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When to use return in recursive function?

I'm learning the BST recursive construction and found that the insert method does not use return keyword when implementing recursion, but the contains method do use the return key word. Can anybody explain this to me? Many thanks!
static class BST {
public int value;
public BST left;
public BST right;
public BST(int value) {
this.value = value;
}
public BST insert(int value) {
// Write your code here.
// Do not edit the return statement of this method.
if (value < this.value) {
if (left == null) {
BST newBST = new BST(value);
left = newBST;
} else {
left.insert(value);
}
} else {
if (right == null) {
BST newBST = new BST(value);
right = newBST;
} else {
right.insert(value);
}
}
return this;
}
public boolean contains(int value) {
// Write your code here.
if (value < this.value) {
if (left == null) {
return false;
} else {
return left.contains(value);
}
} else if (value > this.value) {
if (right == null) {
return false;
} else {
return right.contains(value);
}
} else{
return true;
}
}

Essentially because insert is not implemented as a function but contains is, meaning that insert just has side effects, it changes the state of BST. Contains is inherently a function - it returns an answer for a given input.
The fact insert returns this at the end is not necessary, it could just as easily have a void return value.
A functional version would return a new BST that is like the original but with the element inserted, and that would require use of the returned value, there would be a bit more complexity there.
(I'm not advocating a functional version here!)

The "insert" function only has a return statement right at the end, because all it has to return is "this", rather than being dependent on outside factors and the execution of the function.
So, short version: You use "return" when you need to, and you do not use "return" when you do not need to.

By using this BST insertion method I have only root as output,why?

I am trying to insert in a binary search tree using recursion and then print it preorderly using this specific code, but I have only root as output,why?Is this because each time stack(after each call) is popping off thus removing new nodes?(This is a java code)
class node{
int data;
node left;
node right;
node(int key){
data = key;
left = right = null;
}
}
class bst{
node root;
node temp;
node last;
bst(){
root = null;
}
bst(int key){
root = new node(key);
}
void Insert(node r,int value){
temp = r;
if(temp == null){
if(root == null){
root = new node(value);
root.data = value;
return;
}
temp = new node(value);
temp.data = value;
return;
}
else{
if(value > temp.data){
Insert(temp.right,value);
return;
}
else{
Insert(temp.left,value);
return;
}
}
}
}
class test{
static void in_order(node root){
if(root == null){
return;
}
in_order(root.left);
System.out.println(root.data+" ");
in_order(root.right);
}
public static void main(String[] args){
bst tree = new bst();
tree.Insert(tree.root,45);
tree.Insert(tree.root,39);
tree.Insert(tree.root,12);
tree.Insert(tree.root,59);
test.in_order(tree.root);
}
}

The reason you are only getting a single integer for an output is because the first Insert call correctly adds the element to the tree, but subsequent calls fail because you overwrite the data member temp to null when you recursively insert to the left or right. Thus the second branch of your first if statement never gets executed.
You don't actually need the variable temp here. A common convention is to have a private, recursive member function that takes the root of the tree as a parameter returns the modified tree, and assign the return value to root in a public member function.
public void Insert(int value) {
root = Insert(root, value);
}
private node Insert(node r, int value) {
if (r == null) {
r = new node(value);
}
else if (value > r.data) {
r.right = Insert(r.right, value);
}
else {
r.left = Insert(r.left, value);
}
return r;
}
This means that you only have to call it like tree.Insert(x).

