associations.md

Associations

Yes, you can also create associations in Detached Criteria Builder, just like you would with Criteria Builder. Go on, make some uber-complicated queries!

Here we go!...

You can also navigate associations by nesting the criterias using the createCriteria("association_name") method and then concatenating the properties of the association to query upon. You will basically be switching the pivot point of the query.

var c = newCriteria("User");
var users = c.like("name","lui%")
     .createCriteria("admins")
          .like("name","fra%")
     .list();

var c = newCriteria("User");
var users = c.like("name","lui%")
     .withAdmins().like("name","fra%")
     .list();

You can also use a hibernate property approach which aliases the association much how HQL approaches it by using the joinTo( "associationName", "alias" ) method:

var c = newCriteria("User");
var users = c.like("name","lui%")
     .joinTo("admins","a")
     .eq("a.name","Vero")
     .list();

The joinTo() method accepts a third argument of joinType, which can be retrieved from the criteria object:

var c = newCriteria( "User" );
var users = c.like( "name", "lui%" )
     .joinTo( "admins", "a", c.RIGHT_JOIN )
     .eq( "a.name", "Vero" )
     .list();

Let's see the method signatures for these guys:

createCriteria(required string associationName,numeric joinType)
joinTo(required string associationName, required string alias, numeric joinType)
with{AssociationName}( joinType )