18

Creating the Persistence Layer

with TopLink

Copyright © 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

 Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to do

the following:
• Create a TopLink Object-Relational Map
• Develop persistent objects by using TopLink
• Identify a named query and explain how it can be
used effectively in an application
• Define a named query
• Execute named queries at run time
• Explain the role of the TopLink Session

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 What Is TopLink?

• Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) solution:

Java  RDBMS
• Development
– Define mappings between model and schema
– Configure: Queries, caching, locking, clustering,
and so on
• Run time
– Metadata driven from defined XML metadata
– Optimized database read and write access
– Management, logging, and profiling

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 Benefits of TopLink

Performance and scalability

• Flexible query for optimized data access
• Minimizes transaction costs
• Configurable caching with clustered coordination
Developer productivity
• Simplified mapping using graphical editors
• Generation and auto-map wizards
• Error detection and warning during development
Flexibility
• Support of leading databases and Java containers
• Java EE and Java SE

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 Where Does TopLink Fit?
Presentation interface

Application logic Business entities

Java EE services
TopLink CMP/
BMP
JTA

Connection
Mapping editors pools

JDBC JDBC JCA

Data source

XDB EIS

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 TopLink Objects

• Plain Old Java Objects (POJOs)

• Objects mapped for each database table
• Objects with get() and set() methods
• Allows for query and DML in the object model,
rather than SQL
• Configured in the TopLink Map

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 Extensions to JPA

• Persistence unit properties:

– Logging
– Database and Server Platform
– Cache configuration
– Schema generation
• Query hints
• Lazy loading of One-To-One and Many-To-One

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 TopLink Design Time
Mapping Editor

Persistent Metadata
objects
Session XML

*
Map XML Schema
Application
development development

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 TopLink Mapping Editor

• Contains mappings for Java

objects
• Is accessible through the
JDeveloper interface
• Shows each TopLink object
• Includes each attribute

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 Mapping Types

A mapping type addresses ways in which an object’s

data and relationships are stored in the database.
• Direct-to-field: Enables data in an instance
variable to be stored directly into a column in a
table
• Type conversion: Enables data of one type to be
stored in a table as another type
– “age” may be a string in the object, but stored as
NUMBER in the table
• One-to-one: Describes how a one-to-one
relationship between two classes is stored in the
database

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 TopLink Caching

Persistent objects cached by “identity”

• Identity == Primary Key field(s)
Benefits:
• Avoids unnecessary database trips
• Avoids re-building objects from data
• Enables in-memory query processing
• Can be coordinated in clustered deployments
Developer tasks:
• Application-specific cache configuration to
optimize performance and minimize stale data
• Leverage-locking to avoid data corruption

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 Transaction Features and Support

Unit of Work provides Java abstraction.

Minimizes database interactions:
• Calculates the minimal change set at commit time
(deferred write)
• Only the minimal DML issued
Respects database integrity:
• Orders INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE statements
“Unit Of Work” fully supports Java Transaction
API (JTA).

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 Performance and Tuning Options

• Minimal Writes, Updates • “Just in Time” Reading

• Batch Reading, Writing • Automatic change detection
• SQL Ordering • Caching policies and sizes
• Parameterized SQL (binding)
• Transformation Support
• Preallocation of sequence
• Existence Checks numbers
• Stored Procedures • Cache Coordination
• Statement Caching • Optimistic, Pessimistic locking
• Scrolling Cursors • Joining object retrieval
optimization
• Projection Queries
• In memory querying
• Partial Attribute Queries • Dynamic Queries
• Bulk Update Queries • Optimized Change Tracking

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 TopLink JAXB

Provides complete Object-XML mapping capabilities

• Enable developers to work with XML as objects
• Graphical user interface (GUI) tool for mapping
• Efficiently produce and process SOAP messages
Supports Object-XML standard - JAXB
• Provides additional flexibility to enable complete
control on how objects are mapped

Databases XML Data

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 Creating a TopLink Persistence Layer

1. Create TopLink Java objects from tables.

2. Create a TopLink session object.
3. Create a test client.
4. Access TopLink session objects from a client.

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 Creating TopLink Objects

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 Creating TopLink Objects

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 What Is a Named Query?

• A named query is defined during development and

is registered with a session or a descriptor by
using a unique name.
• At run time, the query can be retrieved and
executed by name.
• Advantages of building named queries:
– Can be used many times in an application, after
they are built
– Enables complex behavior to be added to the query
– Enables parameters to be passed into the query
expression

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 Building Named Queries

Build named queries by using the JDeveloper TopLink

Mapping Editor:
• Supports queries with TopLink Expressions, EJB
QL, and SQL query
• Supports parameters in query expressions
• Enables some query options to be set

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 Query Editor

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 Adding Queries Using the Mapping Editor

• Click the Format tab.

• Select Expression.
• Click Edit.

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 Creating a Java Console Test Client

Create a test client to

access TopLink objects.

