SortedTableService.java

/*
 * Javolution - Java(TM) Solution for Real-Time and Embedded Systems
 * Copyright (C) 2012 - Javolution (http://javolution.org/)
 * All rights reserved.
 * 
 * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software is
 * freely granted, provided that this notice is preserved.
 */
package javolution.util.service;

/**
 * The set of related functionalities used to implement sorted tables collections.
 * 
 * @author <a href="mailto:jean-marie@dautelle.com">Jean-Marie Dautelle</a>
 * @version 6.0, July 21, 2013
 */
public interface SortedTableService<E> extends TableService<E> {

    /** 
     * Adds the specified element only if not already present.
     *  
     * @return {@code true} if the element has been added; 
     *         {@code false} otherwise.
     */
    boolean addIfAbsent(E element);

    /** 
    * Returns the index of the specified element if present; or a negative 
     * number equals to {@code -n} with {@code n} being the index next to 
     * the "would be" index of the specified element if the specified element 
     * was to be added.
     */
    int positionOf(E element);
    
    @Override
    SortedTableService<E>[] split(int n, boolean updateable);

}