Scala, Collection.searching with user-defined implicit Ordering[] - arrays

Question

I need to perform binary search on an array of custom case class. This should be as simple as calling the search function defined in scala.collection.Searching:
As you can see, if the collection on which I call the search method is an indexed sequence, the binary search is performed.
Now, I need to create my custom Ordering[B] parameter and I want to pass it explicitly to the search function (I don't want for it to take any implicit parameter inferred from context).
I have the following code:
// File 1
case class Person(name: String, id: Int)
object Person{
val orderingById: Ordering[Person] = Ordering.by(e => e.id)
}
// File 2 (same package)
for(i <- orderedId.indices) {
// orderedId is an array of Int
// listings is an array of Person
val listingIndex = listings.search(orderedId(i))(Person.orderingById)
...
}
I get the following error:
Type mismatch. Required: Ordering[Any], found: Ordering[Nothing]
So, I tried change the implementation in this way:
// file 1
object Person{
implicit def orderingById[A <: Person] : Ordering[A] = {
Ordering.by(e => e.id)
}
}
//file 2 as before
This time getting the following error:
Type mismatch. Required: Ordering[Any], found: Ordering[Person]
Why does it happen? At least in the second case, should it convert from Any to Person?

Answer 1

Follow the type specifications.
If you want to .search() on a collection of Person elements then the first search parameter should be a Person (or a super-class thereof).
val listingIndex =
listings.search(Person("",orderedId(i)))(Person.orderingById)
Or, to put it in a more complete and succinct context:
import scala.collection.Searching.SearchResult
case class Person(name: String, id: Int)
val listings: Array[Person] = ...
val orderedId: Array[Int] = ...
for(id <- orderedId) {
val listingIndex: SearchResult =
listings.search(Person("",id))(Ordering.by(_.id))
}

Answer 2

I'll add a bit just to elaborate about your error. First, please note that Searching.search is deprecated, with deprecation message:
Search methods are defined directly on SeqOps and do not require scala.collection.Searching any more.
search is now defined on IndexedSeqOps. Let's look at the signature:
final def search[B >: A](elem: B)(implicit ord: Ordering[B])
When you call:
listings.search(orderedId(i))(Person.orderingById)
The result of orderedId(i) is Int. Therefore, B in the signature above is Int. The definition of Int is:
final abstract class Int private extends AnyVal
A is Person, because listing is of type Array[Person]. Therefore, search, is looking for a common root for both Int and Person. This common root is Any, hence you are getting this error. One way to overcome it, is to define an implicit conversion from Int to Person:
object Person{
val orderingById: Ordering[Person] = Ordering.by(e => e.id)
implicit def apply(id: Int): Person = {
Person("not defined", id)
}
}
Then the following:
val listings = Array(Person("aa", 1), Person("bb", 2), Person("dd", 4))
val orderedId = 1.to(6).toArray
for(i <- orderedId.indices) {
// orderedId is an array of Int
// listings is an array of Person
listings.search[Person](orderedId(i))(Person.orderingById) match {
case Found(foundIndex) =>
println("foundIndex: " + foundIndex)
case InsertionPoint(insertionPoint) =>
println("insertionPoint: " + insertionPoint)
}
}
will produce:
foundIndex: 0
foundIndex: 1
insertionPoint: 2
foundIndex: 2
insertionPoint: 3
insertionPoint: 3
Code run in Scastie.