I logged this issue
http://java.net/jira/browse/JMS_SPEC-30
which was first raised by Emran, but which I definitely support.
Any comments? If we can get agreement on this we can raise it with the EJB 3.2 EG.
This is a request for the JMS and/or EJB specifications to define additional mandatory activation config properties for
JMS MDBs. Although MDBs are specified in the EJB specification, this request should be considered first by the JMS 2.0
expert group who may then want to raise it with the EJB 3.2 expert group.
The EJB 3.1 spec is distinctly vague about how a MDB is defined. The relevant sections are 5.4.15, 5.4.16 and 5.4.17.1.
The only activation config properties defined are acknowledgeMode (only used when transactions are bean-managed, and
which must be either Auto-acknowledge or Dups-ok-acknowledge), messageSelector, destinationType (which must be must be
either javax.jms.Queue or javax.jms.Topic) and subscriptionDurability (which must be either Durable or NonDurable). But
it doesn't specify how the destination is defined or, when subscriptionDurability is Durable, how the subscription name
and client identifier are defined.
The JCA 1.6 spec has some additional guidance, at least for MDBs that use a resource adapter. Section B2 states that
providers are "strongly encouraged" to provide the properties mentioned above and also destination, subscriptionName and
clientId, with destination and destinationType as "required" properties.
Whatever else we do, there seems to be a clear need to make these mandatory for JMS MDBs, whether or not they use JCA.
The JMS 2.0 and EJB 3.2 expert groups should also decide whether the EJB spec is the best place to list such
JMS-specific details. Although MDBs (which are not just for JMS) should remain in the EJB spec, perhaps any additional
specification for JMS MDBs should be in the JMS spec.
Nigel