java.util
Interface SortedMap<K,V>

All Superinterfaces:

Map<K,V>

All Known Implementing Classes:

Collections.SynchronizedSortedMap, TreeMap, TreeMap.SubMap

public interface SortedMap<K,V>
extends Map<K,V>

SortedMap is a Map where the iterators sequence in order of the sorted keys.

Nested Class Summary

Nested classes/interfaces inherited from interface java.util.Map

Map.Entry<K,V>

Method Summary

Comparator<? super K>	comparator() Returns the Comparator used to compare elements in this SortedMap.
K	firstKey() Answer the first sorted key in this SortedMap.
SortedMap<K,V>	headMap(K endKey) Returns a SortedMap of the specified portion of this SortedMap which contains keys less than the end key.
K	lastKey() Returns the last sorted key in this SortedMap.
SortedMap<K,V>	subMap(K startKey, K endKey) Returns a SortedMap of the specified portion of this SortedMap which contains keys greater or equal to the start key but less than the end key.
SortedMap<K,V>	tailMap(K startKey) Returns a SortedMap of the specified portion of this SortedMap which contains keys greater or equal to the start key.

Methods inherited from interface java.util.Map

clear, containsKey, containsValue, entrySet, equals, get, hashCode, isEmpty, keySet, put, putAll, remove, size, values

Method Detail

comparator

Comparator<? super K> comparator()

Returns the Comparator used to compare elements in this SortedMap.

Returns:

a Comparator or null if the natural order is used

firstKey

K firstKey()

Answer the first sorted key in this SortedMap.

Returns:

the first sorted key

Throws:

NoSuchElementException - when this SortedMap is empty

headMap

SortedMap<K,V> headMap(K endKey)

Returns a SortedMap of the specified portion of this SortedMap which contains keys less than the end key. Users should be aware that the return value is actually backed by this SortedMap. Hence any modifications made to one will be immediately visible to the other.

Parameters:

endKey - the end key

Returns:

a submap where the keys are less than endKey

Throws:

ClassCastException - when the class of the end key is inappropriate for this SubMap

NullPointerException - when the end key is null and this SortedMap does not support null keys

lastKey

K lastKey()

Returns the last sorted key in this SortedMap.

Returns:

the last sorted key

Throws:

NoSuchElementException - when this SortedMap is empty

subMap

SortedMap<K,V> subMap(K startKey,
                      K endKey)

Returns a SortedMap of the specified portion of this SortedMap which contains keys greater or equal to the start key but less than the end key. Users should be aware that the return value is actually backed by this SortedMap. Hence any modifications made to one will be immediately visible to the other.

Parameters:

startKey - the start key

endKey - the end key

Returns:

a submap where the keys are greater or equal to startKey and less than endKey

Throws:

ClassCastException - when the class of the start or end key is inappropriate for this SubMap

NullPointerException - when the start or end key is null and this SortedMap does not support null keys

IllegalArgumentException - when the start key is greater than the end key

tailMap

SortedMap<K,V> tailMap(K startKey)

Returns a SortedMap of the specified portion of this SortedMap which contains keys greater or equal to the start key. The returned SortedMap is backed by this SortedMap so changes to one are reflected by the other.

Parameters:

startKey - the start key

Returns:

a submap where the keys are greater or equal to startKey

Throws:

ClassCastException - when the class of the start key is inappropriate for this SubMap

NullPointerException - when the start key is null and this SortedMap does not support null keys