Develop Reference

Determine the Object (book) that appears first alphabetically

I was tasked with creating my own linked list class, using a book class i made. One of the questions was to Determine the book that appears first alphabetically.
i was able to sort the Linked list alphabetically using bubble sort(i know its not efficient but im still new) here is the code.
public void alphaBubbleSort() {
int size = size();
if (size > 1) {
boolean wasChanged;
do {
Node current = head;
Node previous = null;
Node next = head.next;
wasChanged = false;
while (next != null) {
if (current.book.getName().compareToIgnoreCase(next.book.getName()) > 0) {
wasChanged = true;
if (previous != null) {
Node sig = next.next;
previous.next = next;
next.next = current;
current.next = sig;
} else {
Node temp = next.next;
head = next;
next.next = current;
current.next = temp;
}
previous = next;
next = current.next;
} else {
previous = current;
current = next;
next = next.next;
}
}
} while (wasChanged);
}
}
my problem is i only want the front node and i do not want to alter the linked list order. i tried to do this in my main.
Linky tempLinky = new Linky(); // create temp linked list
tempLinky = linky; // copy temp main linked list to temp
tempLinky.alphaBubbleSort(); // sort temp list
System.out.println(tempLinky.peek());// return object in first node
This did not seem to work. Ive tried some other code that does not work, so ive come here as a last resort.

If you need to find the first book alphabetically, there's no need to sort the entire list (and, as you commented, you don't want to alter the list's order anyway).
Instead, you could iterate over the list and keep the "first" object as you go:
public Book getFirstAlphabetically() {
Node current = head;
Book retVal = head.book;
while (current != null) {
if (current.book.getName().compareToIgnoreCase(retVal.getName()) < 0) {
retVal = current.book;
}
current = current.next;
}
return retVal;
}

Here's an example:
import java.util.Random;
class Book {
String title;
Book(String title){this.title = title;}
}
class Node {
Book b; Node next;
Node(Book b){this.b = b;}
}
public class Main {
static Book least(Node head){
if (head == null) return null;
Book least = head.b;
for(Node n=head.next; n.next!=null; n=n.next)
least = least.title.compareTo(n.b.title) > 0 ? n.b : least;
return least;
}
static void print(Node head){
for(Node n=head; n.next!=null; n=n.next)
System.out.println(n.b.title);
}
static String randString(){
Random r = new Random();
int len = r.nextInt(20)+1;
char[] chars = new char[len];
for(int i=0; i<chars.length; i++)
chars[i]= (char) (r.nextInt(26)+97);
return new String(chars);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Node head = new Node(new Book(randString()));
Node next = head;
for(int i = 0; i<20; i++)
next = next.next = new Node(new Book(randString()));
print(head);
System.out.println("==========");
System.out.println(least(head).title);
}
}

Linked list is only displaying the head node, not sure why

I am doing a linked list project for my class at school. Essentially we are supposed to make a linked list from scratch, and have add, delete, and find commands. No matter how hard I've been trying I cannot seem to get the list to display anything other than the head node. here are my classes starting from node
public class main {
public static void main(String args[]) {
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
LinkedList list = new LinkedList();
Node focus = new Node();
String start;
start = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Enter 'A' to add an item"
+ "\n" + "Enter 'D' to delete an item\nEnter 'F' to find an item.");
if (start.equals("a") || start.equals("A")) {
focus.data = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("enter an item to ADD");
list.Add(focus);
while (focus != null) {
focus = list.head;
focus = focus.next;
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "your list is\n" + focus.getData());
}
}
}
}
}
public class Node {
String data;
Node next;
Node prev;
public Node(String data, Node next) {
this.data = data;
this.next = next;
}
Node() {
}
public void setData(String data) {
this.data = data;
}
public String getData() {
return this.data;
}
public void setNext(Node next) {//setnext
this.next = next;
}
public Node getNext() {
return next;
}
}
public class LinkedList extends Node {
Node head;
int listcount = 0;
public LinkedList() {
this.prev = null;
this.next = null;
this.listcount = 0;
}
LinkedList(Node Set) {
}
public void Add(Node n) {
Node current = this.prev;
if (current != null) {
current = this.prev;
this.prev = new Node();
} else {
head = this.prev = new Node();
current = head;
}
listcount++;
}
}
I think my biggest problem is the "your list is" part. I can't seem to get it to display anything other than the head node. I would really appreciate the help, as this has been giving me a huge headache. :)

