Package net.sf.saxon.expr.sort

## Class DoubleSortComparer

- java.lang.Object
- - net.sf.saxon.expr.sort.DoubleSortComparer

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    `AtomicComparer`

      public class DoubleSortComparer
      extends java.lang.Object
      implements AtomicComparer

  An AtomicComparer used for sorting values that are known to be numeric. It also supports a separate method for getting a collation key to test equality of items. This comparator treats NaN values as equal to each other, and less than any other value.

- - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `int` | `compareAtomicValues​(AtomicValue a, AtomicValue b)` | Compare two AtomicValue objects according to the rules for their data type.
    `boolean` | `comparesEqual​(AtomicValue a, AtomicValue b)` | Test whether two values compare equal.
    `StringCollator` | `getCollator()` | Get the collation used by this AtomicComparer if any
    `static DoubleSortComparer` | `getInstance()` | Get the singular instance of this class
    `AtomicComparer` | `provideContext​(XPathContext context)` | Supply the dynamic context in case this is needed for the comparison
    `java.lang.String` | `save()` | Create a string representation of this AtomicComparer that can be saved in a compiled package and used to reconstitute the AtomicComparer when the package is reloaded

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### getInstance

          public static DoubleSortComparer getInstance()

      Get the singular instance of this class
      Returns:
        the singular instance

    - #### getCollator

          public StringCollator getCollator()

      Description copied from interface: `AtomicComparer`
      Get the collation used by this AtomicComparer if any
      Specified by:
        `getCollator` in interface `AtomicComparer`
      Returns:
        the collation used for comparing strings, or null if not applicable

    - #### provideContext

          public AtomicComparer provideContext​(XPathContext context)

      Supply the dynamic context in case this is needed for the comparison
      Specified by:
        `provideContext` in interface `AtomicComparer`
      Parameters:
        `context` - the dynamic evaluation context
      Returns:
        either the original AtomicComparer, or a new AtomicComparer in which the context is known. The original AtomicComparer is not modified

    - #### compareAtomicValues

          public int compareAtomicValues​(AtomicValue a,
                                         AtomicValue b)

      Compare two AtomicValue objects according to the rules for their data type.
      Specified by:
        `compareAtomicValues` in interface `AtomicComparer`
      Parameters:
        `a` - the first object to be compared. It is intended that this should normally be an instance of AtomicValue, though this restriction is not enforced. If it is a StringValue, the collator is used to compare the values, otherwise the value must implement the java.util.Comparable interface.
        `b` - the second object to be compared. This must be comparable with the first object: for example, if one is a string, they must both be strings.
      Returns:
        <0 if a<b, 0 if a=b, >0 if a>b
      Throws:
        `java.lang.ClassCastException` - if the objects are not comparable

    - #### comparesEqual

          public boolean comparesEqual​(AtomicValue a,
                                       AtomicValue b)

      Test whether two values compare equal. Note that for this comparer, NaN is considered equal to itself
      Specified by:
        `comparesEqual` in interface `AtomicComparer`
      Parameters:
        `a` - the first object to be compared.
        `b` - the second object to be compared.
      Returns:
        true if the values are equal, false if not

    - #### save

          public java.lang.String save()

      Create a string representation of this AtomicComparer that can be saved in a compiled package and used to reconstitute the AtomicComparer when the package is reloaded
      Specified by:
        `save` in interface `AtomicComparer`
      Returns:
        a string representation of the AtomicComparer