improvements to documentation of HQL functions

- especially the collection-related functions
- also explain path expressions
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Gavin 2023-05-30 00:51:43 +02:00 committed by Gavin King
parent 6c36e98b1a
commit 6ea37bfc30
4 changed files with 199 additions and 68 deletions

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@ -202,14 +202,54 @@ See <<functions-typecasts>>.
[[path-expressions]]
=== Identification variables and path expressions
Identification variables, and path expressions beginning with an identification variable are legal expressions in almost every context.
A path expression is either:
- a reference to an <<identification-variables,identification variable>>, or
- a _compound path_, beginning with a reference to an identification variable, and followed by a period-separated list of references to entity attributes.
As an extension to the JPA spec, HQL, just like SQL, allows a compound path expression where the identification variable at the beginning of the path is missing.
That is, instead of `var.foo.bar`, it's legal to write just `foo.bar`.
But this is only allowed when the identification variable may be unambiguously inferred from the first element, `foo` of the compound path.
The query must have exactly one identification variable `var` for which the path `var.foo` refers to an entity attribute.
Note that we will continue to call these paths "compound", even if they only have one element.
[TIP]
====
This streamlines the query rather nicely when there's just one root entity and no joins.
But when the query has multiple identification variables it makes the query much harder to understand.
====
If an element of a compound path refers to an association, the path expression produces an <<implicit-join,implicit join>>.
[source,hql]
----
select book.publisher.name from Book book
----
See <<identification-variables>> and <<implicit-join>>.
An element of a compound path referring to a many-to-one or on-to-one association may have the <<function-treat,treat>> function applied to it.
[source,hql]
----
select treat(order.payment as CreditCardPayment).creditCardNumber from Order order
----
If an element of a compound path refers to a collection or many-valued association, it must have one of <<collection-functions,these special functions>> applied to it.
[source,hql]
----
select element(book.authors).name from Book book
----
No other function may be applied to a non-terminal element of a path expression.
Alternatively, if the element of the compound path refers to a list or map, it may have the indexing operator applied to it:
[source,hql]
----
select book.editions[0].date from Book book
----
No other operator may be applied to a non-terminal element of a path expression.
=== Operator expressions
@ -475,6 +515,9 @@ where length(treat(payment as CreditCardPayment).cardNumber)
The type of the expression `treat(p as CreditCardPayment)` is the narrowed type, `CreditCardPayment`, instead of the declared type `Payment` of `p`.
This allows the attribute `cardNumber` declared by the subtype `CreditCardPayment` to be referenced.
- The first argument is usually an identification variable.
- The second argument is the target type given as an unqualified entity name.
The `treat()` function may even occur in a <<join-treat,join>>.
[[function-cast]]
@ -482,9 +525,9 @@ The `treat()` function may even occur in a <<join-treat,join>>.
===== General typecasts
The function `cast()` has a similar syntax, but is used to narrow basic types.
Its first argument is usually an attribute of an entity, or a more complex expression involving entity attributes.
The target type is an unqualified Java class name:
- Its first argument is usually an attribute of an entity, or a more complex expression involving entity attributes.
- Its second argument is the target type given as an unqualified Java class name:
`String`, `Long`, `Integer`, `Double`, `Float`, `Character`, `Byte`, `BigInteger`, `BigDecimal`, `LocalDate`, `LocalTime`, `LocalDateTime`, etc.
[source, hql]
@ -576,6 +619,9 @@ There are some very important functions for working with dates and times.
The special function `extract()` obtains a single field of a date, time, or datetime.
- Its first argument is an expression that evaluates to a date, time, or datetime.
- Its second argument is a date/time _field type_.
Field types include: `day`, `month`, `year`, `second`, `minute`, `hour`, `day of week`, `day of month`, `week of year`, `date`, `time`, `epoch` and more.
For a full list of field types, see the Javadoc for https://docs.jboss.org/hibernate/orm/{majorMinorVersion}/javadocs/org/hibernate/query/TemporalUnit.html[`TemporalUnit`].
@ -615,7 +661,10 @@ select year(created), month(created) from Order
The `format()` function formats a date, time, or datetime according to a pattern.
The syntax is `format(datetime as pattern)`, and the pattern must be written in a subset of the pattern language defined by Java's `java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter`.
- Its first argument is an expression that evaluates to a date, time, or datetime.
- Its second argument is a formatting pattern, given as a string.
The pattern must be written in a subset of the pattern language defined by Java's `java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter`.
