import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Comparator;

/** From lecture 7/2/2004: illustrating instanceof and Comparator. 
 */
public class ScrabbleCompExample {
	
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		
		/** A string array as test data. */
		String[] strings = new String[] {"SEA", "martin", "Bishop", "ding", 
								"Joe Schmoe", "fubar"};
		Arrays.sort(strings);
		//the strings should now be in character order (i.e. alphabetical)
		printStrings(strings);
		
		Comparator scomp = new ScrabbleComp();
		Arrays.sort(strings, scomp);
		//the strings should now be in order by length, longest first
		printStrings(strings);
	}
	
	/** Print every element of an array. */
	private static void printStrings(Object[] strings) {
		for (int s = 0; s < strings.length; s++) {
			System.out.println(strings[s]);
		}
	}
	
} //end class

/** A string comparator exactly as coded in class 7/2/2004.
 * 
 */
class ScrabbleComp implements Comparator {
	
	/** Compare strings, considering the longer one as "better"
	 * (coming first).  This is NOT really a proper Scrabble
	 * comparator!   A real one would take into account the value
	 * of the individual letters, etc.
	 */
	public int compare(Object ob1, Object ob2) {
		
		if (ob1 instanceof String && ob2 instanceof String) {
			int len1 = ((String) ob1).length(); 
			int len2 = ((String) ob2).length();
			if (len1 < len2) {
				return +1;
			}
			if (len2 < len1) {
				return -1;
			}
			return 0;
		}
		//at least one of the objects is not a String.
		//A questionable design choice.
		//An alternative might be to convert both objects to a String!
		//That can always be done using toString().
		return 0;  
		
	}
}