> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://bxorm.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://bxorm.ortusbooks.com/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitygetreference.md).

# EntityGetReference

Get a reference to an entity by id without loading it from the database

Get a reference to an entity by id without loading it from the database.

Use it to set an association when all you have is the id: no `SELECT` runs.

The reference is a lazy proxy. Reading any of its properties or calling its methods loads the row then, and fails at that point if no row has that id. When the session already holds the entity, that entity is returned.

## Method Signature

```
EntityGetReference(entityName=[String], id=[Any])
```

### Arguments

| Argument     | Type     | Required | Description                                                               | Default |
| ------------ | -------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `entityName` | `String` | `true`   | The name of the entity.                                                   |         |
| `id`         | `Any`    | `true`   | The primary key value, or a struct of key/value pairs for composite keys. |         |

Returns the reference: an unloaded proxy, or the entity when the session already holds it.

## Examples

Set an association from a form value, without loading the customer:

```java
order.setCustomer( entityGetReference( "Customer", form.customerId ) );
entitySave( order );
```

Composite keys take a struct:

```java
vehicleType = entityGetReference( "VehicleType", { make : "Ford", model : "Fusion" } );
```

## Related

* [EntityCriteria](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitycriteria.md)
* [EntityDelete](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitydelete.md)
* [EntityEvict](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityevict.md)
* [EntityGetDatasource](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitygetdatasource.md)
* [EntityGetDirtyProperties](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitygetdirtyproperties.md)
* [EntityGetId](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitygetid.md)
* [EntityGetMetadata](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitygetmetadata.md)
* [EntityGetName](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitygetname.md)
* [EntityIsAttached](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityisattached.md)
* [EntityIsDirty](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityisdirty.md)
* [EntityLoad](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityload.md)
* [EntityLoadAsStruct](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadasstruct.md)
* [EntityLoadByExample](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadbyexample.md)
* [EntityLoadByPK](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadbypk.md)
* [EntityLoadByPKOrFail](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadbypkorfail.md)
* [EntityLoadOrFail](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadorfail.md)
* [EntityLoadOrNew](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadornew.md)
* [EntityLoadOrSave](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadorsave.md)
* [EntityLoadReadOnly](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityloadreadonly.md)
* [EntityLock](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitylock.md)
* [EntityMerge](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitymerge.md)
* [EntityNameArray](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitynamearray.md)
* [EntityNameList](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitynamelist.md)
* [EntityNew](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitynew.md)
* [EntityReload](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entityreload.md)
* [EntitySave](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitysave.md)
* [EntityToQuery](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitytoquery.md)
* [EntityToStruct](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/entitytostruct.md)
* [ORMClearSession](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormclearsession.md)
* [ORMCloseAllSessions](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormcloseallsessions.md)
* [ORMCloseSession](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormclosesession.md)
* [ORMDiagnostics](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormdiagnostics.md)
* [ORMEvictCollection](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormevictcollection.md)
* [ORMEvictEntity](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormevictentity.md)
* [ORMEvictQueries](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormevictqueries.md)
* [ORMExecuteQuery](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormexecutequery.md)
* [ORMFlush](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormflush.md)
* [ORMFlushAll](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormflushall.md)
* [ORMGetHibernateVersion](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormgethibernateversion.md)
* [ORMGetSQLFunctions](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormgetsqlfunctions.md)
* [ORMGetSession](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormgetsession.md)
* [ORMGetSessionFactory](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormgetsessionfactory.md)
* [ORMGetSessionStatistics](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormgetsessionstatistics.md)
* [ORMIsSessionDirty](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormissessiondirty.md)
* [ORMReadOnly](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormreadonly.md)
* [ORMReload](/bxorm-2.x/reference/built-in-functions/ormreload.md)


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