/*
 * Utilities.java
 *
 * Created on January 13, 2003, 7:05 PM
 */

package project1;

/** Static utilities involving oracles and omens.
 *
 * @author  dickey
 */
public class Utilities {
    
    /** Tell which omen is the most favorable.
     *  @param omens an array of omens, some or all of which may be null.
     *  @return The most favorable omen, or null if the array contained no omens.
     */
    public static IOmen chooseBestOmen(IOmen[] omens) {
        /* Note that this implementation does NOT refer directly to the concrete
         * omen, only to IOmen.
         */
        int ocount;
        // scan the array until a non-null value is found, or until array end.
        for (ocount = 0; ocount < omens.length && omens[ocount] == null;
        ocount++) {
        }
        if (ocount >= omens.length) {
            //oops, fell of the end of the array -- must be no omens
            return null;
        }
        //We weren't at the end of the array, so must have non-null omen.
        IOmen bestOmen = omens[ocount];
        assert bestOmen != null;
        //In fact, it will be the first non-null omen in the array.
        assert ocount == 0 || omens[ocount-1] == null;
        //Now see if there is a better one in the remainer of the array.
        for (ocount += 1; ocount < omens.length; ocount++) {
            IOmen nextOmen = omens[ocount];
            if (nextOmen != null) {
                int comparisonResult = bestOmen.compareTo(nextOmen);
                if (comparisonResult < 0) {
                    //the new omen is better than the old one
                    bestOmen = omens[ocount];
                }
            }
        } //end for loop
        return bestOmen; //might be null
        //end chooseBestOmen
    }
    
    
    
//end utilities    
}