Java Error: The operator > is undefined for the argument type(s) E, E

[trouty323]

Hello. The method here is to add an item to a heap. As the title states, I am getting the error "The operator > is undefined for the argument type(s) E, E" in the parenthesis after the while. I assume this is not the correct way to compare E values. Does anybody know what would be the correct way?

	public boolean add(E item) {
		data[size] = item;
		child = size - 1;
		parent = (child-1) / 2;
		
		while (parent >= 0 && data[parent] > data[child]) {
			// swap data[parent] and data[child]
			child = parent;
			parent = (child - 1) / 2;
		}
	}

 

[trouty323]

Anyone? data[] is an array that holds generics. I should have said that instead of saying "E." I can't seem to find a decent website that explains how to compare generic values.

 

[Hurkyl]

Generically, generics can't be compared.

See, for example, Collections.sort for a Java standard for dealing with such a thing.

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/Collections.html#sort(java.util.List)