org.apache.tools.ant.filters

## Class SortFilter

- java.lang.Object
- - java.io.Reader
  - - java.io.FilterReader
    - - org.apache.tools.ant.filters.BaseFilterReader
      - - org.apache.tools.ant.filters.BaseParamFilterReader
        - - org.apache.tools.ant.filters.SortFilter

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    java.io.Closeable, java.lang.AutoCloseable, java.lang.Readable, ChainableReader, Parameterizable

      public final class SortFilter
      extends BaseParamFilterReader
      implements ChainableReader

  Sort a file before and/or after the file.

  Examples:

         <copy todir="build">
             <fileset dir="input" includes="*.txt"/>
             <filterchain>
                 <sortfilter/>
             </filterchain>
         </copy>

  Sort all files `*.txt` from src location and copy them into build location. The lines of each file are sorted in ascendant order comparing the lines via the `String.compareTo(Object o)` method.

         <copy todir="build">
             <fileset dir="input" includes="*.txt"/>
             <filterchain>
                 <sortfilter reverse="true"/>
             </filterchain>
         </copy>

  Sort all files `*.txt` from src location into reverse order and copy them into build location. If reverse parameter has value `true` (default value), then the output line of the files will be in ascendant order.

         <copy todir="build">
             <fileset dir="input" includes="*.txt"/>
             <filterchain>
                 <filterreader classname="org.apache.tools.ant.filters.SortFilter">
                   <param name="comparator" value="org.apache.tools.ant.filters.EvenFirstCmp"/>
                 </filterreader>
             </filterchain>
         </copy>

  Sort all files `*.txt` from src location using as sorting criterion `EvenFirstCmp` class, that sorts the file lines putting even lines first then odd lines for example. The modified files are copied into build location. The `EvenFirstCmp`, has to an instantiable class via `Class.newInstance()`, therefore in case of inner class has to be static. It also has to implement `java.util.Comparator` interface, for example:

               package org.apache.tools.ant.filters;
               ...(omitted)
                 public final class EvenFirstCmp implements <b>Comparator</b> {
                   public int compare(Object o1, Object o2) {
                   ...(omitted)
                   }
                 }

  The example above is equivalent to:

         <componentdef name="evenfirst"
                       classname="org.apache.tools.ant.filters.EvenFirstCmp"/>
         <copy todir="build">
             <fileset dir="input" includes="*.txt"/>
             <filterchain>
                 <sortfilter>
                     <evenfirst/>
                 </sortfilter>
             </filterchain>
         </copy>

  If parameter `comparator` is present, then `reverse` parameter will not be taken into account.

  Since:
    Ant 1.8.0

- - ### Field Summary

    - ### Fields inherited from class java.io.FilterReader

      `in`

    - ### Fields inherited from class java.io.Reader

      `lock`

  - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor and Description
    `SortFilter()` Constructor for "dummy" instances.
    `SortFilter(java.io.Reader in)` Creates a new filtered reader.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `void` | `add(java.util.Comparator<? super java.lang.String> comparator)` Set the comparator to be used as sorting criterion as nested element.
    `java.io.Reader` | `chain(java.io.Reader rdr)` Creates a new SortReader using the passed in Reader for instantiation.
    `java.util.Comparator<? super java.lang.String>` | `getComparator()` Returns the comparator to be used for sorting.
    `boolean` | `isReverse()` Returns `true` if the sorting process will be in reverse order, otherwise the sorting process will be in ascendant order.
    `int` | `read()` Returns the next character in the filtered stream.
    `void` | `setComparator(java.util.Comparator<? super java.lang.String> comparator)` Set the comparator to be used as sorting criterion.
    `void` | `setReverse(boolean reverse)` Sets the sorting process will be in ascendant (`reverse=false`) or to descendant (`reverse=true`).

    - ### Methods inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.filters.BaseParamFilterReader

      `getParameters, setParameters`

    - ### Methods inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.filters.BaseFilterReader

      `getInitialized, getProject, read, readFully, readLine, setInitialized, setProject, skip`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.io.FilterReader

      `close, mark, markSupported, ready, reset`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.io.Reader

      `read, read`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### SortFilter

          public SortFilter()

      Constructor for "dummy" instances.
      See Also:
        `BaseFilterReader.BaseFilterReader()`

    - #### SortFilter

          public SortFilter(java.io.Reader in)

      Creates a new filtered reader.
      Parameters:
        `in` - A Reader object providing the underlying stream. Must not be `null`.

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### read

          public int read()
                   throws java.io.IOException

      Returns the next character in the filtered stream. If the desired number of lines have already been read, the resulting stream is effectively at an end. Otherwise, the next character from the underlying stream is read and returned.
      Overrides:
        `read` in class `java.io.FilterReader`
      Returns:
        the next character in the resulting stream, or -1 if the end of the resulting stream has been reached
      Throws:
        `java.io.IOException` - if the underlying stream throws an IOException during reading

    - #### chain

          public java.io.Reader chain(java.io.Reader rdr)

      Creates a new SortReader using the passed in Reader for instantiation.
      Specified by:
        `chain` in interface `ChainableReader`
      Parameters:
        `rdr` - A Reader object providing the underlying stream. Must not be `null`.
      Returns:
        a new filter based on this configuration, but filtering the specified reader

    - #### isReverse

          public boolean isReverse()

      Returns `true` if the sorting process will be in reverse order, otherwise the sorting process will be in ascendant order.
      Returns:
        `true` if the sorting process will be in reverse order, otherwise the sorting process will be in ascendant order.

    - #### setReverse

          public void setReverse(boolean reverse)

      Sets the sorting process will be in ascendant (`reverse=false`) or to descendant (`reverse=true`).
      Parameters:
        `reverse` - Boolean representing reverse ordering process.

    - #### getComparator

          public java.util.Comparator<? super java.lang.String> getComparator()

      Returns the comparator to be used for sorting.
      Returns:
        the comparator

    - #### setComparator

          public void setComparator(java.util.Comparator<? super java.lang.String> comparator)

      Set the comparator to be used as sorting criterion.
      Parameters:
        `comparator` - the comparator to set

    - #### add

          public void add(java.util.Comparator<? super java.lang.String> comparator)

      Set the comparator to be used as sorting criterion as nested element.
      Parameters:
        `comparator` - the comparator to set