--- /dev/null
+/*
+BSD 3-Clause License
+
+Copyright (c) 2018, Mungo Carstairs
+All rights reserved.
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+ list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+ this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+ and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+
+* Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its
+ contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+ this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
+FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+*/
+package intervalstore.impl;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.Comparator;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import intervalstore.api.IntervalI;
+
+/**
+ * A comparator that orders ranges by either start position ascending. If
+ * position matches, ordering is by length descending. This provides the
+ * canonical ordering of intervals into subranges in order to build a nested
+ * containment list.
+ *
+ * @author gmcarstairs
+ */
+public class NCListBuilder<T extends IntervalI>
+{
+ class NCListComparator<V extends IntervalI> implements Comparator<V>
+ {
+ /**
+ * Compares two intervals in a way that will sort a list by start position
+ * ascending, then by length descending. Answers
+ * <ul>
+ * <li>a negative value if o1.begin < o2.begin</li>
+ * <li>else a positive value if o1.begin > o2.begin</li>
+ * <li>else a negative value if o1.end > o2.end</li>
+ * <li>else a positive value of o1.end < o2.end</li>
+ * <li>else zero</li
+ * </ul>
+ */
+ @Override
+ public int compare(V o1, V o2)
+ {
+ int order = Integer.compare(o1.getBegin(), o2.getBegin());
+ if (order == 0)
+ {
+ /*
+ * if tied on start position, longer length sorts to left
+ * i.e. the negation of normal ordering by length
+ */
+ order = Integer.compare(o2.getEnd(), o1.getEnd());
+ }
+ return order;
+ }
+ }
+
+ private Comparator<T> comparator = new NCListComparator<>();
+
+ /**
+ * Default constructor
+ */
+ public NCListBuilder()
+ {
+ }
+
+ /**
+ * Answers a comparator which sorts items of type T by start position
+ * ascending, and within that by end position (length) descending)
+ *
+ * @return
+ */
+ Comparator<T> getComparator()
+ {
+ return comparator;
+ }
+
+ /**
+ * Sorts and traverses the ranges to identify sublists, whose start intervals
+ * are overlapping or disjoint but not mutually contained. Answers a list of
+ * start-end indices of the sorted list of ranges.
+ *
+ * @param ranges
+ * @return
+ */
+ List<IntervalI> partitionNestedSublists(List<T> ranges)
+ {
+ List<IntervalI> sublists = new ArrayList<>();
+
+ /*
+ * sort by start ascending, length descending, so that
+ * contained intervals follow their containing interval
+ */
+ Collections.sort(ranges, comparator);
+
+ int listStartIndex = 0;
+
+ IntervalI lastParent = ranges.get(0);
+ boolean first = true;
+
+ for (int i = 0; i < ranges.size(); i++)
+ {
+ IntervalI nextInterval = ranges.get(i);
+ if (!first && !lastParent.properlyContainsInterval(nextInterval))
+ {
+ /*
+ * this interval is not properly contained in the parent;
+ * close off the last sublist
+ */
+ sublists.add(new Range(listStartIndex, i - 1));
+ listStartIndex = i;
+ lastParent = nextInterval;
+ }
+ first = false;
+ }
+
+ sublists.add(new Range(listStartIndex, ranges.size() - 1));
+ return sublists;
+ }
+}