All elements inserted into a sorted set must implement the Comparable * interface (or be accepted by the specified comparator). Furthermore, all * such elements must be mutually comparable: e1.compareTo(e2) * (or comparator.compare(e1, e2)) must not throw a * ClassCastException for any elements e1 and e2 in * the sorted set. Attempts to violate this restriction will cause the * offending method or constructor invocation to throw a * ClassCastException. * *
Note that the ordering maintained by a sorted set (whether or not an * explicit comparator is provided) must be consistent with equals if * the sorted set is to correctly implement the Set interface. (See * the Comparable interface or Comparator interface for a * precise definition of consistent with equals.) This is so because * the Set interface is defined in terms of the equals * operation, but a sorted set performs all element comparisons using its * compareTo (or compare) method, so two elements that are * deemed equal by this method are, from the standpoint of the sorted set, * equal. The behavior of a sorted set is well-defined even if its * ordering is inconsistent with equals; it just fails to obey the general * contract of the Set interface. * *
All general-purpose sorted set implementation classes should * provide four "standard" constructors: 1) A void (no arguments) * constructor, which creates an empty sorted set sorted according to * the natural ordering of its elements. 2) A constructor with a * single argument of type Comparator, which creates an empty * sorted set sorted according to the specified comparator. 3) A * constructor with a single argument of type Collection, * which creates a new sorted set with the same elements as its * argument, sorted according to the natural ordering of the elements. * 4) A constructor with a single argument of type SortedSet, * which creates a new sorted set with the same elements and the same * ordering as the input sorted set. There is no way to enforce this * recommendation, as interfaces cannot contain constructors. * *
Note: several methods return subsets with restricted ranges. * Such ranges are half-open, that is, they include their low * endpoint but not their high endpoint (where applicable). * If you need a closed range (which includes both endpoints), and * the element type allows for calculation of the successor of a given * value, merely request the subrange from lowEndpoint to * successor(highEndpoint). For example, suppose that s * is a sorted set of strings. The following idiom obtains a view * containing all of the strings in s from low to * high, inclusive:
* SortedSet<String> sub = s.subSet(low, high+"\0");* * A similar technique can be used to generate an open range (which * contains neither endpoint). The following idiom obtains a view * containing all of the Strings in s from low to * high, exclusive:
* SortedSet<String> sub = s.subSet(low+"\0", high);* *
This interface is a member of the
*
* Java Collections Framework.
*
* @param The returned set will throw an IllegalArgumentException
* on an attempt to insert an element outside its range.
*
* @param fromElement low endpoint (inclusive) of the returned set
* @param toElement high endpoint (exclusive) of the returned set
* @return a view of the portion of this set whose elements range from
* fromElement, inclusive, to toElement, exclusive
* @throws ClassCastException if fromElement and
* toElement cannot be compared to one another using this
* set's comparator (or, if the set has no comparator, using
* natural ordering). Implementations may, but are not required
* to, throw this exception if fromElement or
* toElement cannot be compared to elements currently in
* the set.
* @throws NullPointerException if fromElement or
* toElement is null and this set does not permit null
* elements
* @throws IllegalArgumentException if fromElement is
* greater than toElement; or if this set itself
* has a restricted range, and fromElement or
* toElement lies outside the bounds of the range
*/
SortedSet The returned set will throw an IllegalArgumentException
* on an attempt to insert an element outside its range.
*
* @param toElement high endpoint (exclusive) of the returned set
* @return a view of the portion of this set whose elements are strictly
* less than toElement
* @throws ClassCastException if toElement is not compatible
* with this set's comparator (or, if the set has no comparator,
* if toElement does not implement {@link Comparable}).
* Implementations may, but are not required to, throw this
* exception if toElement cannot be compared to elements
* currently in the set.
* @throws NullPointerException if toElement is null and
* this set does not permit null elements
* @throws IllegalArgumentException if this set itself has a
* restricted range, and toElement lies outside the
* bounds of the range
*/
SortedSet The returned set will throw an IllegalArgumentException
* on an attempt to insert an element outside its range.
*
* @param fromElement low endpoint (inclusive) of the returned set
* @return a view of the portion of this set whose elements are greater
* than or equal to fromElement
* @throws ClassCastException if fromElement is not compatible
* with this set's comparator (or, if the set has no comparator,
* if fromElement does not implement {@link Comparable}).
* Implementations may, but are not required to, throw this
* exception if fromElement cannot be compared to elements
* currently in the set.
* @throws NullPointerException if fromElement is null
* and this set does not permit null elements
* @throws IllegalArgumentException if this set itself has a
* restricted range, and fromElement lies outside the
* bounds of the range
*/
SortedSet