Stateful Batch Apex with logic outside of the execute() method

Question

I'm not even sure how to ask this question, but here goes:

I have Batch class that needs to maintain state. The class looks something like this:

global class myBatch implements Database.Batchable<sObject>, Database.Stateful {

    global id[] AppliedChanges;

    global database.Querylocator start(Database.BatchableContext bc) {
        return Database.getQueryLocator(accountsQuery);
    }

    global void execute(Database.BatchableContext bc, Account[] scope){
        myBatch.doWork(scope);
    }

    global void finish(Database.BatchableContext bc){
        //do something with AppliedChanges
    }

    public static void doWork(){
        AppliedChanges = AppliedChanges == null ? new id[]{} : AppliedChanges;
        //Do tons of work, eventually populate add to AppliedChanges
    }
}

In doWork(), I can debug AppledChanges and see that it has values but, in the finish() method, AppliedChanges is always null.

The doWork() method exists so I can use that logic elsewhere in Salesforce without having to run a batch.

How can I populate AppliedChanges in the doWork() method and then use it in finish()?

Answer 1

You need to remove the static keyword. It basically means "stateless", which is the opposite of what you want.

Works

public void doWork()

Fails

public static void doWork()