Help! Problem with this class

[kiroken]

I need to make a program using at first an OrderedList (already defined with succes) and then a list of names with a priority number...
The problem is that I must define a type of object (Paziente) with two values (a String as a name and an int as a pririty value), but i must make this type working as a Comparable ( i MUST use Comparable objects)...
this is the class Paziente I tried to make:


public class Paziente implements Comparable{

private String nome; //name
private int prio; //priority


public Paziente(String k, int i) {
nome=k;
prio=i;
}

public int compareTo(Paziente x){
if (this.prio>x.prio) return 1;
if (this.prio<x.prio) return -1;
else {int comp=this.nome.compareTo(x.nome);
if (comp>0) return 1;
if (comp<0) return -1;
else return 0;
}
}
}

can u tell me where i'm doing wrong? Thx in advantage

Elio

[evlich]

So, this problem is a sneeky one. The definition of the Comparable interface is:

public interface Comparable {
  public int compareTo(Object o);
}

That means that the parameter that you have to accept is an Object, not a Paziente; normally at the beginning of the method you would say something like:

if( !(x instanceof Paziente) ) {
  return -1;
}

Or something like that.

That being said, if you are using Java 1.5 (or 1.4 with jsr14) then you willl be able to use the generic signiture. In that case, Comparable is defined as:

public interface Comparable<T> {
  public int compareTo(T o);
}

And you will simply be able to change your class definition to:

public class Paziente implements Comparable<Paziente> {
....
}

Generics are great, they garantee more type safety (though they aren't perfect). Anyways, I hope this helps.

[kiroken]

Thx evlich very much for the help! I got the error! But now the problem is another: I have to make a comparation with 2 Paziente objects, at first comparing the int value and then, if they're ==, comparing the String values. Ex: I can't make a comparation between a this.nome and a o.object because o is an Object but not a Paziente...
In other classes of the same project (it's for school) i must use Paziente as a Comparable...
Maybe there is another way, just give me a hint...
If you need the other class OrderedList (that contains the methods i must use, all of them using Comparable) just tell me and I'll post here (I don't post it now because it's a little long).
Thx in advantage and thx to evlich for the hint
Ps: I also tried to use generics but they don't work on my system and at school (it's an informatic university) we've never used them...maybe they'll be useful...

[evlich]

If you are using java 1.5 then generics are definately the way to go, but if you arent' then you have to deal with a little bit of non-type safety. Here's an example for comparing money amounts, your code should look very similar:

public class Currency implements Comparable {
  private int _dollars;
  private int _cents;

  public Currency(int d, int c) {
    _dollars = d; _cents = c;
  }

  public int compareTo(Object o) {
     if( !(o instanceof Currency) ) {
        return -1;
     }
     Currency c= (Currency) o;
     return (_dollars * 100 + _cents) - (c._dollars * 100 + c._cents);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println(new Currency(1,5).compareTo(new Currency(2,5)));
  }
}

Now if you want to use generics :

public class Currency implements Comparable<Currency> {
  private int _dollars;
  private int _cents;

  public Currency(int d, int c) {
    _dollars = d; _cents = c;
  }

  public int compareTo(Currency c) {
     return (_dollars * 100 + _cents) - (c._dollars * 100 + c._cents);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println(new Currency(1,5).compareTo(new Currency(2,5)));
  }
}

A note about generics, you will have to declare your sorted set as parameterized, so if you didn't write it, and it doesn't support generics then you will have to use the first (non-generic) method. The generic form of the declaration would be:

OrderedList<Currency> li = new OrderedList<Currency>();

I hope this helps.

[kiroken]

Allright! Now the class is ok! Thx a lot! The tester is going mad, but I think I can solve it!
Thx again!