HashMap with multiple values under the same key

Question

Is it possible for us to implement a HashMap with one key and two values. Just as HashMap?

Please do help me, also by telling (if there is no way) any other way to

Answer 1

You could:

1. Use a map that has a list as the value. Map<KeyType, List<ValueType>>.
2. Create a new wrapper class and place instances of this wrapper in the map. Map<KeyType, WrapperType>.
3. Use a tuple like class (saves creating lots of wrappers). Map<KeyType, Tuple<Value1Type, Value2Type>>.
4. Use mulitple maps side-by-side.

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Examples

1. Map with list as the value

// create our map
Map<String, List<Person>> peopleByForename = new HashMap<>();    

// populate it
List<Person> people = new ArrayList<>();
people.add(new Person("Bob Smith"));
people.add(new Person("Bob Jones"));
peopleByForename.put("Bob", people);

// read from it
List<Person> bobs = peopleByForename["Bob"];
Person bob1 = bobs[0];
Person bob2 = bobs[1];

The disadvantage with this approach is that the list is not bound to exactly two values.

2. Using wrapper class

// define our wrapper
class Wrapper {
    public Wrapper(Person person1, Person person2) {
       this.person1 = person1;
       this.person2 = person2;
    }

    public Person getPerson1 { return this.person1; }
    public Person getPerson2 { return this.person2; }

    private Person person1;
    private Person person2;
}

// create our map
Map<String, Wrapper> peopleByForename = new HashMap<>();

// populate it
Wrapper people = new Wrapper();
peopleByForename.put("Bob", new Wrapper(new Person("Bob Smith"),
                                        new Person("Bob Jones"));

// read from it
Wrapper bobs = peopleByForename.get("Bob");
Person bob1 = bobs.getPerson1;
Person bob2 = bobs.getPerson2;

The disadvantage to this approach is that you have to write a lot of boiler-plate code for all of these very simple container classes.

3. Using a tuple

// you'll have to write or download a Tuple class in Java, (.NET ships with one)

// create our map
Map<String, Tuple2<Person, Person> peopleByForename = new HashMap<>();

// populate it
peopleByForename.put("Bob", new Tuple2(new Person("Bob Smith",
                                       new Person("Bob Jones"));

// read from it
Tuple<Person, Person> bobs = peopleByForename["Bob"];
Person bob1 = bobs.Item1;
Person bob2 = bobs.Item2;

This is the best solution in my opinion.

4. Multiple maps

// create our maps
Map<String, Person> firstPersonByForename = new HashMap<>();
Map<String, Person> secondPersonByForename = new HashMap<>();

// populate them
firstPersonByForename.put("Bob", new Person("Bob Smith"));
secondPersonByForename.put("Bob", new Person("Bob Jones"));

// read from them
Person bob1 = firstPersonByForename["Bob"];
Person bob2 = secondPersonByForename["Bob"];

The disadvantage of this solution is that it's not obvious that the two maps are related, a programmatic error could see the two maps get out of sync.

Answer 2

I prefer the following to store any number of variables without having to create a separate class.

final public static Map<String, Map<String, Float>> myMap    = new HashMap<String, Map<String, Float>>();

Answer 3

I am so used to just doing this with a Data Dictionary in Objective C. It was harder to get a similar result in Java for Android. I ended up creating a custom class, and then just doing a hashmap of my custom class.

public class Test1 {
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.addview);

//create the datastring
    HashMap<Integer, myClass> hm = new HashMap<Integer, myClass>();
    hm.put(1, new myClass("Car", "Small", 3000));
    hm.put(2, new myClass("Truck", "Large", 4000));
    hm.put(3, new myClass("Motorcycle", "Small", 1000));

//pull the datastring back for a specific item.
//also can edit the data using the set methods.  this just shows getting it for display.
    myClass test1 = hm.get(1);
    String testitem = test1.getItem();
    int testprice = test1.getPrice();
    Log.i("Class Info Example",testitem+Integer.toString(testprice));
}
}

//custom class.  You could make it public to use on several activities, or just include in the activity if using only here
class myClass{
    private String item;
    private String type;
    private int price;

    public myClass(String itm, String ty, int pr){
        this.item = itm;
        this.price = pr;
        this.type = ty;
    }

    public String getItem() {
        return item;
    }

    public void setItem(String item) {
        this.item = item;
    }

    public String getType() {
        return item;
    }

    public void setType(String type) {
        this.type = type;
    }

    public int getPrice() {
        return price;
    }

    public void setPrice(int price) {
        this.price = price;
    }

}

Answer 4

If you use Spring Framework. There is: org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap.

To create unmodifiable multi value map:

Map<String,List<String>> map = ...
MultiValueMap<String, String> multiValueMap = CollectionUtils.toMultiValueMap(map);

Or use org.springframework.util.LinkedMultiValueMap

Answer 5

You can do it implicitly.

// Create the map. There is no restriction to the size that the array String can have
HashMap<Integer, String[]> map = new HashMap<Integer, String[]>();

//initialize a key chosing the array of String you want for your values
map.put(1, new String[] { "name1", "name2" });

//edit value of a key
map.get(1)[0] = "othername";

This is very simple and effective. If you want values of diferent classes instead, you can do the following:

HashMap<Integer, Object[]> map = new HashMap<Integer, Object[]>();

Answer 6

I use Map<KeyType, Object[]> for associating multiple values with a key in a Map. This way, I can store multiple values of different types associated with a key. You have to take care by maintaining proper order of inserting and retrieving from Object[].

Example: Consider, we want to store Student information. Key is id, while we would like to store name, address and email associated to the student.

       //To make entry into Map
        Map<Integer, String[]> studenMap = new HashMap<Integer, String[]>();
        String[] studentInformationArray = new String[]{"name", "address", "email"};
        int studenId = 1;
        studenMap.put(studenId, studentInformationArray);

        //To retrieve values from Map
        String name = studenMap.get(studenId)[1];
        String address = studenMap.get(studenId)[2];
        String email = studenMap.get(studenId)[3];