Recursive Linked List Reversal Function in C - c

My List is implemented via these two structs. The first contains the items in the list while the second contains the list itself.
typedef Employee Item;
typedef struct ListNodeTag {
Item item;
struct ListNodeTag *next;
} ListNode;
typedef struct {
int size;
ListNode *first;
} List;
I am trying to use the following recursive function to reverse the contents of the list however, I am getting a segmentation fault once there is more than one item in the list.
void Reverse(List *L){
ListNode *q,*p;
q = L->first;
p = q->next;
if(p == NULL)
return;
Reverse(L);
q->next->next = q;
q->next = NULL;}
I believe that the issue lies in the fact that instead of passing a member of the list as a function argument I am passing a pointer to the list itself. How would I change this code to let it work without passing a different argument?

You need to pass another parameter to the function to advance the recursive function to the end of the list. This can be done like this-
void Reverse(ListNode *f, List *l){
if(l->first == NULL)
return;
//Last node reached
if(f->next==NULL){
l->first->next = NULL;
l->first = f;
return;
}
ListNode *p,*q;
p = f;
q = f->next;
Reverse(f->next,l);
q->next = p;
}
Though this function works, it takes a lot of memory, so I'd recommend an iterative approach, like this one-
void Reverse(List *l){
ListNode *f = l->first;
ListNode *fn,*fnn;
if(f==NULL)
return;
fn = f->next;
if(fn==NULL)
return;
fnn = fn->next;
while(fnn!=NULL){
fn->next = f;
f = fn;
fn = fnn;
fnn = fnn->next;
}
fn->next = f;
l->first->next = NULL;
l->first = fn;
}

Have you made sure to initialise all your next pointers to NULL as you append items to the list?
Also, as I read it, the function won't actually recurse as you're always passing L. In other words, after the first call, how does the function know to go one further step down the list?

Related

How can i create multiple linked lists in C for same types of data?

struct clist {
int pos;
char* color;
struct clist *next;
};
typedef struct clist sl_clist;
sl_clist *head = NULL;
sl_clist* link[5];
So i am trying to create multiple single linked circular lists and put them into a stack, every list will have the same types of data. In this case i am using the stack as an array. But i just cannot figure out how to create multiple linked lists from single type. I am a student so i am not very experienced on C. Thaks for the help in advance.
void create_list (int N, sl_clist* head){
int i;
sl_clist *new;
sl_clist *old;
if(N == 0){
head = NULL;
}
srand(time(0));
for(i = 0; i < N; i++){
new = (sl_clist*)malloc(sizeof(sl_clist));
if(i == 0){
head = new;
new -> color = color[(rand()%10)];
new -> pos = pos[i];
new -> next = head;
}
else{
new -> color = color[(rand()%10)];
new -> pos = pos[i];
old -> next = new;
new -> next = head;
}
old = new;
}
}
I have also tried creating multiple "head" variables but for some reason when i use them in this function(just imagine there are arrays for color and pos) they always return NULL.
Do not use global variables. Remove them.
sl_clist *head = NULL;
sl_clist* link[5];
Using local varaibles will "force" you to use a modular design that supports multiple lists.
Variables are passed by value:
head = new;
modifies a copy sl_clist* head of the original pointer passed as the argument. The original pointer is unaffected.
There are multiple ways you can solve that problem. You can return the new value:
sl_clist *create_list (int N, sl_clist* head){
...
return new; // or old value
}
int main() {
sl_clist *head = NULL;
head = create_list(5, head);
}
You can take the pointer by reference:
int create_list (int N, sl_clist **head){
...
*head = new; // set new value
(*head)->something = something; // be aware of operator precedence
}
int main() {
sl_clist *head = NULL;
create_list(5, &head); // head is getting modified
}
But I recommend doing a separate type for the head. That way the function is clear - it takes the head, specifically, not any list element. Be verbose:
struct sl_head {
struct clist *head;
};
int create_list(int N, struct sl_head *head) {
// ^^^^^^^^^^^^ - verbose, this is the head, not some element, less mistakces
head->head = new; // a bit more to type
head->head->something = something;
}
int main() {
struct sl_head head = {0}; // no longer a pointer
create_list(5, &head); // head is getting modified
}
Move srand(time(0)); to main(). It's not a function that you call when creating a list.