For a full list of `format()` pattern elements, see the Javadoc for https://docs.jboss.org/hibernate/orm/{majorMinorVersion}/javadocs/org/hibernate/dialect/Dialect.html#appendDatetimeFormat[`Dialect.appendDatetimeFormat`].
@ -623,11 +672,14 @@ For a full list of `format()` pattern elements, see the Javadoc for https://docs
[discrete]
===== Truncating a date or time type
The `truncate()` function truncates a date, time, or datetime to the temporal unit specified by field.
The `truncate()` function truncates the precision of a date, time, or datetime to the temporal unit specified by field type.
The syntax is `truncate(datetime, field)`. Supported temporal units are: `year`, `month`, `day`, `hour`, `minute` or `second`.
- Its first argument is an expression that evaluates to a date, time, or datetime.
- Its second argument is a date/time field type, specifying the precision of the truncated value.
Truncating a date, time or datetime value translates to obtaining a value of the same type in which all temporal units smaller than `field` have been pruned.
Supported temporal units are: `year`, `month`, `day`, `hour`, `minute` or `second`.
Truncating a date, time or datetime value means obtaining a value of the same type in which all temporal units smaller than `field` have been pruned.
For hours, minutes and second this means setting them to `00`. For months and days, this means setting them to `01`.
[[string-functions]]
@ -635,35 +687,35 @@ For hours, minutes and second this means setting them to `00`. For months and da
Naturally, there are a good number of functions for working with strings.
[cols="15,~,~,^15"]
[cols="15,30,~,^15"]
|===
| Function | Purpose | Syntax | JPA standard / ANSI SQL Standard
| `upper()` | The string, with lowercase characters converted to uppercase | `upper(s)` | ✔ / ✔
| `lower()` | The string, with uppercase characters converted to lowercase | `lower(s)` | ✔ / ✔
| `length()` | The length of the string | `length(s)` | ✔ / ✖
| `upper()` | The string, with lowercase characters converted to uppercase | `upper(str)` | ✔ / ✔
| `lower()` | The string, with uppercase characters converted to lowercase | `lower(str)` | ✔ / ✔
| `length()` | The length of the string | `length(str)` | ✔ / ✖
| `concat()` | Concatenate strings | `concat(x, y, z)` | ✔ / ✖
| `locate()` | Location of string within a string | `locate(s, d)`, +
`locate(s, d, i)` | ✔ / ✖
| `position()` | Similar to `locate()` | `position(pattern in string)` | ✖ / ✔
| `substring()` | Substring of a string (JPQL-style) | `substring(s, i)`, +
`substring(s, i, l)` | ✔ / ✖
| `locate()` | Location of string within a string | `locate(patt, str)`, +
`locate(patt, str, start)` | ✔ / ✖
| `position()` | Similar to `locate()` | `position(patt in str)` | ✖ / ✔
| `substring()` | Substring of a string (JPQL-style) | `substring(str, start)`, +
`substring(str, start, len)` | ✔ / ✖
| `substring()` | Substring of a string (ANSI SQL-style)
| `substring(string from start)`, +
`substring(string from start for length)` | ✖ / ✔
| `substring(str from start)`, +
`substring(str from start for len)` | ✖ / ✔
| `trim()` | Trim characters from string | See below | ✔ / ✔
| `overlay()` | For replacing a substring
| `overlay(string placing replacement from start)`, +
`overlay(string placing replacement from start for length)` | ✖ / ✔
| `overlay(str placing rep from start)`, +
`overlay(str placing rep from start for len)` | ✖ / ✔
| `pad()` | Pads a string with whitespace, or with a specified character
| `pad(string with length)`, +
`pad(string with length leading)`, +
`pad(string with length trailing)`, or +
`pad(string with length leading character)` | ✖ / ✖
| `left()` | The leftmost characters of a string | `left(string, length)` | ✖ / ✖
| `right()` | The rightmost characters of a string | `right(string, length)` | ✖ / ✖
| `replace()` | Replace every occurrence of a pattern in a string | `replace(string, pattern, replacement)` | ✖ / ✖
| `repeat()` | Concatenate a string with itself multiple times | `replace(string, times)` | ✖ / ✖
| `pad(str with len)`, +
`pad(str with len leading)`, +
`pad(str with len trailing)`, or +
`pad(str with len leading char)` | ✖ / ✖
| `left()` | The leftmost characters of a string | `left(str, len)` | ✖ / ✖
| `right()` | The rightmost characters of a string | `right(str, len)` | ✖ / ✖
| `replace()` | Replace every occurrence of a pattern in a string | `replace(str, patt, rep)` | ✖ / ✖
| `repeat()` | Concatenate a string with itself multiple times | `replace(str, times)` | ✖ / ✖
| `collate()` | Select a collation | `collate(p.name as collation)` | ✖ / ✖
|===
@ -693,6 +745,8 @@ group by book
The JPQL function `locate()` determines the position of a substring within another string.
