Improve API for IN/OUT parameters

[Lukas Eder]

Feature Request

As discussed here: r2dbc/r2dbc-mssql#199 (comment), the API to manage IN/OUT parameters of stored procedures may need some refinement.

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe

It is currently not quite clear how an IN/OUT parameter needs to be declared in R2DBC. There is io.r2dbc.spi.Parameters.out(Type, Object) that seems to allow for:

• Providing an in value
• Registering an out value

But it:

1. Doesn't document the fact that this is / might be its intended use
2. Implies that the input type and the output type are of the same type

I'm not sure if 2) is a really a problem, just pointing out that in JDBC, it is possible theoretically, though unlikely useful, to bind an IN value of type X and register it as an OUT value of type Y

Describe the solution you'd like

There are different possible solutions, and I don't have a strong preference:

• The simplest solution is to just document the status quo and establish a contract about Parameters.out() methods really being about IN/OUT parameters. I'm not convinced this is the best solution, seee below
• Add new Parameters.inOut() methods that make this clear. In many RDBMS (SQL Server being an exception), there's a clear distinction between an OUT parameter (no in value possible) and an IN/OUT parameter (in value and out value). The current implementation doesn't reflect this distinction, because:
  • Parameters.out(SomeClass.class) creates an implicit null value and there's no way of knowing whether that null value is bound as an IN parameter for the IN/OUT case, or simply ignored
  • Parameters.out()methods return an object of typeio.r2dbc.spi.Parameter.Out, which doesn't also implement io.r2dbc.spi.Parameter.In`

I will provide a PR for the second alternative.

Given that Version 0.9.0.M1 does not yet support all possible ways of calling stored procedures (see r2dbc/r2dbc-mssql#199 (comment)), I think we will be fine introducing a breaking change in this area. I think that at least these two methods should go:

• io.r2dbc.spi.Parameters.out(Type, Object)
• io.r2dbc.spi.Parameters.out(Object)