I want to use a custom comparator to filter duplicate objects from a HashSet.
In the Mobile class, I have defined a non-static nested Comparator class for comparing. The criterium which is used by this comparator is the id field of the Mobile object.
Set<Mobile> treeSet = new TreeSet<>(new Mobile().new Comparator()); // works Set<Mobile> hashSet = new HashSet<>(new Mobile().new Comparator()); // does not work
Even though it works perfectly for a TreeSet, Eclipse shows a syntax error when I try this with a HashSet,
It appears that I need to override the equals and hashcode methods in the Mobile class if I want to use a HashSet. However, I would prefer to use a comparator instead.
Why is this the case?
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Answer
HashSet<Mobile> mobileSet = new HashSet(new Mobile().new Comparator())
Let’s enumerate several things which are wrong with that line of code:
- it is missing the ending semicolon (your “syntax error”);
- it is missing the generic type parameter (or diamond operator) on
new HashSet; - it is using a constructor argument of incompatible type with
HashSet(Collection<? extends E> coll).
The Javadoc of HashSet explains how a hash set works. It should be very easy to realize it has nothing to do with Comparators.