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Mike B
10,424 Pointsconfused about compareTo
In the lesson, we are overriding compareTo but immediately after creating a Treet and casting obj, we are typing:
"if (equals(other)) {"
shouldn't we be defining something to equal other? Like "if(treet.equals(other))"?
I'm confused as to how the method knows what we are comparing.
2 Answers
Grigorij Schleifer
10,365 PointsHey Mike,
I had the same question some days ago ... look here:
[ https://teamtreehouse.com/community/compareto-question ]
If you still confused, we can go over the topic and exchange our confudes thoughts :)
Grigorij
Mike B
10,424 PointsI noticed your post but I thought it directly related to the task and I didn't want the answer. I think I understand my original question, but now I'm confused as to how we are comparing a Treet to another from within the Treet class.
I feel like the Example class should be calling the compareTo method...it is where the Treets are being created. How is Treet comparing itself to another when neither exist yet?
Not sure if I'm explaining myself properly but the sorting is done through example so I feel like the compareTo should be done in Example as well
Mike B
10,424 PointsThanks, Grigorij
It definitely makes more sense the way you explained about the sort method which IS in the Example class...that helps a lot!
Grigorij Schleifer
10,365 PointsGreat to hear it, Mike !!!
I am glad that I could help a little bit
Grigorij
Grigorij Schleifer
10,365 PointsGrigorij Schleifer
10,365 PointsHi Mike,
inside the Example class you call sort() and the method takes a Treet object "treets". When sort() is called the compiler goes to the compareTo() method inside the Treet class.
When compareTo() is been called the Treets are already created in Example.
The compareTo() method takes an object "obj". This Object is "treets" from sort(treets). After casting "treets" as Treet and naming it "other" you call equals() on Treet class and "other will be compared to Treet.
I hope it makes the concept more clear
Grigorij