Basically I'm trying to adapt the quicksort algo for array based lists
for linked list as shown on a text book. This is only for learning the principles than practically effective sorting.
I have struggled to get this code to work, but stil seems to break on a few test cases. Cant figure out why? Its not elegant at all; perhaps someone can point out how to improve and get it to work please !!

heres my code:

//Sorting using quicksort sorting algorithm
void linkedListType::quicksort(nodeType* &start, nodeType* &end)
{
     //Pointers to help traverse the list
     nodeType *current;
     nodeType *trailCurrent;
     nodeType *mid;
     nodeType *smallIndex;
     nodeType *trailSmall;
     nodeType *index;
     int temp;
     int pivot;
     
     if(start == NULL || start == end)//Empty or one element list
        return;
     //Locate the middle element - i.e pivot
     else {
            mid = start;
            trailCurrent = start;
            current = start->link;
            if(current != end->link)
            {
               trailCurrent = current;
               current = current->link;
             }
            while(current != end->link)
            {
               trailCurrent = current;
               current = current->link;
               mid = mid->link;
               if(current != end->link)
                 { trailCurrent = current;
                   current = current->link;
                 }
            }
          
          }
     //Swap pivot element with first element
     temp = start->info;
     start->info = mid->info;
     mid->info = temp;
     pivot = first->info;
     //partition list with left sublist < pivot
     //and right sublist > pivot
     smallIndex = start;
     trailSmall = start;
     index = start->link;
     do
     {
       if(index->info < pivot)
       {
         trailSmall = smallIndex;
         smallIndex = smallIndex->link;
         temp = smallIndex->info;
         smallIndex->info = index->info;
         index->info = temp;
         index = index->link;
       }
       else
         index = index->link;
       }while(index != end->link);
    
    temp = smallIndex->info;
    smallIndex->info = start->info;
    start->info = temp;
    quicksort(start, trailSmall);
    quicksort(smallIndex->link, trailCurrent);
    return;
    
}

int main(){
    
    linkedListType myList;
    cout<<"Enter any number of integers:";
    int num;
    cin>>num;    
    while(cin && !(num == 99))
      {
         myList.insertLast(num);
         cin>>num;
      }
         cout<<"This list has "<<myList.length()<<" elements"<<endl;
         cout<<"first node is "<<myList.front()<<endl;
         cout<<"last node is "<<myList.back()<<endl;
         cout<<"This list contains the elements:"<<endl<<"["<<myList<<"]"<<endl;
         myList.quicksort(myList.first, myList.last);
         cout<<endl;
         cout<<"After sorting with quicksort, now myList is :"<<endl;
         cout<<"["<<myList<<"]"<<endl;
         system("pause");
         return 0;
}

And the linkedListType header file:

#ifndef H_LinkedListType
#define H_LinkedListType
 
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

struct nodeType{
   int info;
   nodeType* link;
};

class linkedListType{
   friend ostream& operator<<(ostream&, const linkedListType&);
       //Overload the stream insertion operator.
   