First of all, why does your LinkedList extends the Node class? It's a linked list not a node. There's nothing coming before and after the linked list. So the linked list has no prev and next. All the elements are added in the list and the elements are inserted after the head node. The head of the node has a prev and a next. In the Add method, if the head of the list is null (i.e, the list is empty), the new element becomes the head of the list. Otherwise, the new node is inserted after the head.
public class LinkedList {
Node head;
int listcount = 0;
public LinkedList() {
this.head = null;
this.listcount = 0;
}
public void Add(Node n) {
Node current = this.head;
if (current == null) {
head = n;
} else {
Node prev = null;
while (current != null) {
prev = current;
current = current.next;
}
prev.next = n;
}
listcount++;
}
public String toString() {
StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
Node current = this.head;
while (current != null) {
builder.append(current.data).append(", ");
current = current.next;
}
return builder.toString();
}
}
I added a toString method which loops over the list and builds a string with the content from each node.
In the main method there are a few problems. The linked list is initialised only once not every time you select a choice. If you initialise the linked list every time you select something, then the linked list will always be reinitialised and the only node that will contain will be the head node after you add the new element.
public class main {
public static void main(String args[]) {
String start;
boolean finished=false;
LinkedList list = new LinkedList();
while(!finished) {
start = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Enter 'A' to add an item"
+ "\n" + "Enter 'D' to delete an item\nEnter 'F' to find an item.");
if (start.equals("a") || start.equals("A")) {
Node focus = new Node();
focus.data = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("enter an item to ADD");
list.Add(focus);
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "your list is\n" + list.toString());
}
else {
finished = true;
}
}
}
}
Try to go over the code and understand what is happening and why. Also use pencil and paper to understand the logic.

How to get a singly linked list to sort hex numbers

Hi I have this code which will sort a list of strings in order, I can also sort a array into ascending too as there are plenty of tutorials to help me. The problem I have is to sort numbers with letters attached. Is this possible? Here's what I have so far.
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class LinkedList2 {
public static class Node {
public String value;
public Node next;
}
static File dataInpt;
static Scanner inFile;
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
inFile = new Scanner("20\r\n" + "38\r\n" + "5c\r\n" + "2b\r\n" + "54\r\n" + "63\r\n" + "53\r\n" + "43\r\n" + "40\r\n"
+ "14\r\n" + "2a\r\n" + "42\r\n" + "63\r\n" + "63\r\n" + "5c\r\n" + "4c\r\n");
Node first = insertInOrder();
printList(first);
}
public static Node getNode(String element) {
Node temp = new Node();
temp.value = element;
temp.next = null;
return temp;
}
public static void printList(Node head) {
Node ptr; // not pointing anywhere
for (ptr = head; ptr != null; ptr = ptr.next) {
System.out.println(ptr.value);
}
System.out.println();
}
public static Node insertInOrder() {
Node current = getNode(inFile.next());
Node first = current, last = current;
while (inFile.hasNext()) {
if (first != null && current.value.compareTo(first.value) < 0) {
current.next = first;
first = current;
} else if (last != null && current.value.compareTo(last.value) > 0) {
last.next = current;
last = current;
} else {
Node temp = first;
while (current.value.compareTo(temp.value) < 0) {
temp = temp.next;
}
current.next = temp.next;
temp.next = current;
}
current = getNode(inFile.next());
}
return first;
}
}

It is possible to sort any kind of Comparable elements.
If you are using a String as value it will be sorted using the natural order of strings. If you need a different comparison policy you need to write your Comparator and use it to compare the values instead of compare them directly
public static Node insertInOrder(Comparator<String> comparator) {
Node current = getNode(inFile.next());
Node first = current, last = current;
while (inFile.hasNext()) {
if (first != null && comparator.compare(current.value, first.value) < 0) {
current.next = first;
first = current;
} else if (last != null && comparator.compare(current.value, last.value) > 0) {
last.next = current;
last = current;
} else {
Node temp = first;
while (comparator.compare(current.value, temp.value) < 0){
temp = temp.next;
}
current.next = temp.next;
temp.next = current;
}
current = getNode(inFile.next());
}
return first;
}

I think, you need to store an additional data int data item corresponding to String value using below method of Integer class,
public static int parseInt(String s,int radix) throws NumberFormatException
where radix=16. Then you can sort it as normal integer ( base 10 ).
You need to change your Node class to have int in place of String
public static class Node {
public int value;
public Node next;
}
then in your getNode(String element) method , you perform HEX String to int conversion,
public static Node getNode(String element) {
Node temp = new Node();
try{
temp.value = Integer.parseInt(element,16);
}catch(NumberFormatException ex){
ex.printStackTrace();
}
temp.next = null;
return temp;
}
Now you edit your insertInOrder() method to do comparison as simple integers , > , < , == etc instead of value.compareTo

How to insert a node arbitrary in a liked list?

