J. Duke | 319a3b9 | 2007-12-01 00:00:00 +0000 | [diff] [blame^] | 1 | /* |
| 2 | * Copyright 1998-2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
| 3 | * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER. |
| 4 | * |
| 5 | * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it |
| 6 | * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as |
| 7 | * published by the Free Software Foundation. Sun designates this |
| 8 | * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided |
| 9 | * by Sun in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code. |
| 10 | * |
| 11 | * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT |
| 12 | * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or |
| 13 | * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License |
| 14 | * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that |
| 15 | * accompanied this code). |
| 16 | * |
| 17 | * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version |
| 18 | * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, |
| 19 | * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA. |
| 20 | * |
| 21 | * Please contact Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara, |
| 22 | * CA 95054 USA or visit www.sun.com if you need additional information or |
| 23 | * have any questions. |
| 24 | */ |
| 25 | |
| 26 | package java.util; |
| 27 | |
| 28 | /** |
| 29 | * A {@link Set} that further provides a <i>total ordering</i> on its elements. |
| 30 | * The elements are ordered using their {@linkplain Comparable natural |
| 31 | * ordering}, or by a {@link Comparator} typically provided at sorted |
| 32 | * set creation time. The set's iterator will traverse the set in |
| 33 | * ascending element order. Several additional operations are provided |
| 34 | * to take advantage of the ordering. (This interface is the set |
| 35 | * analogue of {@link SortedMap}.) |
| 36 | * |
| 37 | * <p>All elements inserted into a sorted set must implement the <tt>Comparable</tt> |
| 38 | * interface (or be accepted by the specified comparator). Furthermore, all |
| 39 | * such elements must be <i>mutually comparable</i>: <tt>e1.compareTo(e2)</tt> |
| 40 | * (or <tt>comparator.compare(e1, e2)</tt>) must not throw a |
| 41 | * <tt>ClassCastException</tt> for any elements <tt>e1</tt> and <tt>e2</tt> in |
| 42 | * the sorted set. Attempts to violate this restriction will cause the |
| 43 | * offending method or constructor invocation to throw a |
| 44 | * <tt>ClassCastException</tt>. |
| 45 | * |
| 46 | * <p>Note that the ordering maintained by a sorted set (whether or not an |
| 47 | * explicit comparator is provided) must be <i>consistent with equals</i> if |
| 48 | * the sorted set is to correctly implement the <tt>Set</tt> interface. (See |
| 49 | * the <tt>Comparable</tt> interface or <tt>Comparator</tt> interface for a |
| 50 | * precise definition of <i>consistent with equals</i>.) This is so because |
| 51 | * the <tt>Set</tt> interface is defined in terms of the <tt>equals</tt> |
| 52 | * operation, but a sorted set performs all element comparisons using its |
| 53 | * <tt>compareTo</tt> (or <tt>compare</tt>) method, so two elements that are |
| 54 | * deemed equal by this method are, from the standpoint of the sorted set, |
| 55 | * equal. The behavior of a sorted set <i>is</i> well-defined even if its |
| 56 | * ordering is inconsistent with equals; it just fails to obey the general |
| 57 | * contract of the <tt>Set</tt> interface. |
| 58 | * |
| 59 | * <p>All general-purpose sorted set implementation classes should |
| 60 | * provide four "standard" constructors: 1) A void (no arguments) |
| 61 | * constructor, which creates an empty sorted set sorted according to |
| 62 | * the natural ordering of its elements. 2) A constructor with a |
| 63 | * single argument of type <tt>Comparator</tt>, which creates an empty |
| 64 | * sorted set sorted according to the specified comparator. 3) A |
| 65 | * constructor with a single argument of type <tt>Collection</tt>, |
| 66 | * which creates a new sorted set with the same elements as its |
