/*
 * @(#)SortedMap.java	1.28 06/04/21
 *
 * Copyright 2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */

package java.util;

/**
 * A {@link Map} that further provides a <i>total ordering</i> on its keys.
 * The map is ordered according to the {@linkplain Comparable natural
 * ordering} of its keys, or by a {@link Comparator} typically
 * provided at sorted map creation time.  This order is reflected when
 * iterating over the sorted map's collection views (returned by the
 * <tt>entrySet</tt>, <tt>keySet</tt> and <tt>values</tt> methods).
 * Several additional operations are provided to take advantage of the
 * ordering.  (This interface is the map analogue of {@link
 * SortedSet}.)
 *
 * <p>All keys inserted into a sorted map must implement the <tt>Comparable</tt>
 * interface (or be accepted by the specified comparator).  Furthermore, all
 * such keys must be <i>mutually comparable</i>: <tt>k1.compareTo(k2)</tt> (or
 * <tt>comparator.compare(k1, k2)</tt>) must not throw a
 * <tt>ClassCastException</tt> for any keys <tt>k1</tt> and <tt>k2</tt> in
 * the sorted map.  Attempts to violate this restriction will cause the
 * offending method or constructor invocation to throw a
 * <tt>ClassCastException</tt>.
 *
 * <p>Note that the ordering maintained by a sorted map (whether or not an
 * explicit comparator is provided) must be <i>consistent with equals</i> if
 * the sorted map is to correctly implement the <tt>Map</tt> interface.  (See
 * the <tt>Comparable</tt> interface or <tt>Comparator</tt> interface for a
 * precise definition of <i>consistent with equals</i>.)  This is so because
 * the <tt>Map</tt> interface is defined in terms of the <tt>equals</tt>
 * operation, but a sorted map performs all key comparisons using its
 * <tt>compareTo</tt> (or <tt>compare</tt>) method, so two keys that are
 * deemed equal by this method are, from the standpoint of the sorted map,
 * equal.  The behavior of a tree map <i>is</i> well-defined even if its
 * ordering is inconsistent with equals; it just fails to obey the general
 * contract of the <tt>Map</tt> interface.
 *
 * <p>All general-purpose sorted map implementation classes should
 * provide four "standard" constructors: 1) A void (no arguments)
 * constructor, which creates an empty sorted map sorted according to
 * the natural ordering of its keys.  2) A constructor with a
 * single argument of type <tt>Comparator</tt>, which creates an empty
 * sorted map sorted according to the specified comparator.  3) A
 * constructor with a single argument of type <tt>Map</tt>, which
 * creates a new map with the same key-value mappings as its argument,
 * sorted according to the keys' natural ordering.  4) A constructor
 * with a single argument of type <tt>SortedMap</tt>,
 * which creates a new sorted map with the same key-value mappings and
 * the same ordering as the input sorted map.  There is no way to
 * enforce this recommendation, as interfaces cannot contain
 * constructors.
 *
 * <p>Note: several methods return submaps with restricted key ranges.
 * Such ranges are <i>half-open</i>, that is, they include their low
 * endpoint but not their high endpoint (where applicable).  If you need a
 * <i>closed range</i> (which includes both endpoints), and the key type
 * allows for calculation of the successor of a given key, merely request
 * the subrange from <tt>lowEndpoint</tt> to
 * <tt>successor(highEndpoint)</tt>.  For example, suppose that <tt>m</tt>
 * is a map whose keys are strings.  The following idiom obtains a view
 * containing all of the key-value mappings in <tt>m</tt> whose keys are
 * between <tt>low</tt> and <tt>high</tt>, inclusive:<pre>
 *   SortedMap&lt;String, V&gt; sub = m.subMap(low, high+"\0");</pre>
 *
 * A similar technique can be used to generate an <i>open range</i>
 * (which contains neither endpoint).  The following idiom obtains a
 * view containing all of the key-value mappings in <tt>m</tt> whose keys
 * are between <tt>low</tt> and <tt>high</tt>, exclusive:<pre>
 *   SortedMap&lt;String, V&gt; sub = m.subMap(low+"\0", high);</pre>
 *
 * <p>This interface is a member of the
 * <a href="{@docRoot}/../technotes/guides/collections/index.html">
 * Java Collections Framework</a>.
 *
 * @param <K> the type of keys maintained by this map
 * @param <V> the type of mapped values
 *
 * @author  Josh Bloch
 * @version 1.28, 04/21/06
 * @see Map
 * @see TreeMap
 * @see SortedSet
 * @see Comparator
 * @see Comparable
 * @see Collection
 * @see ClassCastException
 * @since 1.2
 */