- The first argument is the pattern to search for within the second string.
- The second argument is the string to search in.
- The optional third argument is used to specify a position at which to start the search.
[source, hql]
@ -700,9 +754,6 @@ The JPQL function `locate()` determines the position of a substring within anoth
select locate('Hibernate', title) from Book
----
[discrete]
===== Finding substrings
The `position()` function has a similar purpose, but follows the ANSI SQL syntax.
[source, hql]
@ -793,27 +844,65 @@ Of course, we also have a number of functions for working with numeric values.
| `greatest()` | Return the largest of the given arguments | `greatest(x, y, z)` | ✖
|===
We haven't included <<aggregate-functions,aggregate functions>>, <<aggregate-functions-orderedset,ordered set aggregate functions>>, or <<aggregate-functions-window>>
in this list, because their purpose is more specialized, and because they come with extra special syntax.
We haven't included <<aggregate-functions,aggregate functions>>, <<aggregate-functions-orderedset,ordered set aggregate functions>>, or <<aggregate-functions-window,window functions>> in this list, because their purpose is more specialized, and because they come with extra special syntax.
[[functions-collections]]
==== Functions for dealing with collections
The following functions apply to any identification variable that refers to a joined collection or many-valued association.
The functions described in this section are especially useful when dealing with `@ElementCollection` mappings, or with collection mappings involving an `@OrderColumn` or `@MapKeyColumn`.
The following functions accept either:
1. an identification variable that refers to a <<collection-valued-associations,joined collection or many-valued association>>, or
2. a <<path-expressions,compound path>> that refers to a collection or many-valued association of an entity.
In case 2, application of the function produces an <<implicit-collection-join,implicit join>>.
[[collection-functions]]
[cols="12,20,~,^15"]
[cols="15,20,~,^15"]
|===
| Function | Applies to | Purpose | JPA standard
| `size()` | Any collection | The size of a collection | ✖
| `element()` | Any collection | The element of a list | ✖
| `index()`| Lists | The index of a list element | ✖
| `key()`| Maps | The key of a map entry | ✖
| `value()`| Maps | The value of a map entry | ✖
| `entry()`| Maps | The whole entry in a map | ✖
| `size()` | Any collection | The size of a collection |
| `element()` | Any collection | The element of a set or list | ✖
| `index()` | Lists | The index of a list element | ✔
| `key()` | Maps | The key of a map entry | ✔
| `value()` | Maps | The value of a map entry | ✔
| `entry()` 💀 | Maps | The whole entry in a map | ✔
|===
The next group of functions always accept a compound path referring to a collection or many-valued association of an entity.
They're interpreted as referring to the collection as a whole.
Application of one of these function produces implicit subquery.
[[collective-collection-functions]]
[cols="15,20,~,^15"]
|===
| Function | Applies to | Purpose | JPA standard
| `elements()` | Any collection | The elements of a set or list, collectively | ✖
| `indices()` | Lists | The indexes of a list, collectively | ✖
| `keys()` | Maps | The keys of a map, collectively | ✖
| `values()` | Maps | The values of a map, collectively | ✖
|===
This query has an implicit join:
[[elements-join-example]]
[source, hql]
----
select title, element(tags) from Book
----
This query has an implicit subquery:
[[elements-subquery-example]]
[source, hql]
----
select title from Book where 'hibernate' in elements(tags)
----
[discrete]
===== Collection sizes
@ -825,34 +914,50 @@ The `size()` function returns the number of elements of a collection or to-many
select name, size(books) from Author
----
[[set-functions]]
[discrete]
===== Set or list elements
The `element()` function returns a reference to an element of a joined set or list.
For an identification variable (case 1 above), this function is optional.
For a compound path (case 2), it's required.
[[list-functions]]
[discrete]
===== List elements and indexes
===== List indexes
The `element()` or `index()` function returns a reference to an element or index of a <<collection-valued-associations,joined list>>.
The `index()` function returns a reference to the index of a joined list.
In this example, `element()` is optional, but `index()` is required:
[[index-example]]
[source, hql]
----
select id(book), index(ed), element(ed)
from Book book as book
join book.editions as ed
----
[[map-functions]]
[discrete]
===== Map keys, values, and entries
===== Map keys and values
The `key()`, `value()`, or `entry()` function returns a reference to a key, value, or entry of a <<collection-valued-associations,joined map>>.
