TypeComparator (Spring Framework 3.2.1.RELEASE API)
Date: 2013-01-24

org.springframework.expression

## Interface TypeComparator

- All Known Implementing Classes:
    StandardTypeComparator

      public interface TypeComparator

  Instances of a type comparator should be able to compare pairs of objects for equality, the specification of the return value is the same as for `Comparable`.
  Since:
    3.0
  Author:
    Andy Clement

- - ### Method Summary

    Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `boolean` | `canCompare(Object firstObject, Object secondObject)` Return true if the comparator can compare these two objects
    `int` | `compare(Object firstObject, Object secondObject)` Compare two objects.

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### compare

          int compare(Object firstObject,
                    Object secondObject)
                      throws EvaluationException

      Compare two objects.
      Parameters:
        `firstObject` - the first object
        `secondObject` - the second object
      Returns:
        0 if they are equal, <0 if the first is smaller than the second, or >0 if the first is larger than the second
      Throws:
        `EvaluationException` - if a problem occurs during comparison (or they are not comparable)

    - #### canCompare

          boolean canCompare(Object firstObject,
                           Object secondObject)

      Return true if the comparator can compare these two objects
      Parameters:
        `firstObject` - the first object
        `secondObject` - the second object
      Returns:
        true if the comparator can compare these objects