A Question about Java Maps

[Bob Sherry]

The following Java code is based upon a question from the testing softare that came with the book "Sun Certified Programmer for Java 5" by K Sierra and B Bates. However, I have modified the code. Here is my version of
the code:

import java.util.*;
class MapEQ {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Map<ToDos, String> m = new HashMap< ToDos, String>();
ToDos t1 = new ToDos( "Monday" );
ToDos t2 = new ToDos( "Monday" );
ToDos t3 = new ToDos( "Tuesday" );
m.put( t1, "doLaundry" );
m.put( t2, "payBills" );
m.put( t3, "cleanAttic" );
System.out.println( m.size() );
}
}

class ToDos {
public boolean equals( Object o1 )
{
System.out.println( "equals called: ");
if ( !(o1 instanceof ToDos) )
return false;
ToDos dos1 = (ToDos)o1;
if ( task.equals( dos1.task ) )
return true;
return false;
}
public int compareTo( ToDos dos1 )
{
System.out.println( "compareTo called: ");
System.out.println( task );
System.out.println( dos1.task );
System.out.println( task.compareTo( dos1.task ) );
return task.compareTo( dos1.task );
}
String task;
ToDos(String t)
{ task = t; };
}

The first change was to fix the syntax error. This code now compiles. However, it prints out 3 for the size of the map. I would like it to print out 2. That is, I want the code to consider t1 and t2 to be the same object since they have the same value for the key. How do I do this?

Thanks
Bob

[Henry Wong]

You forgot to override the hashCode() method. In order to use an object as a key to a hashmap, you need to comform to the equals() - hashCode() contract.

Henry

[Bob Sherry]

Thanks for the response. I added the following code to the class ToDos:

public int hash( ToDos o1 )
{
System.out.println( "hash called" );
return 0;
}

However, the string hash called did not appear in the output. I also tried
making the argument of type Object. That did not work either. The output is still 3. Any other ideas?

Thanks
Bob

[Henry Wong]

It would help if you named the method correctly. The method is named hashCode().

Henry

[Bob Sherry]

Henry,

Thanks for the response. I changed the name to hashCode and that still did not work. Any other ideas?

Bob

[Henry Wong]

No offense, but you are not trying very hard. A quick google would have told you that the signature is also incorrect.

Henry