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src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/Comparator.java

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*** 40,63 **** * over the sort order. Comparators can also be used to control the order of * certain data structures (such as {@link SortedSet sorted sets} or {@link * SortedMap sorted maps}), or to provide an ordering for collections of * objects that don't have a {@link Comparable natural ordering}.<p> * ! * The ordering imposed by a comparator <tt>c</tt> on a set of elements ! * <tt>S</tt> is said to be <i>consistent with equals</i> if and only if ! * <tt>c.compare(e1, e2)==0</tt> has the same boolean value as ! * <tt>e1.equals(e2)</tt> for every <tt>e1</tt> and <tt>e2</tt> in ! * <tt>S</tt>.<p> * * Caution should be exercised when using a comparator capable of imposing an * ordering inconsistent with equals to order a sorted set (or sorted map). ! * Suppose a sorted set (or sorted map) with an explicit comparator <tt>c</tt> ! * is used with elements (or keys) drawn from a set <tt>S</tt>. If the ! * ordering imposed by <tt>c</tt> on <tt>S</tt> is inconsistent with equals, * the sorted set (or sorted map) will behave "strangely." In particular the * sorted set (or sorted map) will violate the general contract for set (or ! * map), which is defined in terms of <tt>equals</tt>.<p> * * For example, suppose one adds two elements {@code a} and {@code b} such that * {@code (a.equals(b) && c.compare(a, b) != 0)} * to an empty {@code TreeSet} with comparator {@code c}. * The second {@code add} operation will return --- 40,63 ---- * over the sort order. Comparators can also be used to control the order of * certain data structures (such as {@link SortedSet sorted sets} or {@link * SortedMap sorted maps}), or to provide an ordering for collections of * objects that don't have a {@link Comparable natural ordering}.<p> * ! * The ordering imposed by a comparator {@code c} on a set of elements ! * {@code S} is said to be <i>consistent with equals</i> if and only if ! * {@code c.compare(e1, e2)==0} has the same boolean value as ! * {@code e1.equals(e2)} for every {@code e1} and {@code e2} in ! * {@code S}.<p> * * Caution should be exercised when using a comparator capable of imposing an * ordering inconsistent with equals to order a sorted set (or sorted map). ! * Suppose a sorted set (or sorted map) with an explicit comparator {@code c} ! * is used with elements (or keys) drawn from a set {@code S}. If the ! * ordering imposed by {@code c} on {@code S} is inconsistent with equals, * the sorted set (or sorted map) will behave "strangely." In particular the * sorted set (or sorted map) will violate the general contract for set (or ! * map), which is defined in terms of {@code equals}.<p> * * For example, suppose one adds two elements {@code a} and {@code b} such that * {@code (a.equals(b) && c.compare(a, b) != 0)} * to an empty {@code TreeSet} with comparator {@code c}. * The second {@code add} operation will return
*** 65,91 **** * {@code b} are not equivalent from the tree set's perspective, even though * this is contrary to the specification of the * {@link Set#add Set.add} method.<p> * * Note: It is generally a good idea for comparators to also implement ! * <tt>java.io.Serializable</tt>, as they may be used as ordering methods in * serializable data structures (like {@link TreeSet}, {@link TreeMap}). In * order for the data structure to serialize successfully, the comparator (if ! * provided) must implement <tt>Serializable</tt>.<p> * * For the mathematically inclined, the <i>relation</i> that defines the ! * <i>imposed ordering</i> that a given comparator <tt>c</tt> imposes on a ! * given set of objects <tt>S</tt> is:<pre> * {(x, y) such that c.compare(x, y) &lt;= 0}. * </pre> The <i>quotient</i> for this total order is:<pre> * {(x, y) such that c.compare(x, y) == 0}. * </pre> * ! * It follows immediately from the contract for <tt>compare</tt> that the ! * quotient is an <i>equivalence relation</i> on <tt>S</tt>, and that the ! * imposed ordering is a <i>total order</i> on <tt>S</tt>. When we say that ! * the ordering imposed by <tt>c</tt> on <tt>S</tt> is <i>consistent with * equals</i>, we mean that the quotient for the ordering is the equivalence * relation defined by the objects' {@link Object#equals(Object) * equals(Object)} method(s):<pre> * {(x, y) such that x.equals(y)}. </pre> * --- 65,91 ---- * {@code b} are not equivalent from the tree set's perspective, even though * this is contrary to the specification of the * {@link Set#add Set.add} method.<p> * * Note: It is generally a good idea for comparators to also implement ! * {@code java.io.Serializable}, as they may be used as ordering methods in * serializable data structures (like {@link TreeSet}, {@link TreeMap}). In * order for the data structure to serialize successfully, the comparator (if ! * provided) must implement {@code Serializable}.