public int compareTo(final T element) {
        if (element == null) {
            // Comparable API says throw NPE on null
            throw new NullPointerException("Element is null");
        }

        if (isBefore(element)) {
            return -1;
        } else if (isAfter(element)) {
            return 1;
        } else {
            return 0;
        }
    }
public int compareTo ( final T element ) { if ( element == null ) { throw new NullPointerException ( "Element is null" ) ; } if ( isBefore ( element ) ) { return - 1 ; } else if ( isAfter ( element ) ) { return 1 ; } else { return 0 ; } }
<p>
Checks where the specified element occurs relative to this range.
</p>

<p>
Returns {@code -1} if this range is before the specified element,
{@code 1} if the this range is after the specified element, otherwise {@code 0} if the specified element is contained in this range.
</p>

@param element
the element to check for, not null
@return -1, 0 or +1 depending on the element's location relative to the range