   public:
          const linkedListType& operator=(const linkedListType&);
              //Overload the assignment operator
          void initializeList();
             //Function to initialise list to an empty state.
             //Postcondition: first=NULL; last=NULL; count=0.
          bool isEmptyList();
             //Function to determine whether the list is empty.
             //Postcondition: Returns true is the list is empty
             //               otherwise returns false.
          int length();
             //Function to return the number of nodes in the list
             //Postcondition: The value of count is returned.
          void destroyList();
             //Function to delete all the nodes from the list.
             //Postcondition: first=NULL; last=NULL; count=0.
          int front();
             //Function to return the first element of the list.
             //Precondition: The list must exist and must not be empty.
             //Postcondition: If the list is empty, the program terminates;
             //otherwise, the first element of  the list is returned
          int back();
             //Function to return the last element of the list.
             //Precondition: The list must exist and must not be empty.
             //Postcondition: If the list is empty, then the program
             //               terminates; otherwise, the last element of
             //               the list is returned.
          bool search(const int& searchItem);
             //Function to determine whether the searchItem is in the list
             //Postcondition: Returns true if searchItem is found in the list;
             //               otherwise returns false.
          void insertFirst(const int& newItem);
             //Function to insert newItem in the list.
             //Postcondition: first points to the new list, newItem
             //               is inserted at the beginning of the list,
             //               last points to the last node and count
             //               is incremented by 1.
          void insertLast(const int& newItem);
             //Function to insert newItem at the end of the list.
             //Postcondition: first ponts to the new list, newItem
             //               is inserted at the end of the list,
             //               last points to the last node in the list,
             //               and count is incremented by 1.
          void deleteNode(const int& deleteItem);
             //Function to delete deleteItem from the list
             //Postcondition: If found, the node containing deleteItem
             //               is deleted from the list, first points to
             //               the first node, last points to the last node
             //               of the updated list, and count is decremeneted
             //               by 1.
          linkedListType();
             //Default constructor.
             //Initilises the list to an empty state.
             //Postcontion: first=NULL; last=NULL; count=0.
          linkedListType(const linkedListType& otherList);
             //copy constructor
          ~linkedListType();
             //Destructor
             //Deletes all the nodes from the list.
             //Postcondition: The list object is destroyed.
          void quicksort(nodeType* &st, nodeType* &en);
               //Sort list using quicksort sorting algorithm
   
  // protected:
          int count;   //Variable to store the number of elements
                       //in the list
          nodeType* first;   //Pointer to the first node of the list
          nodeType* last;   //Pointer to the last node of the list.
          
   private:
          void copyList(const linkedListType& otherList);
             //Function to make a copy of otherList.
             //Postcondition: A copy of otherList is created and 
             //assigned to this list.
};

#endif

Either post the problem you're facing
or
post full code so someone can reproduce it.

Just looking at this much of code, finding and fixing a prob is difficult at best.

Either post the problem you're facing
or
post full code so someone can reproduce it.

Just looking at this much of code, finding and fixing a prob is difficult at best.

Ok sorry maybe I wasn't clear; my problem is that this appears to be erratic i.e sometimes sorts the input ok sometimes not; so there appear to be some logic errors in it:

Here is all the code if someone needs to run it and test:

#include <iostream>
#include "linkedListType.h"
using namespace std;

bool linkedListType::isEmptyList()
{
	return(first == NULL);
}


linkedListType::linkedListType() // default constructor
{
	first = NULL;
	last = NULL;
	count = 0;
}


void linkedListType::destroyList()
{
	nodeType* temp;   //pointer to deallocate the memory 
							//occupied by the node
	while(first != NULL)    //while there are nodes in the list
	{
	   temp = first;        //set temp to the current node
	   first = first->link; //advance first to the next node
	   delete temp;         //deallocate memory occupied by temp
	}

	last = NULL;	//initialize last to NULL; first has already
                   //been set to NULL by the while loop
 	count = 0;
}

	
void linkedListType::initializeList()
{
	destroyList(); //if the list has any nodes, delete them
}

int linkedListType::length()
{
 	return count;
}  // end length

int linkedListType::front()
{   
    assert(first != NULL);
   	return first->info; //return the info of the first node	
}//end front


int linkedListType::back()
{   
	 assert(last != NULL);
   	 return last->info; //return the info of the first node	
}//end back

bool linkedListType::search(const int& searchItem)
{
    nodeType* current; //pointer to traverse the list
    bool found;

    current = first; //set current to point to the 
                     //first node in the list
    found = false;   //set found to false

    while(current != NULL && !found)		//search the list
        if(current->info == searchItem)     //the item is found
           found = true;
        else
           current = current->link; //make current point 
                                    //to the next node
     
     return found;
}//end search

void linkedListType::insertFirst(const int& newItem)
{
	nodeType* newNode;  //pointer to create new node

	newNode = new nodeType; //create the new node

	assert(newNode != NULL);	//If unable to allocate memory, 
 								//terminate the program

	newNode->info = newItem; 	   //store the new item in the node
	newNode->link = first;        //insert newNode before first
	first = newNode;              //make first point to the 
                                 //actual first node
	count++; 			   //increment count

