When calling an EJB3 method the transaction attribute is being ignored.

Issue

• When calling an EJB method from within the same EJB, the transaction attribute is being ignored.

For example:

@Stateless  
public class TransactionBean implements Transaction {  
  ...

  @TransactionAttribute(TransactionAttributeType.REQUIRED)  
  public void firstMethod() {
    // ... some action to update the database
    this.secondMethod();
  }

  // a new transaction  here
  @TransactionAttribute(TransactionAttributeType.REQUIRES_NEW)
  public void secondMethod() {
    // ... some action to update the database
    Session.setRollBackOnly();// this rollsback the work done in this method AND firstMethod - WHY? it is in a new transaction
  }
}

• REQUIRES_NEW transaction causing rollback to calling method. Method 1 calls method 2, and method 2 interrogates the database within its own transaction Why does the second call to method 2 not result in a new transaction being created?
• If I instantiate a StatelessSessionBean and call a method the transaction are not respected, what is wrong?
• If an interal method is called the transaction attribute does not have any effect, why?

@Stateless
@TransactionAttribute(TransactionAttributeType.REQUIRED)
@TransactionManagement(TransactionManagementType.CONTAINER)
public MyClassBean implements MyClass {

  @Override
  public doPSomething() {
     doSomethingIntern();
     doSomethingIntern2();
  }

  @TransactionAttribute(TransactionAttributeType.REQUIRES_NEW)
  private void doSomethingIntern() {
    ...
  }

  private void doSomethingIntern2() {
    Aworker worker = new Aworker();  // this is a class annotated with @Stateless and REQUIRES_NEW

    worker.doSomethingInANewTransaction()
  }
}