hashmap - Java retrieving a custom key object from a map -

this may not best data structure, wondering if possible this: have set of tools, each unique id , bunch or attributes. each tool has collection of chambers contain attributes. hoping use tool key hashmap , list of chambers value.
after of chamber information database, want key object (tool) toolid can add each chamber appropriate tool. over-rode equals method , hash method use toolid.

other bringing keys , iterating on them see if equal toolid, there way key object

here code far:

public class toolbean {      private string toolid;     private string toolname;     private string toolowner;      public toolbean(string toolid){         this.toolid = toolid;     }      @override     public boolean equals(object obj) {         if (this == obj)             return true;         if (obj == null)             return false;         if (getclass() != obj.getclass())             return false;         toolbean other = (toolbean) obj;         if (toolid == null) {             if (other.toolid != null)                 return false;         } else if (!toolid.equals(other.toolid))             return false;         return true;     }      @override     public int hashcode() {         final int prime = 31;         int result = 1;         result = prime * result + ((toolid == null) ? 0 : toolid.hashcode());         return result;     } } 

the structure creating this:

linkedhashmap<toolbean, linkedhashmap<string, chamberbean>> toolwithchambermap =  new linkedhashmap<toolbean, linkedhashmap<string, chamberbean>>(); 

i know can create structure toolbean having linkedhashmap of chambers (linkedhashmap ) open tool, add new chamber map, put tool in original map. wondering if there way skip step.

thanks, brita

assuming

class toolbean {      // described in op }  class chamber {     // opaque class } 

what seem asking this:

// master map of toolbean map of chamber objects map<toolbean, map<string, chamber>> toolbeantochambermap =      new linkedhashmap<toolbean,map<string,chamber>>();  // tool bean , chamber toolbean tb1 = new toolbean(...); chamber  ch1 = new chamber(...);  // create map contain chambers , string keys map<string,chamber> chmap = new linkedhashmap<string,chamber>();  // put chamber map chmap.put("one",ch1);  // put map of chambers master map, keyed off toolbean toolbeantochambermap.put(tb1, chmap);  // sometime later ...  toolbean tb2 = ... // may same tb1  // new chamber added data structure chamber ch2 = new chamber(...);  // first find chamber map in master map, matching toolbean of interest map<string,chamber> temp = toolbeantochambermap.get(tb2);  // 'temp' reference submap - if it's null, toolbean wasn't in master map yet if (temp == null) {     // create new empty submap     temp = new linkedhashmap<string,chamber>();     // add master map     toolbeantochambermap.put(tb2,temp); } // @ point 'temp' either pre-existing submap or 1 added temp.put("two",ch2); 

however, unless have reason doing things way, i'd suggest following:

public class toolbean {     attributes...     map<string, chamber> chambermap = new linkedhashmap<string,chamber>();     ...     public void addchamber(string name, chamber c) {         // similar logic above     }     public chamber getchamber(string name) {         return chambermap.get(name);     } }  set<toolbean> toolbeans = new hashset<toolbean>();  toolbean tb1 = new toolbean(); tb1.addchamber("one", new chamber(...)); tb1.addchamber("two", new chamber(...)); toolbeans.add(tb1); 

in other words, hide complexity of map of chambers inside toolbean class.

handling of duplicate chamber values, , null values, left exercise.