GORM property implementing setter from abstract class does not get marked dirty

[sbglasius]

Expected Behavior

That all properties, also those who implement an abstract setter, are marked dirty when the property changes.

Actual Behaviour

If a property implements an abstract setter from an abstract class, then it is not marked dirty when changed.

Steps To Reproduce

From the accached project's README:

Issue description

When a domain class, extending from an abstract class, and this abstract class has setFoo() and getFoo() methods, and the domain class has a property foo, then the generated bytecode does not have a markDirty call for the property. Other properties not mentioned in the abstract class does have markDirty in the bytecode.

This behavior is not visible in Unit test, but in Integration test and production.

Steps to reproduce

Run the test suite. One test UsingAbstractIntegrationSpec will fail.

To debug, add the debug compile options in build.gradle and run the test.

Identified reason for this behavior

As far as I can tell, org.grails.compiler.gorm.DirtyCheckingTransformer.addDirtyCheckingSetter() is not calling org.grails.compiler.gorm.DirtyCheckingTransformer.createMarkDirtyMethodCall because in line #316 the setter node is not-null, as it is picked up from the abstract class.

I think it will be fixable just by adding a check for setter == null || setter.isAbstrct() in line #316, but since this is for GORM 8.1.2 (And Grails 6.2.3), I am not sure if 1) This is the right approach, and 2) If it is, how can I get it released?

Environment Information

Ubuntu (but irrelevant)
Java 17
Grails 6.2.3 (I am about to add a branch that checks Grails 7 as well)

Example Application

https://github.com/sbglasius/grails-gorm-abstract-setter-issue

Version

6.2.3 and most likely 7.0.x as well

[sbglasius]

Same issue can be found in Grails 7.0.x (branch 7.0.x in the attached example application)

[jdaugherty]

Add @DirtyCheck to the abstract class and it will work.

[jdaugherty]

This was an intentional change in gorm 6.1. https://grails.apache.org/docs-legacy-gorm/6.1.x/hibernate/manual/index.html#_dirty_checking_for_abstract_base_classes

There is an open ticket how this was never added to the documentation (only the original upgrade notes): #14185

[jdaugherty]

I suggest we dismiss this ticket and update the documentation per #14185 since this isn't a bug.

[sbglasius]

I disagree. Having abstract setters still show the described behaviour

[jdaugherty]

@sbglasius the setter/getter find is definitely a bug. I agree that needs fixed to be treated like a property.