HashMap to return default value for non-found keys?

Question

Is it possible to have a HashMap return a default value for all keys that are not found in the set?

Answer 1

/**
 * Extension of TreeMap to provide default value getter/creator.
 * 
 * NOTE: This class performs no null key or value checking.
 * 
 * @author N David Brown
 *
 * @param    Key type
 * @param    Value type
 */
public abstract class Hash extends TreeMap {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1905150272531272505L;

    /**
     * Same as {@link #get(Object)} but first stores result of
     * {@link #create(Object)} under given key if key doesn't exist.
     * 
     * @param k
     * @return
     */
    public V getOrCreate(final K k) {
        V v = get(k);
        if (v == null) {
            v = create(k);
            put(k, v);
        }
        return v;
    }

    /**
     * Same as {@link #get(Object)} but returns specified default value
     * if key doesn't exist. Note that default value isn't automatically
     * stored under the given key.
     * 
     * @param k
     * @param _default
     * @return
     */
    public V getDefault(final K k, final V _default) {
        V v = get(k);
        return v == null ? _default : v;
    }

    /**
     * Creates a default value for the specified key.
     * 
     * @param k
     * @return
     */
    abstract protected V create(final K k);
}

Example Usage:

protected class HashList extends Hash> {
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 6658900478219817746L;

    @Override
        public ArrayList create(Short key) {
            return new ArrayList();
        }
}

final HashList haystack = new HashList();
final String needle = "hide and";
haystack.getOrCreate(needle).add("seek")
System.out.println(haystack.get(needle).get(0));