| 67 | * argument, sorted according to the natural ordering of the elements. |
| 68 | * 4) A constructor with a single argument of type <tt>SortedSet</tt>, |
| 69 | * which creates a new sorted set with the same elements and the same |
| 70 | * ordering as the input sorted set. There is no way to enforce this |
| 71 | * recommendation, as interfaces cannot contain constructors. |
| 72 | * |
| 73 | * <p>Note: several methods return subsets with restricted ranges. |
| 74 | * Such ranges are <i>half-open</i>, that is, they include their low |
| 75 | * endpoint but not their high endpoint (where applicable). |
| 76 | * If you need a <i>closed range</i> (which includes both endpoints), and |
| 77 | * the element type allows for calculation of the successor of a given |
| 78 | * value, merely request the subrange from <tt>lowEndpoint</tt> to |
| 79 | * <tt>successor(highEndpoint)</tt>. For example, suppose that <tt>s</tt> |
| 80 | * is a sorted set of strings. The following idiom obtains a view |
| 81 | * containing all of the strings in <tt>s</tt> from <tt>low</tt> to |
| 82 | * <tt>high</tt>, inclusive:<pre> |
| 83 | * SortedSet<String> sub = s.subSet(low, high+"\0");</pre> |
| 84 | * |
| 85 | * A similar technique can be used to generate an <i>open range</i> (which |
| 86 | * contains neither endpoint). The following idiom obtains a view |
| 87 | * containing all of the Strings in <tt>s</tt> from <tt>low</tt> to |
| 88 | * <tt>high</tt>, exclusive:<pre> |
| 89 | * SortedSet<String> sub = s.subSet(low+"\0", high);</pre> |
| 90 | * |
| 91 | * <p>This interface is a member of the |
| 92 | * <a href="{@docRoot}/../technotes/guides/collections/index.html"> |
| 93 | * Java Collections Framework</a>. |
| 94 | * |
| 95 | * @param <E> the type of elements maintained by this set |
| 96 | * |
| 97 | * @author Josh Bloch |
| 98 | * @see Set |
| 99 | * @see TreeSet |
| 100 | * @see SortedMap |
| 101 | * @see Collection |
| 102 | * @see Comparable |
| 103 | * @see Comparator |
| 104 | * @see ClassCastException |
| 105 | * @since 1.2 |
| 106 | */ |
| 107 | |
| 108 | public interface SortedSet<E> extends Set<E> { |
| 109 | /** |
| 110 | * Returns the comparator used to order the elements in this set, |
| 111 | * or <tt>null</tt> if this set uses the {@linkplain Comparable |
| 112 | * natural ordering} of its elements. |
| 113 | * |
| 114 | * @return the comparator used to order the elements in this set, |
| 115 | * or <tt>null</tt> if this set uses the natural ordering |
| 116 | * of its elements |
| 117 | */ |
| 118 | Comparator<? super E> comparator(); |
| 119 | |
| 120 | /** |
| 121 | * Returns a view of the portion of this set whose elements range |
| 122 | * from <tt>fromElement</tt>, inclusive, to <tt>toElement</tt>, |
| 123 | * exclusive. (If <tt>fromElement</tt> and <tt>toElement</tt> are |
| 124 | * equal, the returned set is empty.) The returned set is backed |
| 125 | * by this set, so changes in the returned set are reflected in |
| 126 | * this set, and vice-versa. The returned set supports all |
| 127 | * optional set operations that this set supports. |
| 128 | * |
| 129 | * <p>The returned set will throw an <tt>IllegalArgumentException</tt> |
| 130 | * on an attempt to insert an element outside its range. |
| 131 | * |
| 132 | * @param fromElement low endpoint (inclusive) of the returned set |
| 133 | * @param toElement high endpoint (exclusive) of the returned set |
| 134 | * @return a view of the portion of this set whose elements range from |
| 135 | * <tt>fromElement</tt>, inclusive, to <tt>toElement</tt>, exclusive |
| 136 | * @throws ClassCastException if <tt>fromElement</tt> and |
| 137 | * <tt>toElement</tt> cannot be compared to one another using this |
| 138 | * set's comparator (or, if the set has no comparator, using |
| 139 | * natural ordering). Implementations may, but are not required |
| 140 | * to, throw this exception if <tt>fromElement</tt> or |
| 141 | * <tt>toElement</tt> cannot be compared to elements currently in |
| 142 | * the set. |
