Problems using TreeMap to detirmane word frequency

Question

Hi!
I'm using Java TreeMap to determine the amount of times words appear in a text file, however, I seem to run into a little problem:
The Algorithm is as follows: Simply check if the words already exists in the tree(The words themselves are used a keys), then get the value(integer) and increase this value. As the .put statement only updates the value associated with the key, it shouldn't store double values... right?
Although this is my question, it still isn't the problem. The problem is the following: To update the value, I simply want to use the ‘.get’ statement. Java API specifically states the following :
“get(Object key)
Returns the value to which the specified key is mapped, or null if this map contains no mapping for the key.”
So, getting it as an int, I should be able to just add to this right? NO! I get a compatibility error, stating that I can’t assign Java.lang.Object to int. Please Help!
Here’s my code:
Map list = new TreeMap();
if(list.containsValue(word))
//assign integer to current word's value
//int count used
wcount = list.get(word) + 1; //Error: operator + cannot be applied to java.lang.Object,int
list.put(word, wcount);
//however, this will work, but you can't cast Objects to ints:
//ocount is now object
Object ocount = list.get(word);
else
list.put(word, 1);

Answer 1

Although this is my question, it still isn't the problem. The problem is the following: To update the value, I simply want to use the ‘.get’ statement.java.lang.Integer is immutable. So, you would have to first get() the value and put() the incremented value back. To use only get(), you would have to use your own mutable int wrapper. Then, you can just get() and increment the value.
Also, about your error
wcount = (Integer)list.get(word) + 1;// your error would go In addition to learning about Generics (as suggested by kevin), you should also learn about, primitive Wrappers, immutability, Auto boxing/unboxing, Collections framework. The Sun Java tutorial would help you.
Thanks!