How to implement a "contains" function for linked lists in C

I'm currently doing an assignment for uni and I need to find the sum of a graph.
To do this I believe I need a linked list that I can use to remember which nodes have been visited. I have the linkedlist working correctly but I can't get a contains function to work. This is the code I have:
struct listnode
{
struct N *val;
struct listnode *next;
};
int contains(struct listnode *head,struct N* value)
{
struct listnode *current = head;
while (current)
{
if ((current -> val) == value)
{
return 1;
}
current = current -> next;
}
return 0;
}
note: N is a node of the graph.
Can anyone see any problems with what I'm doing?
EDIT: contains function should return 1 when N *value is in the list, 0 otherwise
EDIT2:
I have a push function:
void push(struct listnode *head,struct N *value)
{
if (head)
{
struct listnode *current = head;
while (current->next)
{
current = current -> next;
}
current->next = malloc(sizeof(struct listnode*));
current->next->val = value;
current->next->next = NULL;
}
else
{
head = malloc(sizeof(struct listnode*));
if (head)
{
head -> val = value;
head -> next = NULL;
}
else
{
printf("error");
exit(0);
}
}
}
and I want the following line to return 1:
contains(push(visited,p),p);
where p is a pointer to a struct N and visited is my global linked list
EDIT3:
this is my final sum function that I believe should work, but doesnt because of contains.
long sum(struct N *p)
{
if (p)
{
if (contains(visited,p) == 0) //if p hasnt been visited
{
push(visited,p); //make it visited
return (p -> data) + sum(p -> x) + sum(p -> y) + sum(p -> z);
}
else
{
return 0;
}
}
else
{
return 0;
}
}
Your contains function appears to be fine. The issue is that you are always passing a NULL list to it, which is caused by a faulty push function. You need a return in push, or to pass in a pointer with one more level of indirection, so you can assign to head outside of push. One more possible improvement is to notice that no matter what you pass in, the malloc and initialization of a new node is actually the same.
Finally, the main issue, that is really the most likely to cause a segfault is the fact that you are allocating enough space for a pointer to a node, not for the node itself.
Here is an example:
#ifdef BY_INDIRECTION
#define RET_TYPE void
#define IN_TYPE struct listnode **
#else
#define RET_TYPE struct listnode *
#define IN_TYPE struct listnode *
#endif
RET_TYPE push(IN_TYPE head, struct N *value)
{
struct listnode *current, **next;
if(head)
{
for(current = head; current->next; current = current->next) ;
next = &(current->next);
}
else
{
#ifdef BY_INDIRECTION
next = head;
#else
next = &head;
#endif
}
*next = malloc(sizeof(struct listnode));
if(!*next) {
printf("error");
exit(0);
}
(*next)->val = value;
(*next)->next = NULL;
#ifndef BY_INDIRECTION
return head
#endif
}
I have included both suggestions here. If you want to read the one where we use indirection (pass in a listnode ** and have void return), choose the path where BY_INDIRECTION is defined. If you want to have head returned (and pass in just a regular listnode *) read the path where BY_INDIRECTION is not defined.
The latter approach has a return value, so it can be used to write a shortened form like if(contains(push(head, value), value)) { ... }. The former approach does not, so you would have to do
push(&head, value);
if(contains(head, value)) { ... }
I would recommend using the indirect approach regardless because there are very few instances that you would want to check for containment after putting in a value.
This comparison:
if ((current -> val) == value)
it's comparing pointers. If you call your contains() function this way...
...
struct N val_to_find;
...
result = contains (list, &val_to_find);
You will never find the value, even if the contents of val_to_find are the same as the contents of any struct whose pointer is stored in the list.
If your intention for contains() is to find nodes that have the same data, and not just the same pointers, I'd suggest you something like this:
if (struct_n_comparing_function (current -> val, value) == EQUAL) ...
Where struct_n_comparing_function should have the following prototype:
int struct_n_comparing_function (struct N *a, struct N *b);
which compares the contents of the two structs pointed by a and b and return EQUAL if all the fields of the struct pointed by a have the same value as the fields of struct pointed by b.

