# getPersistentValue

## Purpose

Retrieve the original value of a field for a domain class instance.

## Examples

    def b = Book.get(1)
    someMethodThatMightModifyTheInstance(b)if (b.isDirty('name')) {
       def currentName = b.name
       def originalName = b.getPersistentValue('name')
        if (currentName != originalName) {
            …
        }
    }

## Description

This method is useful mostly for audit logging or other work done in a beforeUpdate event callback. Hibernate caches the original state of all loaded instances for dirty checking during a flush and this method exposes that data so you can compare it with the current state.