ToStringComparator.java

package com.threeleaf.util;

import java.util.Comparator;

/**
 * A {@link Comparator} that allows any two objects to be sorted based on {@link Object#toString()}.
 * This works best when the object's toString returns something meaningful, but can still be
 * useful in cases where a object one has not control over needs to be placed in a sorted
 * collection.
 * <p>
 * Usage:
 * <pre>{@code
 * final Set<Object> set = new TreeSet<>(new ToStringComparator());
 * // en_US
 * set.add(Locale.US);
 * // en_CA
 * set.add(Locale.CANADA);
 * // en
 * set.add(Locale.ENGLISH);
 * }</pre>
 * produces the sorted set: {@code [ENGLISH, CANADA, US]} instead of an exception.
 */
@SuppressWarnings("WeakerAccess")
public class ToStringComparator implements Comparator<Object>
{

    /** Instantiate a new {@link ToStringComparator}. */
    public ToStringComparator()
    {
        super();
    }

    /** {@inheritDoc}. */
    public int compare(final Object object1, final Object object2)
    {
        return object1.toString().compareTo(object2.toString());
    }
}