java - How to generate List in a clearer way? -

i have following list of elements (call lst), instance:

[1, 2, 2, 5, 78, 768, 6823, 43, 234] 

i need create list<container>

public class container{     private int value;    private list<integer> children;     public container(int i){ //impl    }     //other staff } 

as follows:

container(1) has no children, therefore children filed = null.

both container(2) same , has 1 child container(1).

container(5) has 2 children container(2) , 1 more container(2).

container(43) has 1 child container(5).

and forth.

so, write if-else condition follows:

list<integer> lst; //the list of integers list<integer> leastelems = new arraylist<integer>();  integer leastelem = collections.min(lst);  for(integer e : lst){         if(e.equals(leastelem))             leastelems.add(e); }  list<integer> withourleastelems = new arraylist<>(lst); withourleastelems.removeall(leastelems) ; collections.sort(withourleastelems);  list<container> containers = new arraylist<>(); //filling containers according requirements; 

the code looks extremely wierd. i'd ask advice of how better?

you way:

list<integer> lst; //the list of integers lst.removeall(collections.singleton(collections.min(lst)));  collections.sort(lst);  list<container> containers = new arraylist<>(); //filling containers according requirements; 

since use leastelem-list remove elements, equal leastelem need remove leastelem list , result same.