## org.apache.lucene.search
Class FieldComparator<T>

    java.lang.Object
      org.apache.lucene.search.FieldComparator<T>

Direct Known Subclasses:
  FieldComparator.DocComparator, FieldComparator.NumericComparator, FieldComparator.RelevanceComparator, FieldComparator.StringComparatorLocale, FieldComparator.StringOrdValComparator, FieldComparator.StringValComparator

    public abstract class FieldComparator<T>

extends Object

Expert: a FieldComparator compares hits so as to determine their sort order when collecting the top results with `TopFieldCollector`. The concrete public FieldComparator classes here correspond to the SortField types.

This API is designed to achieve high performance sorting, by exposing a tight interaction with `FieldValueHitQueue` as it visits hits. Whenever a hit is competitive, it's enrolled into a virtual slot, which is an int ranging from 0 to numHits-1. The `FieldComparator` is made aware of segment transitions during searching in case any internal state it's tracking needs to be recomputed during these transitions.

A comparator must define these functions:

- `compare(int, int)` Compare a hit at 'slot a' with hit 'slot b'.
- `setBottom(int)` This method is called by `FieldValueHitQueue` to notify the FieldComparator of the current weakest ("bottom") slot. Note that this slot may not hold the weakest value according to your comparator, in cases where your comparator is not the primary one (ie, is only used to break ties from the comparators before it).
- `compareBottom(int)` Compare a new hit (docID) against the "weakest" (bottom) entry in the queue.
- `copy(int, int)` Installs a new hit into the priority queue. The `FieldValueHitQueue` calls this method when a new hit is competitive.
- `setNextReader(org.apache.lucene.index.IndexReader, int)` Invoked when the search is switching to the next segment. You may need to update internal state of the comparator, for example retrieving new values from the `FieldCache`.
- `value(int)` Return the sort value stored in the specified slot. This is only called at the end of the search, in order to populate `FieldDoc.fields` when returning the top results.

WARNING: This API is experimental and might change in incompatible ways in the next release.

Nested Class Summary
`static class` `FieldComparator.ByteComparator` Parses field's values as byte (using `FieldCache.getBytes(org.apache.lucene.index.IndexReader, java.lang.String)` and sorts by ascending value
`static class` `FieldComparator.DocComparator` Sorts by ascending docID
`static class` `FieldComparator.DoubleComparator` Parses field's values as double (using `FieldCache.getDoubles(org.apache.lucene.index.IndexReader, java.lang.String)` and sorts by ascending value
`static class` `FieldComparator.FloatComparator` Parses field's values as float (using `FieldCache.getFloats(org.apache.lucene.index.IndexReader, java.lang.String)` and sorts by ascending value
`static class` `FieldComparator.IntComparator` Parses field's values as int (using `FieldCache.getInts(org.apache.lucene.index.IndexReader, java.lang.String)` and sorts by ascending value
`static class` `FieldComparator.LongComparator` Parses field's values as long (using `FieldCache.getLongs(org.apache.lucene.index.IndexReader, java.lang.String)` and sorts by ascending value
`static class` `FieldComparator.NumericComparator<T extends Number>`
`static class` `FieldComparator.RelevanceComparator` Sorts by descending relevance.
`static class` `FieldComparator.ShortComparator` Parses field's values as short (using `FieldCache.getShorts(org.apache.lucene.index.IndexReader, java.lang.String)` and sorts by ascending value
`static class` `FieldComparator.StringComparatorLocale` Sorts by a field's value using the Collator for a given Locale.
`static class` `FieldComparator.StringOrdValComparator` Sorts by field's natural String sort order, using ordinals.
`static class` `FieldComparator.StringValComparator` Sorts by field's natural String sort order.

Constructor Summary
`FieldComparator()`

Method Summary
`protected static int` `binarySearch(String[] a, String key)`
`protected static int` `binarySearch(String[] a, String key, int low, int high)`
`abstract int` `compare(int slot1, int slot2)` Compare hit at slot1 with hit at slot2.
`abstract int` `compareBottom(int doc)` Compare the bottom of the queue with doc.
`int` `compareValues(T first, T second)` Returns -1 if first is less than second.
`abstract void` `copy(int slot, int doc)` This method is called when a new hit is competitive.
`abstract void` `setBottom(int slot)` Set the bottom slot, ie the "weakest" (sorted last) entry in the queue.
`abstract void` `setNextReader(IndexReader reader, int docBase)` Set a new Reader.
`void` `setScorer(Scorer scorer)` Sets the Scorer to use in case a document's score is needed.
`abstract T` `value(int slot)` Return the actual value in the slot.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

Constructor Detail

### FieldComparator

    public FieldComparator()

Method Detail

### compare

    public abstract int compare(int slot1,
                                int slot2)

  Compare hit at slot1 with hit at slot2.

  Parameters:
    `slot1` - first slot to compare
    `slot2` - second slot to compare
  Returns:
    any N < 0 if slot2's value is sorted after slot1, any N > 0 if the slot2's value is sorted before slot1 and 0 if they are equal

### setBottom

    public abstract void setBottom(int slot)

  Set the bottom slot, ie the "weakest" (sorted last) entry in the queue. When `compareBottom(int)` is called, you should compare against this slot. This will always be called before `compareBottom(int)`.

  Parameters:
    `slot` - the currently weakest (sorted last) slot in the queue

### compareBottom

    public abstract int compareBottom(int doc)
                               throws IOException

  Compare the bottom of the queue with doc. This will only invoked after setBottom has been called. This should return the same result as `compare(int,int)`} as if bottom were slot1 and the new document were slot 2.

  For a search that hits many results, this method will be the hotspot (invoked by far the most frequently).

  Parameters:
    `doc` - that was hit
  Returns:
    any N < 0 if the doc's value is sorted after the bottom entry (not competitive), any N > 0 if the doc's value is sorted before the bottom entry and 0 if they are equal.
  Throws:
    `IOException`

### copy

    public abstract void copy(int slot,
                              int doc)
                       throws IOException

  This method is called when a new hit is competitive. You should copy any state associated with this document that will be required for future comparisons, into the specified slot.

  Parameters:
    `slot` - which slot to copy the hit to
    `doc` - docID relative to current reader
  Throws:
    `IOException`

### setNextReader

    public abstract void setNextReader(IndexReader reader,
                                       int docBase)
                                throws IOException

  Set a new Reader. All doc correspond to the current Reader.

  Parameters:
    `reader` - current reader
    `docBase` - docBase of this reader
  Throws:
    `IOException`
    `IOException`

### setScorer

    public void setScorer(Scorer scorer)

  Sets the Scorer to use in case a document's score is needed.

  Parameters:
    `scorer` - Scorer instance that you should use to obtain the current hit's score, if necessary.

### value

    public abstract T value(int slot)

  Return the actual value in the slot.

  Parameters:
    `slot` - the value
  Returns:
    value in this slot

### compareValues

    public int compareValues(T first,
                             T second)

  Returns -1 if first is less than second. Default impl to assume the type implements Comparable and invoke .compareTo; be sure to override this method if your FieldComparator's type isn't a Comparable or if your values may sometimes be null

### binarySearch

    protected static final int binarySearch(String[] a,
                                            String key)

### binarySearch

    protected static final int binarySearch(String[] a,
                                            String key,
                                            int low,
                                            int high)