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compareTo explanation

  Asked By: Ashan    Date: Jan 24    Category: Java    Views: 2610
  

The a.compareTo(b) function is used to determine the order of 2
objects. If a is is ordinally higher, it returns 1; lower returns -1;
and the same value returns 0;

Take the following example.

public class CompareTest{
public static void main(String[] args){
String a = "a";
String b = "b";
String c = "a";

System.out.println("a.compareTo(b) = "+a.compareTo(b));
System.out.println("b.compareTo(a) = "+b.compareTo(a));
System.out.println("a.compareTo(c) = "+a.compareTo(c));
}
}

running this program gives the following output:
a.compareTo(b) = -1
b.compareTo(a) = 1
a.compareTo(c) = 0

JavaDocs:
-------------
public int compareTo(Object o)

Compares this object with the specified object for order. Returns
a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this object is less
than, equal to, or greater than the specified object.

In the foregoing description, the notation sgn(expression)
designates the mathematical signum function, which is defined to
return one of -1, 0, or 1 according to whether the value of expression
is negative, zero or positive. The implementor must ensure
sgn(x.compareTo(y)) == -sgn(y.compareTo(x)) for all x and y. (This
implies that x.compareTo(y) must throw an exception iff y.compareTo(x)
throws an exception.)

The implementor must also ensure that the relation is transitive:
(x.compareTo(y)>0 && y.compareTo(z)>0) implies x.compareTo(z)>0.

Finally, the implementer must ensure that x.compareTo(y)==0
implies that sgn(x.compareTo(z)) == sgn(y.compareTo(z)), for all z.

It is strongly recommended, but not strictly required that
(x.compareTo(y)==0) == (x.equals(y)). Generally speaking, any class
that implements the Comparable interface and violates this condition
should clearly indicate this fact. The recommended language is "Note:
this class has a natural ordering that is inconsistent with equals."

Parameters:
o - the Object to be compared.

Returns:
a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this object
is less than, equal to, or greater than the specified object.

Throws:
ClassCastException - if the specified object's type prevents
it from being compared to this Object.





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2 Answers Found

 
Answer #1    Answered By: Edwin Chavez     Answered On: Jan 24

i have a follow up question for "compareTo(object o)"!!
Ummmm......how do u actually use it in a class  that "implements
Comparable"?
so u can overwrite its CompareTo method?

 
Answer #2    Answered By: Burk Martin     Answered On: Jan 24

Here is an example  using the Comparable interface.
Let say, you have MyObject which consists of 'key' and 'value',
and you want to sort it by the 'value';

=====================================================
import java.util.*;

public class  Test {
public Test(String[] args) throws  Exception {
MyObject[] o = {new MyObject("ADF", "SKAK"),
new MyObject("S", "DJD"),
new MyObject("ADF", "DJD"),
new MyObject("XDJD", "ZSKSK"),
new MyObject("ZDS", "XSSS")};
List l = Arrays.asList(o);
System.out.println(l + "\n");
Collections.sort(l);
System.out.println(l);
}

public static  void main(String[] args) {
try {
new Test(args);
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

private class MyObject implements Comparable {
private String key;
private String value;

public MyObject(String key, String value) {
this.key = key;
this.value = value;
}

public boolean equals(Object o) {
if (o instanceof MyObject) {
MyObject mo = (MyObject) o;
return this.key.equals(mo.key) && this.value.equals(mo.value);
} else {
return false;
}
}

public String toString() {
return key + " " + value;
}

public int  compareTo(Object o) {
MyObject mo = (MyObject) o;
int x = value.compareTo(mo.value);
// if value is equal, then sort the key
return (x != 0) ? x : key.compareTo(mo.key);
}
}
}

I hope this is what you are looking for.

 
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