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