Finding the different elements between two ArrayLists in Java

Question

How can I know the different element between 2 array list in java? I need the exact element not a Boolean value which can be retrieved using removeAll().

Answer 1

Call the method ReturnArrayListDiffElements passing two array lists. An array list which is the difference between two passed array lists will be returned

public ArrayList ReturnArrayListDiffElements(ArrayList arrList1, ArrayList arrList2){   
    ArrayList List1 = new ArrayList();  
    ArrayList List2 = new ArrayList();  
    ArrayList List3 = new ArrayList();  
    ArrayList List4 = new ArrayList();

    List1.addAll(arrList1);     
    List2.addAll(arrList2);

    List3 = ReturnArrayListCommonElements(List1,List2);

    List1.removeAll(List3);     
    List2.removeAll(List3);     
    if(List1.size() > 0){
        List4.add("Distinct elements in Array List 1");     
        List4.addAll(List1);    
    }   
    if(List2.size() > 0){       
        List4.add("Distinct elements in Array List 2");
        List4.addAll(List2);    
    }   

    return List4; 
}

public ArrayList ReturnArrayListCommonElements(ArrayList arrList1, ArrayList arrList2){     
    ArrayList List1 = new ArrayList();  
    ArrayList List2 = new ArrayList();  
    ArrayList List1A = new ArrayList();     
    ArrayList List2A = new ArrayList();     
    ArrayList List1B = new ArrayList();     
    ArrayList List3 = new ArrayList();

    List1.addAll(arrList1);     
    List2.addAll(arrList2);        
    List1A.addAll(arrList1);    
    List2A.addAll(arrList2);    
    List1B.addAll(arrList1);

    int intList1Size, intList2Size;     
    List1.removeAll(List2);
    intList1Size = List1.size();

    List2.removeAll(List1A);    
    intList2Size = List2.size();

    if (intList1Size == 0 && intList2Size ==0) {          
        List3.addAll(List1B);       
        return List3; 
    } else {
        List3.addAll(List1B);       
        List1B.removeAll(List2A);       
        List3.removeAll(List1B);        
        return List3;   
    }
}