Unusual Java implementation of red/black tree node insertion

I'm writing a program for class in Java regarding red/black trees. I've got a good understanding of how they usually work, and am supposed to use a recursive insertion method. What I would typically use is below, to match my professor's Node class. In regards to color, a 0 is black, a 1 is red. The Node class given to us does not deal with keys at all.
private static void put(int val, int col)
{ root = put(root, val, col); }
private static Node put(Node n, Integer val, int col)
{
if (n == null){
Node t=new Node(val);
t.setColor(1);
return t;
}
int cmp = val.compareTo(n.getValue());
if (cmp < 0) n.setLeft(put(n.getLeft(), val, col));
else if (cmp > 0) n.setRight(put(n.getRight(), val, col));
else n.setColor(col);
if (isRed(n.getRight()) && !isRed(n.getLeft())) n = rotateLeft(n);
if (isRed(n.getLeft()) && isRed(n.getLeft().getLeft())) n = rotateRight(n);
if (isRed(n.getLeft()) && isRed(n.getRight())) flipColors(n);
return n;
}
However, the catch is that we are supposed to return a boolean value--if the user inserts a duplicate value as is already on the tree, we return false and don't attach the node. Otherwise, we attach them and return true; the code given to us for this is below, but is not recursive (part of the project requirements). And while I hadn't implemented a way of balancing or rotating properly, the returned boolean part works.
public boolean insertNode(Node node) {
//Here is just an example of setting colors for a node. So far, it is in green color. But you need to modify the code to dynamically adjust the color to
//either RED or BLACK according to the red-black logic
Node current_node;
// if the root exists
if (root == null) {
root = node; // let the root point to the current node
root.setColor(Node.BLACK);
return true;
} else {
current_node = root;
node.setColor(1);
while (current_node != null) {
int value = current_node.getValue();
if (node.getValue() < value){ // go to the left sub-tree
if (current_node.getLeft() != null) // if the left node is not empty
current_node = current_node.getLeft();
else{ // put node as the left child of current_node
current_node.setLeft(node);
node.setParent(current_node);
current_node = null; }
//System.out.println("Left:"+current_node);
}
else if (node.getValue() > value){ // go to the right
if (current_node.getRight() != null) // if the right node is not empty
current_node = current_node.getRight();
else{ // put node as the right child of current_node
current_node.setRight(node);
node.setParent(current_node);
current_node = null; }
//System.out.println("Right: "+current_node);
}
else{
//System.out.println("Else: "+current_node);
return false; }
//if(current_node!=null&&current_node.getLeft()!=null&&current_node.getRight()!=null&&current_node.getLeft().isRed()&&current_node.getRight().isRed())
// flipColors(node);
}
}
if(node.getParent()!=null){
node=node.getParent();
System.out.println("Case: node has parent, val="+node.getValue());
}
if(node.getLeft()!=null&&node.getRight()!=null){
if((node.getRight().isRed())&&!node.getLeft().isRed())
node=rotateLeft(node);
if((node.getLeft().isRed())&&(node.getParent()!=null)&&(node.getParent().getLeft().getLeft()!=null)&&(node.getParent().getLeft().getLeft().isRed()))
node=rotateRight(node);
if((node.getLeft().isRed()) && (node.getRight().isRed()))
flipColors(node);
}
return true;
}
I wasn't able to find any comparable implementations online, and it seems that the boolean is necessary for the program's gui to work properly. If someone has a good suggestion for where to start, I would appreciate it!

For the recursive insertNode, I would suggest you the following: Create a function insertNode(Node node, Node current_node) which returns a boolean value. The idea is to always call the function insertNode for the currently investigated node, starting from the root node. If the node cannot be immediately added to current_node, the responsible node is called recursively to handle the node. I have provided you a short example based on your code (with some comments what the basic idea is, there is obviously some stuff missing). I hope, I got your question correctly and this helps you with your understanding.
public boolean insertNode(Node node) {
if (root == null) {
root = node;
root.setColor(Node.BLACK);
return true;
} else {
boolean result = insertNode(node, root);
if (result) {
//Some other important stuff to do...
}
return result;
}
}
public boolean insertNode(Node node, Node current_node) {
int value = current_node.getValue();
if (node.getValue() < value) {
if (current_node.getLeft() != null) {
// Investigate left
return insertNode(node, current_node.getLeft());
} else {
// Insert node left
return true;
}
} else if (node.getValue() > value) {
if (current_node.getRight() != null) {
// Investigate right
return insertNode(node, current_node.getRight());
} else {
// Insert node right
return true;
}
} else {
return false;
}
}

I now have the working functions, as below:
public boolean insertNode(Node node) {
if(root==null){
root=node;
root.setColor(Node.BLACK);
return true;
}
else
node.setColor(Node.RED);
return insertNode(node, root);
}
public boolean insertNode(Node node, Node cur){
if(node.getValue()<cur.getValue()){
if(cur.getLeft()!=null)
return insertNode(node, cur.getLeft());
else{
cur.setLeft(node);
node.setParent(cur);
handleInsertion(node);
return true; } }
else if(node.getValue()>cur.getValue()){
if(cur.getRight()!=null)
return insertNode(node, cur.getRight());
else{
cur.setRight(node);
node.setParent(cur);
handleInsertion(node);
return true; } }
else
return false;
}

Java pass by value with recursion

The following is a simple implementation of Binary search tree using java. However, the code always outputs "BST empty!!" despite inserting elements. Where am I going wrong? I suspect I'm going wrong with recursion. Any help is greatly appreciated.
public class BinarySearchTree {
NODE root;
BinarySearchTree(){
root = null;
}
void insert(NODE nodeptr,int key){
if(root == null){
nodeptr = new NODE(key);
return;
}
if(nodeptr == null){
nodeptr = new NODE(key);
return;
}
if(key <= nodeptr.data){
insert(nodeptr.left,key);
}
else{
insert(nodeptr.right,key);
}
}
void inorder(NODE nodeptr){
if(nodeptr == null){
System.out.println("BST empty!!");
return;
}
inorder(nodeptr.left);
System.out.println(nodeptr.data + " ");
inorder(nodeptr.right);
}
/*driver program*/
public static void main(String args[]){
int[] a = {20,30,40,24,39};
BinarySearchTree bst = new BinarySearchTree();
for (int i: a){
bst.insert(bst.root,i);
}
bst.inorder(bst.root);
}
}
class NODE{
int data;
NODE left,right;
NODE(int data){
this.data = data;
left = null;
right = null;
}
}

