Package org.apache.commons.io.comparator

Class DefaultFileComparator

java.lang.Object

org.apache.commons.io.comparator.DefaultFileComparator

All Implemented Interfaces:

Serializable, Comparator<File>

public class DefaultFileComparator
extends Object
implements Serializable

Compares two files using the default File.compareTo(File) method.

This comparator can be used to sort lists or arrays of files by using the default file comparison.

Example of sorting a list of files using the DEFAULT_COMPARATOR singleton instance:

       List<File> list = ...
       ((AbstractFileComparator) DefaultFileComparator.DEFAULT_COMPARATOR).sort(list);
 

Example of doing a reverse sort of an array of files using the DEFAULT_REVERSE singleton instance:

       File[] array = ...
       ((AbstractFileComparator) DefaultFileComparator.DEFAULT_REVERSE).sort(array);
 

Deprecating Serialization

Serialization is deprecated and will be removed in 3.0.

Since:

1.4

See Also:

• Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field	Description
static final Comparator<File>	DEFAULT_COMPARATOR	Singleton default comparator instance
static final Comparator<File>	DEFAULT_REVERSE	Singleton reverse default comparator instance

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor	Description
DefaultFileComparator()	Constructs a new instance.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
int	compare(File file1, File file2)	Compares the two files using the File.compareTo(File) method.
File[]	sort(File... files)	Sorts an array of files.
List<File>	sort(List<File> files)	Sorts a List of files.
String	toString()	String representation of this file comparator.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Methods inherited from interface java.util.Comparator

equals, reversed, thenComparing, thenComparing, thenComparing, thenComparingDouble, thenComparingInt, thenComparingLong

Field Details

DEFAULT_COMPARATOR

public static final Comparator<File> DEFAULT_COMPARATOR

Singleton default comparator instance

DEFAULT_REVERSE

public static final Comparator<File> DEFAULT_REVERSE

Singleton reverse default comparator instance

Constructor Details

DefaultFileComparator

public DefaultFileComparator()

Constructs a new instance.

Method Details

compare

public int compare(File file1,
 File file2)

Compares the two files using the File.compareTo(File) method.

Specified by:

compare in interface Comparator<File>

Parameters:

file1 - The first file to compare

file2 - The second file to compare

Returns:

the result of calling file1's File.compareTo(File) with file2 as the parameter.

sort

public File[] sort(File... files)

Sorts an array of files.

This method uses Arrays.sort(Object[], Comparator) and returns the original array.

Parameters:

files - The files to sort, may be null.

Returns:

The sorted array.

Since:

2.0

sort

public List<File> sort(List<File> files)

Sorts a List of files.

This method uses List.sort(Comparator) and returns the original list.

Parameters:

files - The files to sort, may be null.

Returns:

The sorted list.

Since:

2.0

toString

public String toString()

String representation of this file comparator.

Overrides:

toString in class Object

Returns:

String representation of this file comparator.