hashCode

>>-hashCode---------------------------------------------------><

Returns a string value that is used as a hash value for MapCollections such as Table, Relation, Set, Bag, and Directory. MapCollections use this string value to hash an object for hash table-based searches.

Object implementations are expected to abide by a general contract for hash code usage:

• Whenever hashCode is invoked on the same object more than once, hashCode must return the same hashcode value, provided than none of the internal information the object uses for an "==" comparison has changed.
• If two object instances compare equal using the "==" operator, the hashCode methods for both object instances must return the same value.
• It is not required that two object instances that compare unequal using "==" return different hash code values.
• Returning a wide range of hash values will produce better performance when an object is used as an index for a MapCollection. A return value of 4 string characters is recommended. The characters in the hash value may be any characters from '00'x to 'ff'x, inclusive.