| 143 | * @throws NullPointerException if <tt>fromElement</tt> or |
| 144 | * <tt>toElement</tt> is null and this set does not permit null |
| 145 | * elements |
| 146 | * @throws IllegalArgumentException if <tt>fromElement</tt> is |
| 147 | * greater than <tt>toElement</tt>; or if this set itself |
| 148 | * has a restricted range, and <tt>fromElement</tt> or |
| 149 | * <tt>toElement</tt> lies outside the bounds of the range |
| 150 | */ |
| 151 | SortedSet<E> subSet(E fromElement, E toElement); |
| 152 | |
| 153 | /** |
| 154 | * Returns a view of the portion of this set whose elements are |
| 155 | * strictly less than <tt>toElement</tt>. The returned set is |
| 156 | * backed by this set, so changes in the returned set are |
| 157 | * reflected in this set, and vice-versa. The returned set |
| 158 | * supports all optional set operations that this set supports. |
| 159 | * |
| 160 | * <p>The returned set will throw an <tt>IllegalArgumentException</tt> |
| 161 | * on an attempt to insert an element outside its range. |
| 162 | * |
| 163 | * @param toElement high endpoint (exclusive) of the returned set |
| 164 | * @return a view of the portion of this set whose elements are strictly |
| 165 | * less than <tt>toElement</tt> |
| 166 | * @throws ClassCastException if <tt>toElement</tt> is not compatible |
| 167 | * with this set's comparator (or, if the set has no comparator, |
| 168 | * if <tt>toElement</tt> does not implement {@link Comparable}). |
| 169 | * Implementations may, but are not required to, throw this |
| 170 | * exception if <tt>toElement</tt> cannot be compared to elements |
| 171 | * currently in the set. |
| 172 | * @throws NullPointerException if <tt>toElement</tt> is null and |
| 173 | * this set does not permit null elements |
| 174 | * @throws IllegalArgumentException if this set itself has a |
| 175 | * restricted range, and <tt>toElement</tt> lies outside the |
| 176 | * bounds of the range |
| 177 | */ |
| 178 | SortedSet<E> headSet(E toElement); |
| 179 | |
| 180 | /** |
| 181 | * Returns a view of the portion of this set whose elements are |
| 182 | * greater than or equal to <tt>fromElement</tt>. The returned |
| 183 | * set is backed by this set, so changes in the returned set are |
| 184 | * reflected in this set, and vice-versa. The returned set |
| 185 | * supports all optional set operations that this set supports. |
| 186 | * |
| 187 | * <p>The returned set will throw an <tt>IllegalArgumentException</tt> |
| 188 | * on an attempt to insert an element outside its range. |
| 189 | * |
| 190 | * @param fromElement low endpoint (inclusive) of the returned set |
| 191 | * @return a view of the portion of this set whose elements are greater |
| 192 | * than or equal to <tt>fromElement</tt> |
| 193 | * @throws ClassCastException if <tt>fromElement</tt> is not compatible |
| 194 | * with this set's comparator (or, if the set has no comparator, |
| 195 | * if <tt>fromElement</tt> does not implement {@link Comparable}). |
| 196 | * Implementations may, but are not required to, throw this |
| 197 | * exception if <tt>fromElement</tt> cannot be compared to elements |
| 198 | * currently in the set. |
| 199 | * @throws NullPointerException if <tt>fromElement</tt> is null |
| 200 | * and this set does not permit null elements |
| 201 | * @throws IllegalArgumentException if this set itself has a |
| 202 | * restricted range, and <tt>fromElement</tt> lies outside the |
| 203 | * bounds of the range |
| 204 | */ |
| 205 | SortedSet<E> tailSet(E fromElement); |
| 206 | |
| 207 | /** |
| 208 | * Returns the first (lowest) element currently in this set. |
| 209 | * |
| 210 | * @return the first (lowest) element currently in this set |
| 211 | * @throws NoSuchElementException if this set is empty |
| 212 | */ |
| 213 | E first(); |
| 214 | |
| 215 | /** |
| 216 | * Returns the last (highest) element currently in this set. |
| 217 | * |
| 218 | * @return the last (highest) element currently in this set |
| 219 | * @throws NoSuchElementException if this set is empty |
| 220 | */ |
| 221 | E last(); |
| 222 | } |