Adding client views or interfaces to beans

You can use the EJB deployment descriptor editor to add and remove client views, or interfaces, from existing entity or session beans.

Client views are either local or remote, and entity and session beans must contain at least one client view. EJB 2.x beans can include both local and remote client views, while EJB 1.1 beans only include the default remote client view. Message-driven beans do not contain client interfaces. EJB 2.1 stateless session beans can also include a Web service client view.

For example, if an existing EJB 2.0 BMP entity bean includes local and local home interface (a local client view), you can use the deployment descriptor editor to add remote and remote home interfaces. When you add the interfaces, you have the option of copying the methods from the existing local interfaces to the new remote interfaces. You also can choose to delete the existing local interfaces at the same time as the addition of the remote interfaces.

Because EJB 1.1 beans only contain a remote interface, you cannot add an additional client view or remove the existing client view from an EJB 1.1 bean.

To add a client view to an EJB 2.x enterprise bean:

  1. In the Project Explorer view of the J2EE perspective, right-click the Deployment Descriptor for your EJB project and select Open With > Deployment Descriptor Editor to open the deployment descriptor editor.

  2. On the Beans page of the editor, select the entity or session bean that you want to work with.

  3. In the Class and Interface files section, click Add.

  4. In the Add Client View wizard, select a check box in the Add new interfaces section to specify the type of client view that you want to add. Depending on the interfaces that exist, only the appropriate check boxes will be available.

  5. In the Add methods from an existing interface to the new client view section, select whether you want to copy the methods from the existing interfaces. This option is not available if there are no existing interfaces.

  6. In the Remove and/or delete the existing client view section, select whether you also want to simultaneously delete the existing client view from the bean, from the project, or from both.

  7. Click Next.

  8. Select the desired Package and Class for each interface.

  9. Click Finish.

If you decide that your bean does not need a particular client view, you can remove it from the bean, if the client view is not required. To remove a client view after you add it, select the client view in the Class and Interface files section and click Remove. The Remove Client View wizard helps you complete the removal.

 

Related concepts

EJB Deployment Descriptor editor
Key classes and key fields

 

Related tasks

Adding and removing CMP fields