hence why we're using direct queries in our repository. I wouldn't mind using this EntityRef business if only I knew what was happening underneath.
You have most likely used the Object Relational designer to create an entity class for the Ref entity and an association between the MyTable and the Ref entity. You can also do that manually by creating the appropriate entity classes and using attributes to map the classes to the database schema. You can read the details in How to: Customize Entity Classes by Using the Code Editor (LINQ to SQL) on MSDN.
In your generated (or handwritten) code you will find some attributes:
[Table(Name="dbo.Ref")]
public partial class Ref : INotifyPropertyChanging, INotifyPropertyChanged
and
public partial class MyTable: INotifyPropertyChanging, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
[Association(Name="Ref_MyTable", Storage="_Ref", ThisKey="RefId",
OtherKey="Id", IsForeignKey=true)]
public Ref Ref
{
get
...
The entity classes combined with the attributes enables the Linq-to-Sql framework to retrieve entity classes directly from the database.
If you want to monitor the SQL genereated by Linq-to-Sql you can assign the DataContext.Log property:
context.Log = Console.Out;
In your example, navigating from MyTable to Ref, probably generates SQL along these lines:
SELECT Id, Field1, Field2, Field3
FROM Ref
WHERE Id = #RefId

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