public interface SortedMap<K,V> extends Map<K,V> {
    /**
     * Returns the comparator used to order the keys in this map, or
     * <tt>null</tt> if this map uses the {@linkplain Comparable
     * natural ordering} of its keys.
     *
     * @return the comparator used to order the keys in this map,
     *         or <tt>null</tt> if this map uses the natural ordering
     *         of its keys
     */
    Comparator<? super K> comparator();

    /**
     * Returns a view of the portion of this map whose keys range from
     * <tt>fromKey</tt>, inclusive, to <tt>toKey</tt>, exclusive.  (If
     * <tt>fromKey</tt> and <tt>toKey</tt> are equal, the returned map
     * is empty.)  The returned map is backed by this map, so changes
     * in the returned map are reflected in this map, and vice-versa.
     * The returned map supports all optional map operations that this
     * map supports.
     *
     * <p>The returned map will throw an <tt>IllegalArgumentException</tt>
     * on an attempt to insert a key outside its range.
     *
     * @param fromKey low endpoint (inclusive) of the keys in the returned map
     * @param toKey high endpoint (exclusive) of the keys in the returned map
     * @return a view of the portion of this map whose keys range from
     *         <tt>fromKey</tt>, inclusive, to <tt>toKey</tt>, exclusive
     * @throws ClassCastException if <tt>fromKey</tt> and <tt>toKey</tt>
     *         cannot be compared to one another using this map's comparator
     *         (or, if the map has no comparator, using natural ordering).
     *         Implementations may, but are not required to, throw this
     *         exception if <tt>fromKey</tt> or <tt>toKey</tt>
     *         cannot be compared to keys currently in the map.
     * @throws NullPointerException if <tt>fromKey</tt> or <tt>toKey</tt>
     *         is null and this map does not permit null keys
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if <tt>fromKey</tt> is greater than
     *         <tt>toKey</tt>; or if this map itself has a restricted
     *         range, and <tt>fromKey</tt> or <tt>toKey</tt> lies
     *         outside the bounds of the range
     */
    SortedMap<K,V> subMap(K fromKey, K toKey);

    /**
     * Returns a view of the portion of this map whose keys are
     * strictly less than <tt>toKey</tt>.  The returned map is backed
     * by this map, so changes in the returned map are reflected in
     * this map, and vice-versa.  The returned map supports all
     * optional map operations that this map supports.
     *
     * <p>The returned map will throw an <tt>IllegalArgumentException</tt>
     * on an attempt to insert a key outside its range.
     *
     * @param toKey high endpoint (exclusive) of the keys in the returned map
     * @return a view of the portion of this map whose keys are strictly
     *         less than <tt>toKey</tt>
     * @throws ClassCastException if <tt>toKey</tt> is not compatible
     *         with this map's comparator (or, if the map has no comparator,
     *         if <tt>toKey</tt> does not implement {@link Comparable}).
     *         Implementations may, but are not required to, throw this
     *         exception if <tt>toKey</tt> cannot be compared to keys
     *         currently in the map.
     * @throws NullPointerException if <tt>toKey</tt> is null and
     *         this map does not permit null keys
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if this map itself has a
     *         restricted range, and <tt>toKey</tt> lies outside the
     *         bounds of the range
     */
    SortedMap<K,V> headMap(K toKey);

