## org.apache.commons.collections.keyvalue
Class MultiKey

    java.lang.Object
      org.apache.commons.collections.keyvalue.MultiKey

All Implemented Interfaces:
  Serializable

public class MultiKey
extends Object
implements Serializable

A `MultiKey` allows multiple map keys to be merged together.

The purpose of this class is to avoid the need to write code to handle maps of maps. An example might be the need to lookup a filename by key and locale. The typical solution might be nested maps. This class can be used instead by creating an instance passing in the key and locale.

Example usage:

     // populate map with data mapping key+locale to localizedText
     Map map = new HashMap();
     MultiKey multiKey = new MultiKey(key, locale);
     map.put(multiKey, localizedText);

     // later retireve the localized text
     MultiKey multiKey = new MultiKey(key, locale);
     String localizedText = (String) map.get(multiKey);

Since:
  Commons Collections 3.0
Version:
  $Revision: 1.5 $ $Date: 2004/03/13 12:43:43 $
Author:
  Howard Lewis Ship, Stephen Colebourne
See Also:
  Serialized Form

Constructor Summary
`MultiKey(Object[] keys)` Constructor taking an array of keys which is cloned.
`MultiKey(Object[] keys, boolean makeClone)` Constructor taking an array of keys, optionally choosing whether to clone.
`MultiKey(Object key1, Object key2)` Constructor taking two keys.
`MultiKey(Object key1, Object key2, Object key3)` Constructor taking three keys.
`MultiKey(Object key1, Object key2, Object key3, Object key4)` Constructor taking four keys.
`MultiKey(Object key1, Object key2, Object key3, Object key4, Object key5)` Constructor taking five keys.

Method Summary
`boolean` `equals(Object other)` Compares this object to another.
`Object` `getKey(int index)` Gets the key at the specified index.
`Object[]` `getKeys()` Gets a clone of the array of keys.
`int` `hashCode()` Gets the combined hash code that is computed from all the keys.
`int` `size()` Gets the size of the list of keys.
`String` `toString()` Gets a debugging string version of the key.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

Constructor Detail

### MultiKey

    public MultiKey(Object key1,
                    Object key2)

  Constructor taking two keys.

  The keys should be immutable If they are not then they must not be changed after adding to the MultiKey.

Parameters:
  `key1` - the first key
  `key2` - the second key

### MultiKey

    public MultiKey(Object key1,
                    Object key2,
                    Object key3)

  Constructor taking three keys.

  The keys should be immutable If they are not then they must not be changed after adding to the MultiKey.

Parameters:
  `key1` - the first key
  `key2` - the second key
  `key3` - the third key

### MultiKey

    public MultiKey(Object key1,
                    Object key2,
                    Object key3,
                    Object key4)

  Constructor taking four keys.

  The keys should be immutable If they are not then they must not be changed after adding to the MultiKey.

Parameters:
  `key1` - the first key
  `key2` - the second key
  `key3` - the third key
  `key4` - the fourth key

### MultiKey

    public MultiKey(Object key1,
                    Object key2,
                    Object key3,
                    Object key4,
                    Object key5)

  Constructor taking five keys.

  The keys should be immutable If they are not then they must not be changed after adding to the MultiKey.

Parameters:
  `key1` - the first key
  `key2` - the second key
  `key3` - the third key
  `key4` - the fourth key
  `key5` - the fifth key

### MultiKey

    public MultiKey(Object[] keys)

  Constructor taking an array of keys which is cloned.

  The keys should be immutable If they are not then they must not be changed after adding to the MultiKey.

  This is equivalent to `new MultiKey(keys, true)`.

Parameters:
  `keys` - the array of keys, not null
Throws:
  `IllegalArgumentException` - if the key array is null

### MultiKey

    public MultiKey(Object[] keys,
                    boolean makeClone)

  Constructor taking an array of keys, optionally choosing whether to clone.

  If the array is not cloned, then it must not be modified.

  This method is public for performance reasons only, to avoid a clone. The hashcode is calculated once here in this method. Therefore, changing the array passed in would not change the hashcode but would change the equals method, which is a bug.

  This is the only fully safe usage of this constructor, as the object array is never made available in a variable:

       new MultiKey(new Object[] {...}, false);

  The keys should be immutable If they are not then they must not be changed after adding to the MultiKey.

Parameters:
  `keys` - the array of keys, not null
  `makeClone` - true to clone the array, false to assign it
Throws:
  `IllegalArgumentException` - if the key array is null
Since:
  Commons Collections 3.1

Method Detail

### getKeys

    public Object[] getKeys()

  Gets a clone of the array of keys.

  The keys should be immutable If they are not then they must not be changed.

  Returns:
    the individual keys

### getKey

    public Object getKey(int index)

  Gets the key at the specified index.

  The key should be immutable. If it is not then it must not be changed.

  Parameters:
    `index` - the index to retrieve
  Returns:
    the key at the index
  Throws:
    `IndexOutOfBoundsException` - if the index is invalid
  Since:
    Commons Collections 3.1

### size

    public int size()

  Gets the size of the list of keys.

  Returns:
    the size of the list of keys
  Since:
    Commons Collections 3.1

### equals

    public boolean equals(Object other)

  Compares this object to another.

  To be equal, the other object must be a `MultiKey` with the same number of keys which are also equal.

  Parameters:
    `other` - the other object to compare to
  Returns:
    true if equal

### hashCode

    public int hashCode()

  Gets the combined hash code that is computed from all the keys.

  This value is computed once and then cached, so elements should not change their hash codes once created (note that this is the same constraint that would be used if the individual keys elements were themselves `Map` keys.

  Returns:
    the hash code

### toString

    public String toString()

  Gets a debugging string version of the key.

  Returns:
    a debugging string

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