Implementing Simple Linked List - c

Question

Hi I wish to implement a simple linked list and all the values to the end of the list. As simple as that but I am not able to do so. Can you please tell me where I am doing it wrong ? Initially I am declaring a pointer and assigning NULL value to it. Later in each iteration I am allocating memory to the pointer that was initially NULL.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <malloc.h>
struct node{
int a;
struct node* next;
};
struct node* insert(struct node* start,int value);
void print(struct node* head);
int main()
{
int a;
struct node* head = NULL;
while(scanf("%d",&a) != EOF)//taking input
{
head = insert(head,a);
print(head);
}
return 0;
}
struct node* insert(struct node* start,int value)
{
struct node* head = start;
while(start != NULL)
{
start = start->next;//getting upto the end of the linked list
}
start = (struct node*)malloc(sizeof(struct node));//allocating memory at the end
start->a = value;
start->next = NULL;
if(head == NULL)
{
return start;//for the base case when list is initally empty
}
return head;
}
void print(struct node* head)
{
while(head != NULL)
{
printf("%d\n",head->a);
head = head->next;
}
return;
}

Answer 1

You're losing your linkage between your tail and your new node, try this instead
struct node* insert(struct node* head,int value)
{
struct node* tail = head;
while(tail != NULL && tail->next != NULL)
{
tail= tail->next;//getting upto the end of the linked list
}
struct node* start = (struct node*)malloc(sizeof(struct node));//allocating memory at the end
start->a = value;
start->next = NULL;
if(head == NULL)
{
return start;//for the base case when list is initally empty
}
else
{
tail->next = start;
}
return head;
}

Answer 2

struct node* insert(struct node* start,int value){
struct node* head = start;
struct node* np = (struct node*)malloc(sizeof(struct node));
np->a = value;
np->next = NULL;
if(head == NULL)
return np;
while(start->next != NULL){
start = start->next;
}
start->next = np;
return head;
}
What makes the approach I am using buggy ?
nodeX
|
+a
|
+next(address to OtherX)
nodeX.next = new_node;//update link(case of OK)
tempPointer = nodeX.next;//address to OtherX set to tempPointer
tempPointer = new_node;//contents of tempPointer changed, but orignal (nodeX.next not change)