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Java Java Data Structures Organizing Data Comparable

Why am i getting this error?

i just cant figure why this doesnt work please help.

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

import java.util.Date;

public class BlogPost implements Comparable {
  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 String[] getWords() {
    return mBody.split("\\s+");
  }

  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;
  }

  @Override 
  public int compareTo(Object obj) {

    BlogPost other = (BlogPost) obj;

    if (obj.equals(other)) {return 0;}

        int dateCmp = mCreationDate.compareTo(other.mCreationDate);

    return dateCmp;
  }


}

4 Answers

Craig Dennis
STAFF
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher

Hmmm...

BlogPost other = (BlogPost) obj;

    if (obj.equals(other)) {return 0;}

Isn't other always going to equal obj?

(Let me know if that hint doesn't do it...you are super close!)

Best teacher ever! Thank you!

But there is something i didnt understand.

BlogPost other = (BlogPost) obj;

if (equals(other)) {return 0;}

When i do this im checking what? If the object passed in is equal to the casted version?

Craig Dennis
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher

Picture that as this.equals. You are comparing the current blog post instance to another one that was passed in.

Might help: Remember this is being done on a list of posts from the outside. The list is using the compareTo method to find which one is greater or less than the other based on this method.

It is all clear now. Thank you so much!