I'm about to implement a function that is able to insert a node in a linked list arbitrary . The Code below works properly for inserting a node at the first of the list but for putting a node after another node it doesn't work . I honestly can't figure out that what's the matter with this code. Also when I'm tracing the code I can't find out my mistake.please don't ban me and help me solve this matter . Thanks in advance.
Class Node Comes :
public class Node {
Object Element;
Node Link;
public Node() {
this(null,null);
}
public Node(Object Element, Node Link) {
this.Element = Element;
this.Link = Link;
}
}
Class List :
public class List {
Node FirstNode;
Scanner UserInfo = new Scanner(System.in);
Scanner UserInput = new Scanner(System.in);
public List() {
FirstNode = null;
}
public void InsertArbitrary() {
int Location = UserInput.nextInt(); // Location of new node
if (Location == 1) {
Object Element = UserInfo.nextLine();
FirstNode = new Node(Element, FirstNode); // locates a New Node At First
} else {
Object Element = UserInfo.nextLine(); // Content of new node
Node CurrentNode ; // for searching in the list
CurrentNode = FirstNode;
for (int i = 1; i <= Location - 1; i++)
CurrentNode = CurrentNode.Link;
Node NewNode = new Node (Element , CurrentNode);
}
}
}

Once you've iterated to the location for insertion, you properly create a new node and assign it's link to the next element. But what you're not doing is updating the previous link to POINT TO your new node, so the tail of your list is not longer reachable from the head node.
You must do something like this (untested):
Node FirstNode;
int Length = 0;
public List() {
FirstNode = null;
}
public void InsertArbitrary(int Location, Object Element) {
if (Location == 1 || Length == 0) {
FirstNode = new Node(Element, FirstNode); // locates a New Node At First
Length++;
} else {
Node CurrentNode ; // for searching in the list
CurrentNode = FirstNode;
for (int i = 1; i <= Location - 2 && i < Length; i++)
CurrentNode = CurrentNode.Link;
Node NewNode = new Node (Element , CurrentNode.Link);
CurrentNode.Link = NewNode;
Length++;
}
}

The problem is you're not updating the reference to the next node.
Without giving you the code (because this is homework), given you want to insert a new node X after A, in pseudo code:
x.next = a.next
a.next = x
So the chain fragment changes from a -> b to a -> x -> b

Java Linked List Sorting

So the app reads from an external file a bunch of strings, each on a separate line.
For example:
and
cake
here
It is not arranged in any particular order. I need to read these letters and put them into linked list and finally sort them.
I need help on doing that:
Here is the current code:
import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;
public class LinkedList
{
static File dataInpt;
static Scanner inFile;
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
{
dataInpt=new File("C:\\lldata.txt");
inFile=new Scanner(dataInpt);
Node first = insertInOrder();
printList(first);
}
public static Node getNode(Object element)
{
Node temp=new Node();
temp.value=element;
temp.next=null;
return temp;
}
public static void printList(Node head)
{
Node ptr; //not pointing anywhere
for(ptr=head;ptr!=null;ptr=ptr.next)
System.out.println(ptr.value);
System.out.println();
}
public static Node insertInOrder()
{
Node first=getNode(inFile.next());
Node current=first,previous=null;
Node last=first;
int count=0;
while (inFile.hasNext())
{
if (previous!=null
&& ((String)current.value).compareTo((String)previous.value) > 0)
{
last.next=previous;
previous=last;
}
if (previous!=null
&& ((String)current.value).compareTo((String)previous.value) < 0)
{
current.next=last;
last=current;
}
previous=current;
current=getNode(inFile.next());
}
return last;
}
}
But that gives an infinite loop with "Cat".
Here is the data file:
Lol
Cake
Gel
Hi
Gee
Age
Rage
Tim
Where
And
Kite
Jam
Nickel
Cat
Ran
Jug
Here

