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Java Java Data Structures Exploring the Java Collection Framework Upgrade Comparable to use Generics

java:6: error: cannot find symbol on generics exercise

When try to use generics : implements Comparable<Treet> I got this error message that cannot find symbol. Am I missing something?

com/example/BlogPost.java
package com.example;

import java.io.Serializable;
import java.util.Date;

public class BlogPost implements Comparable<Treet>, Serializable {
  private String mAuthor;
  private String mTitle;
  private String mBody;
  private String mCategory;
  private Date mCreationDate;

  public BlogPost(String author, String title, String body, String category, Date creationDate) {
    mAuthor = author;
    mTitle = title;
    mBody = body;
    mCategory = category;
    mCreationDate = creationDate;
  }

  public int compareTo(Treet other) {

    if (equals(other)) {
      return 0;
    }
    return mCreationDate.compareTo(other.mCreationDate);
  }

  public String[] getWords() {
    return mBody.split("[^\\w']+");
  }

  public String getAuthor() {
    return mAuthor;
  }

  public String getTitle() {
    return mTitle;
  }

  public String getBody() {
    return mBody;
  }

  public String getCategory() {
    return mCategory;
  }

  public Date getCreationDate() {
    return mCreationDate;
  }
}

1 Answer

Rebekah Smith
Rebekah Smith
7,263 Points

The compareTo() method is trying to access a field marked private, other.mCreationDate.

    return mCreationDate.compareTo(other.mCreationDate);

This instance of BlogPost can't access the private fields inside another instance of BlogPost. Although mCreationDate is private, getCreationDate() is public so try calling getCreationDate() instead.

Not causing your error, but at some point you'll probably want to override equals()