Query Hints

We currently have an issues when the same hint is used twice from a named query,

i.e.

"eclipselink.join-fetch"="e.address"

"eclipselink.join-fetch"="e.phone"

Because we currently store the hints as a Map, the last hint overrides the first.

I am fixing this to use a List instead of Map, but noticed the JPA 2.0 spec uses a Map of hints for the find, refresh, lock calls.

So the other alternative is to still use a Map, but allow an array of values for each hint, or comma separated list.  Or get the spec to change to a List<Object[]>.

So far I am thinking of using a Map and allowing an Object[] for the hint values, unless anyone has other preferences?

(multiple hints will still be supported in Query.setHint() and @NamedQuery)

i.e.

"eclipselink.join-fetch"={"e.phone", "e.address"}

or,

"eclipselink.join-fetch"="e.phone, e.address"

I remember we had a similar issue with persistence unit properties, but deferred the issue by name defining any multi properties.  I suppose we may one day require multi properties in persistence.xml, so may want a common solution.