Hello friends,
I need to implement 2 functions in the best way:
1) linked list inversion
2) finding loops in linked list

Thanks in advance for any examples
Leonid

Leonidg,

I think you need to be more specific. What kinds of examples are you looking for? Which language? What are the functions doing?

Birgi

Birgi,
I am sorry, You are right.
I need a simple c/c++ examples, say You have a class or struct with integer value and pointer to next. I want to see the best way for inverting the list and finding loop in list. To be more specific, the first function should get a list and return the list inverted, the second should get a list and return node where the loop starts.
Thanks

Leonidg,

For the first function check the following out, it should work. But it only gets one parameter and it is the integer pointer that is pointing to the head of the list.

void invertList(int* head){
if (head->next != null){ // because if there is only one element in the list you won't do anything.
int* prev = head;
head = head->next;
prev->next = null; // first element of the list is a special case.

while(head->next != null){ // after dealing with the first , for other elements same process
int* temp = head->next;
head->next = prev;
prev = head;
head = temp;
}
head->next = prev; // for the last connection which cannot be done in the loop
}
}

And I could not understand what you mean by loop for the second function...

Birgi

Birgi,
Thanks a lot, I have solved the problem with You. My solution is:
next=0;
while(first != 0){
actual = first;
first=first->next;
actual->next=next;
next=actual;
}
Let me give You an examaple for the second problem.
Say, we have 5 instances with number names: 1,2,3,4,5
Example for a list is: 1->2->3
example for a list with loop is: 1->2->3->4->2->3->4->2...
Do You see what I mean? The loop starts at node 2, so I need to return the second node.
Thank a lot,
Leonid

My idea is to make 2 "for" loops,
first runs on the list from first node till null (end), while remembering the node place (by number), the second internal "for" loop runs from first node till current, and if it finds the node during less checks than it's place, than it is the start of the loop.
But I wonder if it is possible to do it using one loop.
Thanks

Leonidg,

Will you have any information about the loop at the beginning? I mean, the number of elements of it or such?

Birgi

Birgi,
No, there is no information.
Probably, my solution is the only one, it just seems too simple to be asked in hard tests. I mean, when I get a question to implement that function in the best way, I have a feeling that there should be a trick and not the only simple way as I hve solved