Using @TransactionAttribute(value = TransactionAttributeType.NEVER) on a method

Question

Can you call a method that requires a transaction inside a method that does not?

@TransactionAttribute(value = TransactionAttributeType.NEVER)
public void DoSomething(final List<Item> items) {

//can you call a method that requires a transaction here ?
for (Item i : items) {
    methodCall(item);

}

@TransactionAttribute(value = TransactionAttributeType.REQUIRES_NEW)
public void methodCall(final Item item) {
    // access lazily loaded item properties
    item.getSalesOrder();
    item.getAllocation();

    //throws org.hibernate.LazyInitializationException: could not initialize proxy - no Session

}

The .NEVER attribute says it will guarantee the method does not run inside a transaction but what about calls to other methods inside that method

Answer 1

The annotation only defines the required transaction state which must exist when the annotated method is invoked (in this case a transaction must not exist). It does not restrict what may occur within the execution of the annotation method. So within this method you could start a new transaction without any problem.

In the example that you provided, you may call a method which requires a transaction from within a method that has a transactional setting of NEVER. In this situation, a new transaction will be created for the method call that requires the transaction. If the inner method is marked with a MANDATORY setting, then the inner method call will fail as an existing transaction does not exist and the MANDATORY setting does not automatically create one for you.