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| Chapter 29 The java.text Package |

## 29.5 java.text.CollationKey (JDK 1.1)

###

`CollationKey` objects are used to compare strings more quickly than is possible with `Collation.compare()`. Objects of this class are returned by `Collation.getCollationKey()`. To compare two `CollationKey` objects, invoke the `compareTo()` method of key `A`, passing the key `B` as an argument (both `CollationKey` objects must be created through the same `Collation` object). The return value of this method is less than zero if the key `A` is collated before the key `B`. It is equal to zero if they are equivalent for the purposes of collation, and it is greater than zero if the key `A` is collated after the key `B`.

Use `getSourceString()` to obtain the string represented by a `CollationKey`.

    public final class CollationKey extends Object {
        // No Constructor
        // Public Instance Methods
                public int compareTo(CollationKey target);
                public boolean equals(Object target);  // Overrides Object
                public String getSourceString();
                public int hashCode();  // Overrides Object
                public byte[] toByteArray();
    }

### Passed To:

CollationKey.compareTo()

### Returned By:

Collator.getCollationKey(), RuleBasedCollator.getCollationKey()

java.text.CollationElementIterator (JDK 1.1) |  | java.text.Collator (JDK 1.1)