// Textbook fragment 11.04
  /** Sorts an array with a comparator using nonrecursive merge sort.  */
  public static <E> void mergeSort(E[] orig, Comparator<E> c) {
    E[] in = (E[]) new Object[orig.length]; // make a new temporary array
    System.arraycopy(orig,0,in,0,in.length); // copy the input
    E[] out = (E[]) new Object[in.length]; // output array
    E[] temp; // temp array reference used for swapping
    int n = in.length;
    for (int i=1; i < n; i*=2) { // each iteration sorts all length-2*i runs
      for (int j=0; j < n; j+=2*i)  // each iteration merges two length-i pairs
        merge(in,out,c,j,i); // merge from in to out two length-i runs at j
      temp = in; in = out; out = temp; // swap arrays for next iteration
    }
    // the "in" array contains the sorted array, so re-copy it
    System.arraycopy(in,0,orig,0,in.length);
  }
  /** Merges two subarrays, specified by a start and increment. */
  protected static <E> void merge(E[] in, E[] out, Comparator<E> c, int start,
      int inc) { // merge in[start..start+inc-1] and in[start+inc..start+2*inc-1
]
    int x = start; // index into run #1
    int end1 = Math.min(start+inc, in.length); // boundary for run #1
    int end2 = Math.min(start+2*inc, in.length); // boundary for run #2
    int y = start+inc; // index into run #2 (could be beyond array boundary)
    int z = start; // index into the out array
    while ((x < end1) && (y < end2))
      if (c.compare(in[x],in[y]) <= 0) out[z++] = in[x++];
      else out[z++] = in[y++];
    if (x < end1) // first run didn't finish
      System.arraycopy(in, x, out, z, end1 - x);
    else if (y < end2) // second run didn't finish
      System.arraycopy(in, y, out, z, end2 - y);
  }