LocalizedComparator.java

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 * The Original Code is "com.andreasfink.utils" Java(TM) utilities module.
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 * Andreas Fink, oss@andreasfink.com.
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package com.andreasfink.utils.text;

import java.text.RuleBasedCollator;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.Locale;

/**
 * This comparator avoids that names with umlauts or lowercase first-letter
 * get pushed to the back of the list.<br>
 * Works for German.<br><br>
 * this can be pimped further:
 * <ul>
 *    <li><a href="http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/java/text/RuleBasedCollator.html">http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/java/text/RuleBasedCollator.html</a></li>
 *    <li><a href="http://www.java2s.com/Code/Java/I18N/SortSpanishwithRuleBasedCollator.htm">http://www.java2s.com/Code/Java/I18N/SortSpanishwithRuleBasedCollator.htm</a></li>
 * </ul>
 * <p>TODO test Icelandic, Danish and Norweigan</p> 
 *
 * @author oss@andreasfink.com
 */
public class LocalizedComparator implements Comparator<String> {
	
	private final RuleBasedCollator collator;
	
	public LocalizedComparator(final Locale locale) {
		collator = (RuleBasedCollator)RuleBasedCollator.getInstance(locale);
	}
	
	public int compare(final String string1, final String string2) {

		return collator.compare(string1, string2);
	}
}