package rebelsky.hw20;

/**
 * A collection of methods that help us at various times.
 *
 * @author Samuel A. Rebelsky
 * @version 1.0 of September 2004
 */
public class Assistant
{
	/**
	 * Find the smaller of two comparable objects.
	 *
	 * @exception IncomparableException
	 *   when the objects cannot be compared.
	 * @exception InconsistentException
	 *   when the objects have different senses of their orders.
	 * @exception EqualException
	 *   when the two objects are equal
	 */
	public Comparable min(Comparable a, Comparable b)
		throws IncomparableException,InconsistentException,EqualException
	{
		try {
			if ((a.compareTo(b) < 0) && (b.compareTo(a) > 0))
				return a;
			else if ((a.compareTo(b) > 0) && (b.compareTo(a) < 0))
				return b;
			else if ((a.compareTo(b) == 0) && (b.compareTo(a) == 0))
				throw new EqualException("neither " + a + " nor " + b + " is smaller.");
			else
				throw new InconsistentException(a + " and " + b + " have inconsistent orders.");
		}
		catch (ClassCastException cce) {
			throw new IncomparableException("Unable to compare " + a + " and " + b + ".");
		} // catch
	} // min(Comparable,Comparable)
} // class Assistant