Your insert method never assigns value to the root, so it remains null.
If I understand your code, your insert should look like this :
void insert(NODE nodeptr,int key){
if(root == null){
root = new NODE(key);
return;
}
if(nodeptr == null){
insert (root, key);
return;
}
if(key <= nodeptr.data){
if (nodeptr.left != null)
insert(nodeptr.left,key);
else
nodeptr.left = new NODE(key);
}
else{
if (nodeptr.right != null)
insert(nodeptr.right,key);
else
nodeptr.right = new NODE(key);
}
}
If the root is null, ignore the passed nodeptr and put key at the root of the tree.
If nodeptr is null, try to insert the new key starting at the root of the tree.
otherwise, once you find a null nodeptr.left or nodeptr.right, you must put the new key there, because if you make another recursive call, you would be passing a null Node to it, and the recursion would never end.

Expanding from Erans answer you could change it to:
public void insert(int key){
if(root == null){
root = new NODE(key);
return;
}
insert(root,key)
}
private void insert(NODE nodeptr,int key){
if(key <= nodeptr.data){
if(nodeptr.left == null){
nodeptr.left = new NODE(key)
}
else {
insert(nodeptr.left,key);
}
}
else{
if(nodeptr.right == null){
nodeptr.right = new NODE(key)
}
else {
insert(nodeptr.right,key);
}
}
}
Edit: As he has added his own code now its just a matter of what style you like better. A single method or two methods from which the public one has only one parameter.

I wanted my insert method something like this. Got it to working finally. Thank you all for your precious time.
NODE insert(NODE nodeptr,int key){
if(nodeptr == null){
nodeptr = new NODE(key);
}
else if(key <= nodeptr.data){
nodeptr.left = insert(nodeptr.left,key);
}
else{
nodeptr.right = insert(nodeptr.right,key);
}
return nodeptr;
}
I would call insert method from main something like this:
bst.root = bst.insert(bst.root,i);

Recursive Binary Search Tree Insert

So this is my first java program, but I've done c++ for a few years. I wrote what I think should work, but in fact it does not. So I had a stipulation of having to write a method for this call:
tree.insertNode(value);
where value is an int.
I wanted to write it recursively, for obvious reasons, so I had to do a work around:
public void insertNode(int key) {
Node temp = new Node(key);
if(root == null) root = temp;
else insertNode(temp);
}
public void insertNode(Node temp) {
if(root == null)
root = temp;
else if(temp.getKey() <= root.getKey())
insertNode(root.getLeft());
else insertNode(root.getRight());
}
Thanks for any advice.

// In java it is little trickier as objects are passed by copy.
// PF my answer below.
// public calling method
public void insertNode(int key) {
root = insertNode(root, new Node(key));
}
// private recursive call
private Node insertNode(Node currentParent, Node newNode) {
if (currentParent == null) {
return newNode;
} else if (newNode.key > currentParent.key) {
currentParent.right = insertNode(currentParent.right, newNode);
} else if (newNode.key < currentParent.key) {
currentParent.left = insertNode(currentParent.left, newNode);
}
return currentParent;
}
Sameer Sukumaran

The code looks a little confusing with overloaded functions. Assuming member variables 'left' and 'right' to be the left child and right child of the BSTree respectively, you can try implementing it in the following way:
public void insert(Node node, int value) {
if (value < node.value)
{
if (node.left != null)
{
insert(node.left, value);
}
else
{
node.left = new Node(value);
}
}
else if (value > node.value)
{
if (node.right != null)
{
insert(node.right, value);
}
else
{
node.right = new Node(value);
}
}
}
........
public static void main(String [] args)
{
BSTree bt = new BSTree();
Node root = new Node(100);
bt.insert(root, 50);
bt.insert(root, 150);
}

You should have a look to this article. It helps to implement a tree structure and search, insert methods:
http://quiz.geeksforgeeks.org/binary-search-tree-set-1-search-and-insertion/
// This method mainly calls insertRec()
void insert(int key) {
root = insertRec(root, key);
}
/* A recursive function to insert a new key in BST */
Node insertRec(Node root, int key) {
/* If the tree is empty, return a new node */
if (root == null) {
root = new Node(key);
return root;
}
/* Otherwise, recur down the tree */
if (key < root.key)
root.left = insertRec(root.left, key);
else if (key > root.key)
root.right = insertRec(root.right, key);
/* return the (unchanged) node pointer */
return root;
}

You can use standard Integer (wrapper for primitive int) object instead of creating a new object type Node. On latest java Integer/int auto-boxing is supported. Hence your method insertNode(int key) can take in Integer argument too (ensure it is not null).
EDIT: Pls ignore above comment. I did not understand your real question. You will have to overload insertNode(). I think you are right.

but where is temp when you insertNode?? With your current implementation temp is lost if root is not null.
I think you want something like
root.getLeft().insertNode(temp);
and
root.getRight().insertNode(temp);
i.e. To insert the new Node (temp) to either the left or the right subtree.