06) The fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork Class

The fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork Class

What is the fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork class?

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Why is this class used?

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fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork class method cheat sheet

1. registerNew() - Registers a single record or list of records as new records that need to be created
2. registerRelationship(SObject, SObjectField, SObject) - Registers a relationship between one record and another
3. registerDirty() - Registers a single record or list of records to update
4. registerDeleted() - Registers a single record or list of records to be deleted
5. registerEmail(EmailMessage) - Registers an email message to be sent
6. registerWork(IDoWork) - Registers a callback method to be called after your work has been committed to the database.
7. commitWork() - Commits your unit of work (records registered) to the database. This should always be called last.

There are many other useful methods in the fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork class, but the above methods are the major ones you'll leverage most frequently.

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How to Register a Callback method for an Apex Commons UOW

The following code example shows you how to setup a callback method for your units of work, should you need them.

public inherited sharing class HelpDeskAppPostCommitLogic implements fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork.IDoWork{
    List<Task> taskList;
    
    public HelpDeskAppPostCommitLogic(List<Task> taskList){
        this.taskList = taskList; 
    }
    
    public void doWork(){
        //write callback code here
    }
}

The code below shows you how to actually make sure your unit of work calls your callback method.

fflib_ISObjectUnitOfWork uow = Helpdesk_Application.helpDeskUOW.newInstance();
//code to create some tasks
uow.registerNew(newTasks);
uow.registerWork(new HelpDeskAppPostCommitLogic(newTasks));
uow.commitWork();    

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Apex Commons Unit of Work Limitations

1. Records within the same object that have lookups to each other are currently not supported. For example, if the Account object has a Lookup to itself, that relationship cannot be registered.

2. You cannot do an all or none false database transactions.

Database.insert(acctList, false);

3. To send emails with the Apex Commons UOW you must utilize the special registerEmail method.

To do these things in your own way you would need to make a new class that implements the fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork's IDML interface which we'll cover below

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How and When to use the fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork IDML Interface

If your unit of work needs a custom implementation for inserting, updating, deleting, etc that is not supported by the SimpleDML inner class then you are gonna want to create a new class that implements the fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork.IDML interface. After you create that class if you were using the Application factory you would instantiate your unit of work like so Application.uow.newInstance(new customIDMLClass()); otherwise you would initialize it using public static fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork uow = new fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork(new List<SObjectType>{Case.SObjectType}, new customIDMLClass());

Example of an IDML Class

public customIDMLClass implements fflib_SObjectUnitOfWork.IDML{

}