    /**
     * Returns a view of the portion of this map whose keys are
     * greater than or equal to <tt>fromKey</tt>.  The returned map is
     * backed by this map, so changes in the returned map are
     * reflected in this map, and vice-versa.  The returned map
     * supports all optional map operations that this map supports.
     *
     * <p>The returned map will throw an <tt>IllegalArgumentException</tt>
     * on an attempt to insert a key outside its range.
     *
     * @param fromKey low endpoint (inclusive) of the keys in the returned map
     * @return a view of the portion of this map whose keys are greater
     *         than or equal to <tt>fromKey</tt>
     * @throws ClassCastException if <tt>fromKey</tt> is not compatible
     *         with this map's comparator (or, if the map has no comparator,
     *         if <tt>fromKey</tt> does not implement {@link Comparable}).
     *         Implementations may, but are not required to, throw this
     *         exception if <tt>fromKey</tt> cannot be compared to keys
     *         currently in the map.
     * @throws NullPointerException if <tt>fromKey</tt> is null and
     *         this map does not permit null keys
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if this map itself has a
     *         restricted range, and <tt>fromKey</tt> lies outside the
     *         bounds of the range
     */
    SortedMap<K,V> tailMap(K fromKey);

    /**
     * Returns the first (lowest) key currently in this map.
     *
     * @return the first (lowest) key currently in this map
     * @throws NoSuchElementException if this map is empty
     */
    K firstKey();

    /**
     * Returns the last (highest) key currently in this map.
     *
     * @return the last (highest) key currently in this map
     * @throws NoSuchElementException if this map is empty
     */
    K lastKey();

    /**
     * Returns a {@link Set} view of the keys contained in this map.
     * The set's iterator returns the keys in ascending order.
     * The set is backed by the map, so changes to the map are
     * reflected in the set, and vice-versa.  If the map is modified
     * while an iteration over the set is in progress (except through
     * the iterator's own <tt>remove</tt> operation), the results of
     * the iteration are undefined.  The set supports element removal,
     * which removes the corresponding mapping from the map, via the
     * <tt>Iterator.remove</tt>, <tt>Set.remove</tt>,
     * <tt>removeAll</tt>, <tt>retainAll</tt>, and <tt>clear</tt>
     * operations.  It does not support the <tt>add</tt> or <tt>addAll</tt>
     * operations.
     *
     * @return a set view of the keys contained in this map, sorted in
     *         ascending order
     */
    Set<K> keySet();

    /**
     * Returns a {@link Collection} view of the values contained in this map.
     * The collection's iterator returns the values in ascending order
     * of the corresponding keys.
     * The collection is backed by the map, so changes to the map are
     * reflected in the collection, and vice-versa.  If the map is
     * modified while an iteration over the collection is in progress
     * (except through the iterator's own <tt>remove</tt> operation),
     * the results of the iteration are undefined.  The collection
     * supports element removal, which removes the corresponding
     * mapping from the map, via the <tt>Iterator.remove</tt>,
     * <tt>Collection.remove</tt>, <tt>removeAll</tt>,
     * <tt>retainAll</tt> and <tt>clear</tt> operations.  It does not
     * support the <tt>add</tt> or <tt>addAll</tt> operations.
     *
     * @return a collection view of the values contained in this map,
     *         sorted in ascending key order
     */
    Collection<V> values();

    /**
     * Returns a {@link Set} view of the mappings contained in this map.
     * The set's iterator returns the entries in ascending key order.
     * The set is backed by the map, so changes to the map are
     * reflected in the set, and vice-versa.  If the map is modified
     * while an iteration over the set is in progress (except through
     * the iterator's own <tt>remove</tt> operation, or through the
     * <tt>setValue</tt> operation on a map entry returned by the
     * iterator) the results of the iteration are undefined.  The set
     * supports element removal, which removes the corresponding
     * mapping from the map, via the <tt>Iterator.remove</tt>,
     * <tt>Set.remove</tt>, <tt>removeAll</tt>, <tt>retainAll</tt> and
     * <tt>clear</tt> operations.  It does not support the
     * <tt>add</tt> or <tt>addAll</tt> operations.
     *
     * @return a set view of the mappings contained in this map,
     *         sorted in ascending key order
     */
    Set<Map.Entry<K, V>> entrySet();
}