View source for Documentation:OCLOperators IsNew

'''IsNew''' lets you test in [[Documentation:Learn OCL|OCL]] whether the current object has never been saved to the database; use it when a rule or expression must behave differently for newly created objects.
== Syntax ==
<syntaxhighlight lang="csharp">
self.isNew
</syntaxhighlight>

The expression returns a Boolean value:

{| class="wikitable"
! Result
! Meaning
|-
| <code>true</code>
| The object has never been saved to the database.
|-
| <code>false</code>
| The object has been saved to the database at least once.
|}
== Example: Fruit ==
Assume that your model contains a class named <code>Fruit</code>.

Use the following expression when the current <code>Fruit</code> must be identified as new:

<syntaxhighlight lang="csharp">
self.isNew
</syntaxhighlight>

For a newly created <code>Fruit</code> that has not yet been saved, the expression evaluates to <code>true</code>. After that <code>Fruit</code> has been saved to the database, the same expression evaluates to <code>false</code>.

Using Class Fruit as an example
<syntaxhighlight lang="abap">
Fruit.allInstances->first.IsNew
</syntaxhighlight>{{Edited|July|12|2025}}
== IsNew and IsDirty ==
Do not use '''IsNew''' to test whether an existing object was edited. An object can have been saved before and then changed afterwards; it is not new, but it is dirty. Use [[Documentation:OCLOperators IsDirty|IsDirty]] to test whether an object has changed since its last save.

{| class="wikitable"
! Situation
! <code>self.isNew</code>
! IsDirty meaning
|-
| A new <code>Fruit</code> has not been saved
| <code>true</code>
| Use [[Documentation:OCLOperators IsDirty|IsDirty]] when you need to test for changes since the last save.
|-
| An existing <code>Fruit</code> is changed after it was saved
| <code>false</code>
| The object has changed since its last save.
|-
| An existing <code>Fruit</code> has no changes after its last save
| <code>false</code>
| The object has not changed since its last save.
|}
== Use in an OCL expression ==
Enter the expression in the OCL Editor in the context of the class you want to test. For example, when the expression context is <code>Fruit</code>, use <code>self.isNew</code> to test that Fruit instance.

For an overview of available operators, see [[Documentation:OCL General Operators]]. For logical expressions that combine Boolean results, see [[Documentation:OCL Boolean Operators]].
== See also ==
* [[Documentation:OCLOperators IsDirty]]
* [[Documentation:OCL General Operators]]
* [[Documentation:OCL Boolean Operators]]

[[Category:Intermediate-Friendly]]
[[Category:OCL (Object Constraint Language)]]
[[Category:OCL Operators: Logical & Conditional]]
[[Category:Priority 60]]