The `key()` function returns a reference to a key of a joined map.
The `value()` function returns a reference to its value.
[[key-value-example]]
[source, hql]
----
select key(entry), value(entry)
from Thing as thing
join thing.entries as entry
----
[[elements-indices]]
==== Quantification over collections
===== Quantification over collections
There's two additional functions of collections which we didn't include in previous table because they're much less-used and a bit harder to understand.
[cols="12,30,~"]
|===
| HQL Function | Applies to | Purpose
| `elements()` | Any collection | Refers to the elements of a collection as a whole
| `indices()` | Indexed collections (lists and maps) | Similar to `elements()` but refers to the collections indices (keys/positions) as a whole
|===
The `elements()` and `indices()` functions give us a shortcut way to write a subquery:
We may use these functions with:
The functions `elements()`, `indices()`, `keys()`, and `values()` are used to quantify over collections.
We may use them with:
- an <<in-predicate,`in`>> or <<exists-predicate,`exists`>> predicate,
- a <<relational-comparisons-subqueries,relational comparison>>, or
@ -868,7 +973,33 @@ We may use these functions with:
| `max(elements(book.printings))` | `(select max(pr) from book.printings as pr)`
|===
These functions are most useful with ``@ElementCollection``s.
For example:
[source, hql]
----
select title from Book where 'hibernate' in elements(tags)
----
Don't confuse the `elements()` function with `element()`, the `indices()` function with `index()`, the `keys()` function with `key()`, or the `values()` function with `value()`.
The functions named in singular deal with elements of "flattened" collections.
If not already joined, they add an implicit join to the query.
The functions with plural naming do _not_ flatten a collection by joining it.
[%unbreakable]
[IMPORTANT]
====
The following queries are different:
[source, hql]
----
select title, max(index(revisions)) from Book /* implicit join */
----
[source, hql]
----
select title, max(indices(revisions)) from Book /* implicit subquery */
----
The first query produces a single row, with `max()` taken over all books.
The second query produces a row per book, with `max()` taken over the collection elements belonging to the given book.
====
[[functions-model]]
==== Functions for working with ids and versions
@ -1090,7 +1221,7 @@ This less-than-lovely fragment of the HQL ANTLR grammar tells us that the thing
- a list of values enclosed in parentheses,
- a subquery,
- one of the functions `elements()` or `indices()` defined <<elements-indices,above>>, or
- one of the collection-handling functions defined <<elements-indices,above>>, or
- a query parameter,
The type of the expression on the left, and the types of all the values on the right must be compatible.
@ -1155,7 +1286,7 @@ List<Book> books =
The binary comparisons we met <<relational-comparisons,above>> may involve a quantifier, either:
- a quantified subquery, or
- a quantifier applied to one of the functions `elements()` or `indices()` defined <<elements-indices,above>>.
- a quantifier applied to one of the functions defined <<elements-indices,above>>.
The quantifiers are unary prefix operators: `all`, `every`, `any`, and `some`.
@ -1187,14 +1318,14 @@ The unary prefix `exists` operator evaluates to true if the thing to its right i
The thing to its right might be:
- a subquery, or
- one of the functions `elements()` or `indices()` defined <<elements-indices,above>>.
- one of the functions defined <<elements-indices,above>>.
As you can surely guess, `not exists` evaluates to true if the thing to the right _is_ empty.
[[collection-expressions-exists-example]]
[source, hql]
----
from Author where exists elements(books)
from Author where exists element(books)
----
[source, hql]
----

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@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ A path expression like `book.authors.name` is not considered legal.
We can't just navigate a many-valued association with this syntax.
Instead, the functions `element()`, `index()`, `key()`, and `value()` may be applied to a path expression to express an implicit join.
So we must write `element(book.authors).name`.
So we must write `element(book.authors).name` or `index(book.authors)`.
[[collection-implicit-join-example]]
[source, hql]

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@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ The `elements()` and `indices()` functions we met <<elements-indices,earlier>> l
[cols="18,15,~,~"]
|===
| New syntax | Legacy HQL function | Applies to | Purpose
| New syntax | Legacy HQL function 💀 | Applies to | Purpose
| `max(elements(x))` | `maxelement(x)` | Any collection with sortable elements | The maximum element or map value
| `min(elements(x))` | `minelement(x)` | Any collection with sortable elements | The minimum element or map value

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@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
expression "NOT"? "IN" inList
inList
: ("ELEMENTS"|"INDICES") "(" simplePath ")"
: collectionQuantifier "(" simplePath ")"
| "(" (expression ("," expression)*)? ")"
| "(" subquery ")"
| parameter