Ordering can be seen as an enriched comparator with enhanced chaining functionality, multiple utility methods, multi-type sorting capability, etc.
Following is the declaration for com.google.common.collect.Ordering<T> class −
@GwtCompatible public abstract class Ordering<T> extends Object implements Comparator<T>
Sr.No | Method & Description |
---|---|
1 | static Ordering<Object> allEqual() Returns an ordering which treats all values as equal, indicating "no ordering." Passing this ordering to any stable sort algorithm results in no change to the order of elements. |
2 | static Ordering<Object> arbitrary() Returns an arbitrary ordering over all objects, for which compare(a, b) == 0 implies a == b (identity equality). |
3 | int binarySearch(List<? extends T> sortedList, T key) Searches sortedList for key using the binary search algorithm. |
4 | abstract int compare(T left, T right) Compares its two arguments for order. |
5 | <U extends T> Ordering<U> compound(Comparator<? super U> secondaryComparator) Returns an ordering which first uses the ordering this, but which in the event of a "tie", then delegates to secondaryComparator. |
6 | static <T> Ordering<T> compound(Iterable<? extends Comparator<? super T>> comparators) Returns an ordering which tries each given comparator in order until a non-zero result is found, returning that result, and returning zero only if all comparators return zero. |
7 | static <T> Ordering<T> explicit(List<T> valuesInOrder) Returns an ordering that compares objects according to the order in which they appear in the given list. |
8 | static <T> Ordering<T> explicit(T leastValue, T... remainingValuesInOrder) Returns an ordering that compares objects according to the order in which they are given to this method. |
9 | static <T> Ordering<T> from(Comparator<T> comparator) Returns an ordering based on an existing comparator instance. |
10 | <E extends T> List<E> greatestOf(Iterable<E> iterable, int k) Returns the k greatest elements of the given iterable according to this ordering, in order from greatest to least. |
11 | <E extends T> List<E> greatestOf(Iterator<E> iterator, int k) Returns the k greatest elements from the given iterator according to this ordering, in order from greatest to least. |
12 | <E extends T> ImmutableList<E> immutableSortedCopy(Iterable<E> elements) Returns an immutable list containing elements sorted by this ordering. |
13 | boolean isOrdered(Iterable<? extends T> iterable) Returns true if each element in iterable after the first is greater than or equal to the element that preceded it, according to this ordering. |
14 | boolean isStrictlyOrdered(Iterable<? extends T> iterable) Returns true if each element in iterable after the first is strictly greater than the element that preceded it, according to this ordering |
15 | <E extends T> List<E> leastOf(Iterable<E> iterable, int k) Returns the k least elements of the given iterable according to this ordering, in order from least to greatest. |
16 | <E extends T> List<E> leastOf(Iterator<E> elements, int k) Returns the k least elements from the given iterator according to this ordering, in order from least to greatest. |
17 | <S extends T> Ordering<Iterable<S>> lexicographical() Returns a new ordering which sorts iterables by comparing corresponding elements pairwise until a nonzero result is found; imposes "dictionary order". |
18 | <E extends T> E max(E a, E b) Returns the greater of the two values according to this ordering. |
19 | <E extends T> E max(E a, E b, E c, E... rest) Returns the greatest of the specified values according to this ordering. |
20 | <E extends T> E max(Iterable<E> iterable) Returns the greatest of the specified values according to this ordering. |
21 | <E extends T> E max(Iterator<E> iterator) Returns the greatest of the specified values according to this ordering. |
22 | <E extends T> E min(E a, E b) Returns the lesser of the two values according to this ordering. |
23 | <E extends T> E min(E a, E b, E c, E... rest) Returns the least of the specified values according to this ordering. |
24 | <E extends T> E min(Iterable<E> iterable) Returns the least of the specified values according to this ordering. |
25 | <E extends T> E min(Iterator<E> iterator) Returns the least of the specified values according to this ordering. |
26 | static <C extends Comparable> Ordering<C> natural() Returns a serializable ordering that uses the natural order of the values. |
27 | <S extends T> Ordering<S> nullsFirst() Returns an ordering that treats null as less than all other values and uses this to compare non-null values. |
28 | <S extends T> Ordering<S> nullsLast() Returns an ordering that treats null as greater than all other values and uses this ordering to compare non-null values. |
29 | <F> Ordering<F> onResultOf(Function<F,? extends T> function) Returns a new ordering on F which orders elements by first applying a function to them, then comparing those results using this. |
30 | <S extends T> Ordering<S> reverse() Returns the reverse of this ordering; the Ordering equivalent to Collections.reverseOrder(Comparator). |
31 | <E extends T> List<E> sortedCopy(Iterable<E> elements) Returns a mutable list containing elements sorted by this ordering; use this only when the resulting list may need further modification, or may contain null. |
32 | static Ordering<Object> usingToString() Returns an ordering that compares objects by the natural ordering of their string representations as returned by toString(). |
This class inherits methods from the following class −
Create the following java program using any editor of your choice in say C:/> Guava.