<p> * * For the mathematically inclined, the <i>relation</i> that defines the ! * <i>imposed ordering</i> that a given comparator {@code c} imposes on a ! * given set of objects {@code S} is:<pre> * {(x, y) such that c.compare(x, y) &lt;= 0}. * </pre> The <i>quotient</i> for this total order is:<pre> * {(x, y) such that c.compare(x, y) == 0}. * </pre> * ! * It follows immediately from the contract for {@code compare} that the ! * quotient is an <i>equivalence relation</i> on {@code S}, and that the ! * imposed ordering is a <i>total order</i> on {@code S}. When we say that ! * the ordering imposed by {@code c} on {@code S} is <i>consistent with * equals</i>, we mean that the quotient for the ordering is the equivalence * relation defined by the objects' {@link Object#equals(Object) * equals(Object)} method(s):<pre> * {(x, y) such that x.equals(y)}. </pre> *
*** 111,140 **** * Compares its two arguments for order. Returns a negative integer, * zero, or a positive integer as the first argument is less than, equal * to, or greater than the second.<p> * * In the foregoing description, the notation ! * <tt>sgn(</tt><i>expression</i><tt>)</tt> designates the mathematical ! * <i>signum</i> function, which is defined to return one of <tt>-1</tt>, ! * <tt>0</tt>, or <tt>1</tt> according to whether the value of * <i>expression</i> is negative, zero or positive.<p> * ! * The implementor must ensure that <tt>sgn(compare(x, y)) == ! * -sgn(compare(y, x))</tt> for all <tt>x</tt> and <tt>y</tt>. (This ! * implies that <tt>compare(x, y)</tt> must throw an exception if and only ! * if <tt>compare(y, x)</tt> throws an exception.)<p> * * The implementor must also ensure that the relation is transitive: ! * <tt>((compare(x, y)&gt;0) &amp;&amp; (compare(y, z)&gt;0))</tt> implies ! * <tt>compare(x, z)&gt;0</tt>.<p> * ! * Finally, the implementor must ensure that <tt>compare(x, y)==0</tt> ! * implies that <tt>sgn(compare(x, z))==sgn(compare(y, z))</tt> for all ! * <tt>z</tt>.<p> * * It is generally the case, but <i>not</i> strictly required that ! * <tt>(compare(x, y)==0) == (x.equals(y))</tt>. Generally speaking, * any comparator that violates this condition should clearly indicate * this fact. The recommended language is "Note: this comparator * imposes orderings that are inconsistent with equals." * * @param o1 the first object to be compared. --- 111,140 ---- * Compares its two arguments for order. Returns a negative integer, * zero, or a positive integer as the first argument is less than, equal * to, or greater than the second.<p> * * In the foregoing description, the notation ! * {@code sgn(}<i>expression</i>{@code )} designates the mathematical ! * <i>signum</i> function, which is defined to return one of {@code -1}, ! * {@code 0}, or {@code 1} according to whether the value of * <i>expression</i> is negative, zero or positive.<p> * ! * The implementor must ensure that {@code sgn(compare(x, y)) == ! * -sgn(compare(y, x))} for all {@code x} and {@code y}. (This ! * implies that {@code compare(x, y)} must throw an exception if and only ! * if {@code compare(y, x)} throws an exception.)<p> * * The implementor must also ensure that the relation is transitive: ! * {@code ((compare(x, y)>0) && (compare(y, z)>0))} implies ! * {@code compare(x, z)>0}.<p> * ! * Finally, the implementor must ensure that {@code compare(x, y)==0} ! * implies that {@code sgn(compare(x, z))==sgn(compare(y, z))} for all ! * {@code z}.<p> * * It is generally the case, but <i>not</i> strictly required that ! * {@code (compare(x, y)==0) == (x.equals(y))}. Generally speaking, * any comparator that violates this condition should clearly indicate * this fact. The recommended language is "Note: this comparator * imposes orderings that are inconsistent with equals." * * @param o1 the first object to be compared.
*** 151,173 **** /** * Indicates whether some other object is &quot;equal to&quot; this * comparator. This method must obey the general contract of * {@link Object#equals(Object)}. Additionally, this method can return ! * <tt>true</tt> <i>only</i> if the specified object is also a comparator * and it imposes the same ordering as this comparator. Thus, ! * <code>comp1.equals(comp2)</code> implies that <tt>sgn(comp1.compare(o1, ! * o2))==sgn(comp2.compare(o1, o2))</tt> for every object reference ! * <tt>o1</tt> and <tt>o2</tt>.<p> * * Note that it is <i>always</i> safe <i>not</i> to override ! * <tt>Object.equals(Object)</tt>. However, overriding this method may, * in some cases, improve performance by allowing programs to determine * that two distinct comparators impose the same order. * * @param obj the reference object with which to compare. ! * @return <code>true</code> only if the specified object is also * a comparator and it imposes the same ordering as this * comparator. * @see Object#equals(Object) * @see Object#hashCode() */ --- 151,173 ---- /** * Indicates whether some other object is &quot;equal to&quot; this * comparator. This method must obey the general contract of * {@link Object#equals(Object)}. Additionally, this method can return ! * {@code true} <i>only</i> if the specified object is also a comparator * and it imposes the same ordering as this comparator. Thus, ! * {@code comp1.equals(comp2)} implies that {@code sgn(comp1.compare(o1, ! * o2))==sgn(comp2.compare(o1, o2))} for every object reference ! * {@code o1} and {@code o2}.<p> * * Note that it is <i>always</i> safe <i>not</i> to override ! * {@code Object.equals(Object)}. However, overriding this method may, * in some cases, improve performance by allowing programs to determine * that two distinct comparators impose the same order. * * @param obj the reference object with which to compare. ! * @return {@code true} only if the specified object is also * a comparator and it imposes the same ordering as this * comparator. * @see Object#equals(Object) * @see Object#hashCode() */
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