code: @Override
      public Comparable<?> getCompareValue()
      {
          Comparable<?> ret = null;
          try {
              if (this.sortValue == null) {
                  ret = getFactory().getCompareValue(this);
              } else {
                  ret = this.sortValue;
              }
          } catch (final EFapsException e) {
              LOG.error("Catched error", e);
          }
          return ret;
      }
docs: {@inheritDoc}