No function pointers unless wrapped in object?

I am new to java and I am finding it real weird.

I want my class to be able to sort arbitrary objects. I want them to send in any function which takes 2 objects as parameters and returns an integer.
I can write a MyComparable interface and ask all classes to implement it. Fine but I don't want to force each and every class to implement the MyComparable interface.

Is there a workaround for this problem in java?
In C++ this is done by function pointer. In C# this is done by delegates.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

No such thing as function pointers in Java.

Using the existing Comparable interface is the correct approach to this problem.

Campbell Ritchie wrote:Using the existing Comparable interface is the correct approach to this problem.

Actually, the java.util.Comparator interface sounds more like what is needed.

Henry

Henry Wong wrote:
Actually, the java.util.Comparator interface sounds more like what is needed.

Henry

Hmm, Comparator sounds better than Comparable because we wont force every class to implement an interface at least.
The problem is that most of these classes already have a method for comparison, so writing Comparator implementations seems like a lot of duplicate code. I agree that it's the proper way though.

BTW, I found http://java.sun.com/docs/white/delegates.html and I must say that it surely aint written in the most unbiased tone that I've seen.

Agree. I did think while I was going round town today that I had forgotten about Comparator.

Aiman Ashraf wrote:Fine but I don't want to force each and every class to implement the MyComparable interface.

You can use templates.