doublepointed list C

I wanted to make a list using double pointer and using void as return.
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
typedef struct list{
int value;
struct list *next;
}*list;
void addnode(struct list **List, int number) {
if(*List == NULL) {
*List = (struct list*)malloc(sizeof(struct list*));
(*List)->value = number;
(*List)->next = NULL;
} else {
while((*List)->next != NULL) {
(*List) = (*List)->next;
}
*List = (struct list*)malloc(sizeof(struct list*));
(*List)->value = number;
(*List)->next = NULL;
}
}
int main() {
list List1 = NULL;
addnode(&List1, 20);
printf("%d \n", List1->value);
addnode(&List1, 30);
printf("%d \n", List1->value);
printf("%d \n", List1->next->value);
return 0;
}
The first if in addnode is always executed but i want to append the list if its not empty but it seems like it never work. Ill also get segmenation fault because in the last printf it tries to take the next element in the list but its never initialized like i want.
If everthing worked as i wanted i should have printed out
printf("%d\n", List1->value)
20
printf("%d\n", List1->value)
20
printf("%d\n", List1->next->value)
30
The size you are passing to malloc is wrong.
You are allocating a struct list, not a struct list *.
If you are trying to append a new list item, remember (*List)->next will already be NULL on the second call. The malloc following that uses the pointer before the NULL list item (*List) when it should be assigned to the next list item, the one that is NULL, to make it non-NULL ((*List)->next=malloc(struct list);).
Also, your malloc should be using sizeof(struct list), without the *. If you add the *, you're allocating a struct list **. A rule you can use is use one * fewer than the destination type as the sizeof operand. Since your destination is *List, which is of type struct list *, use sizeof(struct list). Alternatively, because your destination is *List, use sizeof **List (use one more * than the destination variable has). This avoids you needing to know the type. It won't matter if List or *List is NULL because the sizeof operation is executed first; pointer dereferencing never occurs since sizeof works on the type of the variable.
Modify your program like this
int addNode(struct list **List, int number)
{
struct list *new, *tmp; // new = create new node, tmp = navigate to last
new = malloc(sizeof(struct list));
if(!new) { //always validate "malloc"
perror("malloc");
exit(1);
}
new -> value = value; // assigning values to new node
new -> next = NULL;
if(!(*list)) { //Check if list is empty or not, plz initialize *list#main() with NULL as like your program. or write seperate function to initialize
*list = new;
return 0; //no need write else condition, bcoz its the first node. and u can directly return
}
tmp = *list;
while(tmp -> next) // To navigate to last node
tmp = tmp -> next;
tmp -> next = new; //creating link to new node
return 0;
}
It's better to write print function seperatly.
int print(struct list **list)
{
struct *current; //current is your current node position
current = *list;
while(current) { //loop till current node addr == NULL
printf("%d\t", current -> value);
current = current -> next;
}
printf("\n");
return 0;
}