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 The Test Client

session.login();
Collection results =
session.readAllObjects(Products.class);
for (Iterator itr =
results.iterator();itr.hasNext();) {
printObjectAttributes(itr.next(), session);
}

18-23 Copyright © 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

 Building Query Objects in Code

• Create reusable query objects

• Most common types:
– ReadAllQuery and ReadObjectQuery
Query type

Class ReadAllQuery q = new ReadAllQuery();

being q.setReferenceClass(Employee.class)
queried q.setSelectionCriteria(anExpression);

Selection criteria:
Defined by using TopLink
Expression Framework, EJB
QL, or SQL

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 Expressions

• Expressions have a root context that is defined by

the reference class of the query.
• You can define path expressions by using get() to
obtain attributes relating to the root context object:

ReadAllQuery q = new ReadAllQuery();

q.setReferenceClass(Employee.class);
Expression exp = emp.get(“lastName”).equal(“Smith”);

Conditional
expression
“Smith” operator

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 TopLink Support for Query Expressions

TopLink expressions:

ExpressionBuilder bldr = new ExpressionBuilder();

Expression exp = bldr.get(“lastName”).equal(“Smith”);
q.setSelectionCriteria(exp);

EJB Query Language (EJB QL):

q.setEJBQLString(
“select object(e) from employee e where ” +
“e.lastName = ‘Smith’”);

SQL:
q.setSQLString(
“SELECT * FROM EMPLOYEE e WHERE e.L_NAME = ‘Smith’”);

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 Query Object: Example

Building and executing a query:

// This type of query returns a Vector of objects

ReadAllQuery q = new ReadAllQuery();
q.setReferenceClass(Employee.class);
ExpressionBuilder bldr = new ExpressionBuilder();
Expression exp =
bldr.get(“lastName”).equal(“Smith”);
// Set query expression or query logic
q.setSelectionCriteria(exp);
// Customize query by adding ordering to results
q.addAscendingOrdering(“firstName”);
// Execute query
List<Employees> employees =
(List<Employees>)session.executeQuery(q);

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 Using Sequences

• TopLink uses either:

– Sequence Table or
– Native Sequences
• Select “Use
Sequencing” on
Descriptor Info.
• Enter:
– Table name and
column, or
– Sequence name

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 TopLink Sessions

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 Role of the Session

• A session provides the Java application with an

interface to the relational database.
• TopLink services are invoked through the session.
Java application (objects)

TopLink session

JDBC
JDBC
SQL rows

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 POJO-Based Session Facade Methods

mergeEntity()

persistEntity()

refreshEntity()

removeEntity()

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 Unit of Work

• Unit of Work (UOW) provides object-level

transaction functionality.
– Manages changes that are made to persistent
objects
– Commits these changes to the database as one
atomic operation
• If error occurs during UOW commit, then:
– The database is rolled back
– Changes that are made to all objects in the UOW
are rolled back to their original state

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 Unit of Work

• Transaction created only at UOW commit time

– Results in short-running transactions
• Updates only attributes that have changed
• Rolls back both the objects and the database if
something goes wrong during commit
• Proper commit order maintained by the UOW. At
commit time, the UOW:
– Begins the database transaction
– Performs minimal update to objects that have
changed
– Commits the transaction

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 Unit of Work: Life Cycle

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 Unit of Work: Example

// Acquire UOW from a database session

UnitOfWork uow = getSession().acquireUnitOfWork();
// Read an object
Employee employeeOriginal =
(Employee)getSession().readObject(Employee.class);
// Register object -- a working copy is returned
Employee employeeWorkingCopy =
(Employee)uow.registerObject(employeeOriginal);
// Update working copy
employeeWorkingCopy.setFirstName("Geoff");
// commit; transaction created and SQL executed
uow.commit();

SQL optimized to update only what has changed:

UPDATE EMPLOYEE SET F_NAME = 'Geoff' WHERE (EMP_ID = 8)

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 ADF Model Databinding and TopLink

ADF Model:
• Provides a wrapper and
abstraction for business
services
• Enables you to work the
same way with any UI and
any business services
• Decouples UI
from back-end
business
services
• Provides drag-
and-drop
databinding
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 Data Control Palette

Is a visual representation of your business service that

contains:
• Methods
• Parameters and results
• Attributes
• Collections
• Built-in operations

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 Creating a TopLink Data Control

• From the Applications Navigator:

– Select Create Data Control in the component’s
shortcut menu.
OR
– Drag the component to the Data Control Palette.
• Use the Data Control wizards (new in 10.1.3).

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 Bindings

• Define the interaction between a view or controller

component and the data control
• Are created automatically when you drag a
component from the Data Control Palette to a page
or panel
• Can also be created in the Structure window
E-mail: neena.kochhar@

Name: Kochhar

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 Summary

In this lesson, you should have learned how to:

• Create a TopLink Object-Relational mapping
• Develop persistence objects by using TopLink
• Identify a named query and explain how it can be
used effectively in an application
• Define a named query
• Execute named queries at run time
• Explain the role of the TopLink Session

18-40 Copyright © 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

 Practice Overview:
Creating a TopLink Persistence Layer

This practice covers the following topics:

• Creating default TopLink POJOs
• Using a query to retrieve data from a POJO
• Creating named queries
• Creating data controls
• Including binding on a JSF

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18-42 Copyright © 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.