import java.util.ArrayList; import java.util.Collections; import java.util.List; import com.google.common.collect.Ordering; public class GuavaTester { public static void main(String args[]) { List<Integer> numbers = new ArrayList<Integer>(); numbers.add(new Integer(5)); numbers.add(new Integer(2)); numbers.add(new Integer(15)); numbers.add(new Integer(51)); numbers.add(new Integer(53)); numbers.add(new Integer(35)); numbers.add(new Integer(45)); numbers.add(new Integer(32)); numbers.add(new Integer(43)); numbers.add(new Integer(16)); Ordering ordering = Ordering.natural(); System.out.println("Input List: "); System.out.println(numbers); Collections.sort(numbers,ordering ); System.out.println("Sorted List: "); System.out.println(numbers); System.out.println("======================"); System.out.println("List is sorted: " + ordering.isOrdered(numbers)); System.out.println("Minimum: " + ordering.min(numbers)); System.out.println("Maximum: " + ordering.max(numbers)); Collections.sort(numbers,ordering.reverse()); System.out.println("Reverse: " + numbers); numbers.add(null); System.out.println("Null added to Sorted List: "); System.out.println(numbers); Collections.sort(numbers,ordering.nullsFirst()); System.out.println("Null first Sorted List: "); System.out.println(numbers); System.out.println("======================"); List<String> names = new ArrayList<String>(); names.add("Ram"); names.add("Shyam"); names.add("Mohan"); names.add("Sohan"); names.add("Ramesh"); names.add("Suresh"); names.add("Naresh"); names.add("Mahesh"); names.add(null); names.add("Vikas"); names.add("Deepak"); System.out.println("Another List: "); System.out.println(names); Collections.sort(names,ordering.nullsFirst().reverse()); System.out.println("Null first then reverse sorted list: "); System.out.println(names); } }
Compile the class using javac compiler as follows −
C:\Guava>javac GuavaTester.java
Now run the GuavaTester to see the result.
C:\Guava>java GuavaTester
See the result.
Input List: [5, 2, 15, 51, 53, 35, 45, 32, 43, 16] Sorted List: [2, 5, 15, 16, 32, 35, 43, 45, 51, 53] ====================== List is sorted: true Minimum: 2 Maximum: 53 Reverse: [53, 51, 45, 43, 35, 32, 16, 15, 5, 2] Null added to Sorted List: [53, 51, 45, 43, 35, 32, 16, 15, 5, 2, null] Null first Sorted List: [null, 2, 5, 15, 16, 32, 35, 43, 45, 51, 53] ====================== Another List: [Ram, Shyam, Mohan, Sohan, Ramesh, Suresh, Naresh, Mahesh, null, Vikas, Deepak] Null first then reverse sorted list: [Vikas, Suresh, Sohan, Shyam, Ramesh, Ram, Naresh, Mohan, Mahesh, Deepak, null]