Add an element to a single linked list

typedef struct list
{
struct list * next;
int val;
}*list_t;
list_t add(list_t l,int e)
{
list_t head;
if(l == NULL)
{
l = malloc(sizeof(list_t));
l->val = e;
l->next = NULL;
return l;
}
head = l;
while(l != NULL)
l=l->next;
l = malloc(sizeof(list_t));
l->val = e;
l->next = NULL;
return head;
}
Sample driver:
int main()
{
list_t ints=NULL;
int i;
for(i=0;i<156;i+=2)
ints = add(ints,i);
while(ints->next != NULL)
{
printf("%d\n",ints->val);
ints=ints->next;
}
system("pause");
return 0;
}
Program works, but "add" function rewinds the list so that the body of main's loop is never achieved.It surprised me a lot, because I thought that I'd been passing list as a value! Could you explain this phenomenom?
The problem is not that the add function rewinds the list, is that it's not working at all: Nowhere in your code are you stating that the previous end of the list should link to the newly added element.
I've modified it slightly:
typedef struct list
{
struct list * next;
int val;
} list_t;
list_t *add(list_t *l,int e)
{
list_t *head;
if(l == NULL)
{
l = malloc(sizeof(list_t));
l->val = e;
l->next = NULL;
return l;
}
head = l;
while(l->next != NULL)
l=l->next;
l->next = malloc(sizeof(list_t));
l=l->next;
l->val = e;
l->next = NULL;
return head;
}
int main()
{
list_t *ints=NULL;
int i;
for(i=0;i<156;i+=2)
ints = add(ints,i);
while(ints->next != NULL)
{
printf("%d\n",ints->val);
ints=ints->next;
}
return 0;
}
The code now works as expected.
Remember that l is a local variable in the add function. Any changes made to l will be lost if it's not allowed to leave the scope of the function somehow (like you do when you return it, inside the first if). Changes made to the variable l points to, using either the * or the -> operators, will be effective to whoever has access to that variable.
I recomend that you start reading on debugging techniques. They vary depending on your environment, and can go from cryptic commandline tools like gdb to full-fledged graphical object browsers and such. This way you will be able to see what happens step by step and monitor memory changes and check what's really being stored in your variables.
EDIT: Fixed pointer trouble as commented. Memory allocations now provide for the whole struct variable, and pointers are no longer used implicitly.
Avoid the special cases. The add() function can do only one thing: allocate a list node and assign its pointer value to the first node in the chain that happens to be null. There is no difference between a NULL node at the head of the chain, in the middle, or at the tail. (of course null nodes cannot exist in the middle of the list. They can exist at the head of the list, but then the list would be empty) Find the first NULL and put the fresh node there.
struct list *add(struct list *lp, int e)
{
struct list **pp;
for (pp= &lp; *pp; pp = &(*pp)->next) {;}
*pp = malloc(sizeof **pp);
(*pp)->val = e;
(*pp)->next = NULL;
return lp;
}
l = malloc(sizeof(list_t));
that allocate a pointer to the struct, not the struct itself.
for example, on a 64 bit machine, the malloced size is 8, but it's supposed to be 16.
when you subsequently say
l->val = ..
l->next = ..
only God knows where you are writing to..
Go search some sample code of linked list, and read it through, I mean in the debugger.

Appending two structures

I'm trying to append two structures into one
Ex.
l1 = add(1, add(2, NULL));
l2 = add(3, add(4, NULL));
myappend(l1,l2) = add(1,add(2,add(3,add(4,NULL))))
I tried many other ways that I can think of... but it doesn't work... can anyone help me out?
struct list_node {
struct list_node * rest;
int first;
};
list add(int in, list l) {
list r = malloc(sizeof(struct list_node));
r->first = in;
r->rest = l;
return r;
}
// My attempted solution;
list myappend(list l1,list l2){
list k = malloc(sizeof(struct list_node));
k=l2;
k=add(l1,k);
return k;
}
list myappend(list l1,list l2){
list k = l1;
while (k->rest != NULL)
{
k = k->rest;
}
k->rest = l2;
return l1;
}
Should work for you.
I guess the type list is struct list_node *. If you can define a type for list, you can define a type for list with a last point to the last node of the list, example:
struct list {
struct list_node *first;
struct list_node *last;
}
void myappend(struct list *l1,struct list *l2){
// check the argument here when needed.
l1->last->rest = l2->first;
l1->last = l2->last;
free(l2);
}
If you want to keep the type list as struct list_node *, you should
1) Ensure the last node(of a list)'s rest is NULL.
2) Loop and find the last node of the fist list and do the merge(just link them).
You can also use recursion code:
list __add(struct list_node *first_node, list rest) { // split your list_add()
first_node->rest = rest;
return first_node
}
list add(int in, list l) {
list r = malloc(sizeof(struct list_node));
r->rest = NULL;
r->first = in;
return __add(r, l);
}
list myappend(list l1,list l2){
if (l1)
return __add(l1, myappend(l1->rest, l2));
else
return l2;
}
Your solutions suffers of a number of problems.
Here you create a pointer to a list_node (that you call list)...
list k = malloc(sizeof(struct list_node));
... and then you throw that node away by overwriting that pointer with l2!
k=l2;
Here you pass l1 (a list) instead of an int, as a first argument.
k=add(l1,k);

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