Manually Sorting Objects With compareTo

Question

Hello All,
I have a quick problem I am working on. I have to implement the java compareTo interface and sort through some objects. I know this would be easier with an array, but all the comparisons of the five objects have to be done through the compareTo. For some reason, the way I am sorting is just not working... I do get output, but there is a bug in my code, and I am assured that the way I am coding is NOT the most efficient. If anyone could guide me, and help me sort the Task objects from highest to lowest based upon Complexity, it would be much appreciated.
I will try to respond as fast as possible! I have attached the Task class and the class with main below. Thanks again!
Task Class:
public class Task implements Comparable
     private String taskName;
     private int priority;
     public Task (String scheduleTaskName, int importance)
          taskName = scheduleTaskName;
          priority = importance;          
     public int compareTo(Object obj)
          Task comparedTask = (Task)obj;
          int comparedTaskPriority = comparedTask.getPriority();
          if (priority < comparedTaskPriority)
               return -1;
          else if (priority > comparedTaskPriority)
               return 1;
          else
               return 0;
     public int getPriority()
          return priority;
     public Task copySelf()
          return this;
     public String toString()
          String result = "P: " + priority + "\t " + taskName;
          return result;
}Schedule Class:
//This is the driver class for Task / Comparable implementation.
public class Schedule
     public static Task task1 = new Task("", 0);
     public static Task task2 = new Task("", 0);
     public static Task task3 = new Task("", 0);
     public static Task task4 = new Task("", 0);
     public static Task task5 = new Task("", 0);
     public static int sortHighest = 0;
     public static void main(String[]args)
          EasyReader console = new EasyReader(System.in);
          //Declare all the variables, but values will be updated as needed.
          //NOTE: These can NEVER be null or there will be errors in the compare!
          System.out.println("Welcome to the complexity scheduler program!");
          System.out.println("We can schedule up to 5 things per day, and rate how complex they are!");
          System.out.println("How many things would you like to schedule today?");
          int numberOfTasks = console.intInput();
          while (numberOfTasks > 5 || numberOfTasks < 1) //Check how valid the input is.
               System.out.println("We cannot do this many tasks... Please enter a valid number [1-5]:");
               numberOfTasks = console.intInput();
          System.out.println();
          //Read in all the tasks in an orderly manner.
          for (int x=1; x<=numberOfTasks; x++)
               System.out.println("Task number " + x + ":");
               System.out.println("Please enter the task name:");
               String taskBuffer = console.stringInput();
               System.out.println("How complex is this task to you?");
               int importanceBuffer = console.intInput();
               //Validate the entry that way the sorting will work.
               while (importanceBuffer <= 0)
                    System.out.println("Please enter a valid importance that is greater than zero! :");
                    importanceBuffer = console.intInput();
               if(x == 1)
                    task1 = new Task(taskBuffer, importanceBuffer);
               else if (x == 2)
                    task2 = new Task(taskBuffer, importanceBuffer);
               else if (x == 3)
                    task3 = new Task(taskBuffer, importanceBuffer);
               else if (x == 4)
                    task4 = new Task(taskBuffer, importanceBuffer);
               else if (x == 5)
                    task5 = new Task(taskBuffer, importanceBuffer);
               System.out.println();
          System.out.println("Thank you for entering in your tasks.");
          System.out.println("Are you ready for them to be sorted and shown? [Y/n]");
          String userChoice = console.stringInput();
          //And here is where we start to sort it.
          if (userChoice.equalsIgnoreCase("y"))
               System.out.println();
               sortHighest = numberOfTasks+1;
               for (int y=1; y <= numberOfTasks; y++)
                    Task temporaryTask;
                    if(y==1)
                         temporaryTask = sortTask(task1);
                    else if (y==2)
                         temporaryTask = sortTask(task2);
                    else if (y==3)
                         temporaryTask = sortTask(task3);
                    else if (y==4)
                         temporaryTask = sortTask(task4);
                    else
                         temporaryTask = sortTask(task5);
                    System.out.println(temporaryTask);
     public static Task sortTask(Task input)
          Task result = input;
          //And the sort goes like this...
          if (result.compareTo(task1) < 0 && task1.getPriority() < sortHighest)
               result = task1;
          if (result.compareTo(task2) < 0 && task2.getPriority() < sortHighest)
               result = task2;
          if (result.compareTo(task3) < 0 && task3.getPriority() < sortHighest)
               result = task3;
          if (result.compareTo(task4) < 0 && task4.getPriority() < sortHighest)
               result = task4;
          if (result.compareTo(task5) < 0 && task5.getPriority() < sortHighest)
               result = task5;
          sortHighest = result.getPriority() - 1;
          return result;
}

Answer 1

They can be sorted and stored in seperate Task
objects.. Okay, stop and think about this for a minute.
The usual way to sort is something like:Arrays.sort(someArray);
or
Collections.sort(someList);The sort routine can sort any number of objects--however many are in the list or array.
Now, your bubblesort method--like the core API's sort methods--will call your compareTo methods on pairs of your objects.
What will be the signature of your bubblesort method? Will it sort a fixed number of objects?
bubbleSort(task1, task2, task3, task4, task5)Note that it's impossible for this to even work in Java, because those references will be passed by value. There could not be a separate sort method. You'd have to implement your sort routine inline in the method where they're defined, or they'd have to be member variables. Either way, it's nonsense.
Not being able to use arrays or lists is a ridiculous requirement. I'm almost certain you misunderstood. Perhaps you're not allowed to use the Arrays.sort method.
If your teacher really said you can't use arrays, he has no business teaching this class.