Okay, self-study. Split the reading and inserting. Though old and new code both have 14 lines of code,
it makes it more intelligable.
public static Node insertInOrder() {
Node first = null;
while (inFile.hasNext()) {
String value = inFile.next().toString();
first = insert(first, value);
}
return first;
}
/**
* Insert in a sub-list, yielding a changed sub-list.
* #param node the sub-list.
* #param value
* #return the new sub-list (the head node might have been changed).
*/
private static Node insert(Node node, String value) {
if (node == null) { // End of list
return getNode(value);
}
int comparison = node.value.compareTo(value);
if (comparison >= 0) { // Or > 0 for stable sort.
Node newNode = getNode(value); // Insert in front.
newNode.next = node;
return newNode;
}
node.next = insert(node.next, value); // Insert in the rest.
return node;
}
This uses recursion (nested "rerunning"), calling insert inside insert. This works like a loop, or work delegation to a clone, or like a mathematical inductive proof.
Iterative alternative
also simplified a bit.
private static void Node insert(Node list, String value) {
Node node = list;
Node previous = null;
for (;;) {
if (node == null || node.value.compareTo(value) >= 0) {
Node newNode = getNode(value);
newNode.next = node;
if (previous == null)
list = newNode;
else
previous.next = newNode;
break;
}
// Insert in the rest:
previous = node;
node = node.next;
}
return list;
}

public static Node insertInOrder()
{
Node first=getNode(inFile.next());
Node current=first,previous=null;
Node last=first;
int count=0;
while (inFile.hasNext())
{
if (previous!=null
&& ((String)current.value).compareTo((String)previous.value) > 0)
{
last.next=previous;
previous=last;
}
if (previous!=null
&& ((String)current.value).compareTo((String)previous.value) < 0)
{
current.next=last;
last=current;
}
previous=current;
current=getNode(inFile.next());
}
return last;
}
First of all, you never do anything with the last line read from the file, so that's not ever inserted. You have to read the line and create the new Node before relinking next pointers.
Then, if last and previous refer to the same Node and the data of current is larger than that of previous,
if (previous!=null
&& ((String)current.value).compareTo((String)previous.value) > 0)
{
last.next=previous;
previous=last;
}
You set last.next = last, breaking the list. From the code (in particular the absence of a sort(Node) function), it seems as though you want to sort the list as it is created. But you only ever compare each new Node with one other, so that doesn't maintain order.
For each new node, you have to find the node after which it has to be inserted, scanning from the front of the list, and modify current.next and the predecessor's next.

In relatively simple code like that in your question, a good exercise to understanding it is to work through a few interations of your loop, inspecting the values of all your local variable to see the effect of your code. You can even do it by hand if the code is simple. If it is too difficult to do by hand, your code is probably too complicated. If you can't follow it, how can you know if you are doing what you intend. For example, I could be wrong, but this appears the be the state at the top of each iteration of the loop. It starts falling apart on the third time through, and by the fourth you have a severe problem as your list becomes disjointed.
1)last = first = Lol, current = previous = null
Lol->null
2)last = first = previous = Lol, current = Cake
Lol->Lol
3)first = Lol, last = Cake, previous = Cake, current = Gel
Cake->Lol->Lol
4)first = Lol, last = Cake, previous = Cake, current = Hi
Cake->Gel, Lol->Lol

Quite honestly, if I were running the course, I would consider the correct answer to be:
List<String> list = new LinkedList<String>();
// read in lines and: list.add(word);
Collections.sort(list);

Ok, I don't remember exactly school theory about insertion sort, but here is somehow a mix of what I think it is and your code:
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class LinkedList {
public static class Node {
public String value;
public Node next;
}
static File dataInpt;
static Scanner inFile;
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
inFile = new Scanner("Lol\r\n" + "Cake\r\n" + "Gel\r\n" + "Hi\r\n" + "Gee\r\n" + "Age\r\n" + "Rage\r\n" + "Tim\r\n" + "Where\r\n"
+ "And\r\n" + "Kite\r\n" + "Jam\r\n" + "Nickel\r\n" + "Cat\r\n" + "Ran\r\n" + "Jug\r\n" + "Here");
Node first = insertInOrder();
printList(first);
}
public static Node getNode(String element) {
Node temp = new Node();
temp.value = element;
temp.next = null;
return temp;
}
public static void printList(Node head) {
Node ptr; // not pointing anywhere
for (ptr = head; ptr != null; ptr = ptr.next) {
System.out.println(ptr.value);
}
System.out.println();
}
public static Node insertInOrder() {
Node current = getNode(inFile.next());
Node first = current, last = current;
while (inFile.hasNext()) {
if (first != null && current.value.compareTo(first.value) < 0) {
current.next = first;
first = current;
} else if (last != null && current.value.compareTo(last.value) > 0) {
last.next = current;
last = current;
} else {
Node temp = first;
while (current.value.compareTo(temp.value) < 0) {
temp = temp.next;
}
current.next = temp.next;
temp.next = current;
}
current = getNode(inFile.next());
}
return first;
}
}
And it works like a charm. Of course this far from optimal, both in terms of performance and code reuse.