	if(last == NULL)   //if the list was empty, newNode is also 
                      //the last node in the list
		last = newNode;
}

void linkedListType::insertLast(const int& newItem)
{
	nodeType* newNode;  //pointer to create the new node

	newNode = new nodeType; //create the new node

	assert(newNode != NULL);	//If unable to allocate memory, 
 							    //terminate the program

	newNode->info = newItem;      //store the new item in the node
	newNode->link = NULL;         //set the link field of newNode
         						//to NULL

	if(first == NULL)	//if the list is empty, newNode is 
     					//both the first and last node
	{
		first = newNode;
		last = newNode;
		count++;		//increment count
	}
	else			//the list is not empty, insert newNode after last
	{
		last->link = newNode; //insert newNode after last
		last = newNode;   //make last point to the actual last node
		count++;		//increment count
	}
}//end insertLast

void linkedListType::deleteNode(const int& deleteItem)
{
	nodeType *current; //pointer to traverse the list
	nodeType *trailCurrent; //pointer just before current
	bool found;

	if(first == NULL)    //Case 1; list is empty. 
		cerr<<"Can not delete from an empty list.\n";
	else
	{
		if(first->info == deleteItem) //Case 2 
		{
			current = first;
			first = first->link;
			count--;
			if(first == NULL)    //list has only one node
				last = NULL;
			delete current;
		}
		else  //search the list for the node with the given info
		{
			found = false;
			trailCurrent = first;   //set trailCurrent to point to
                                 //the first node
			current = first->link;  //set current to point to the 
    			   //second node
	
			while(current != NULL && !found)
			{
  				if(current->info != deleteItem) 
				{
					trailCurrent = current;
					current = current->link;
				}
				else
					found = true;
			} // end while

			if(found) //Case 3; if found, delete the node
			{
				trailCurrent->link = current->link;
				count--;

				if(last == current)      //node to be deleted was 
                                     //the last node
					last = trailCurrent;  //update the value of last

				delete current;  //delete the node from the list
			}
			else
				cout<<"Item to be deleted is not in the list."<<endl;
		} //end else
	} //end else
} //end deleteNode


	//Overloading the stream insertion operator
ostream& operator<<(ostream& osObject, const linkedListType& list)
{
	nodeType *current; //pointer to traverse the list

	current = list.first;   //set current so that it points to 
					   //the first node
	while(current != NULL) //while more data to print
	{
	   osObject<<current->info<<" ";
	   current = current->link;
	}

	return osObject;
}

linkedListType::~linkedListType() // destructor
{
	destroyList(); 
}//end destructor


void linkedListType::copyList
            	      (const linkedListType& otherList) 
{
   nodeType *newNode; //pointer to create a node
   nodeType *current; //pointer to traverse the list

   if(first != NULL)	//if the list is nonempty, make it empty
	  destroyList();

   if(otherList.first == NULL) //otherList is empty
   {
		first = NULL;
		last = NULL;
 		count = 0;
   }
   else
   {
		current = otherList.first;  //current points to the 
									//list to be copied
		count = otherList.count;

			//copy the first node
		first = new nodeType;  //create the node

 		assert(first != NULL);

		first->info = current->info; //copy the info
		first->link = NULL;  	     //set the link field of 
									 //the node to NULL
		last = first;    		     //make last point to the 
            						 //first node
		current = current->link;     //make current point to  
           							 //the next node

			//copy the remaining list
		while(current != NULL)
		{
			newNode = new nodeType;  //create a node

			assert(newNode!= NULL);

			newNode->info = current->info;	//copy the info
			newNode->link = NULL;   	    //set the link of 
                                        //newNode to NULL
			last->link = newNode; 		//attach newNode after last
			last = newNode;   			//make last point to
										//the actual last node
			current = current->link;	//make current point to
       									//the next node
		}//end while
	}//end else
}//end copyList


	//copy constructor
linkedListType::linkedListType
            	      (const linkedListType& otherList) 
{
	first = NULL;

	copyList(otherList);
	
}//end copy constructor

	//overload the assignment operator
const linkedListType& linkedListType::operator=
   	 	 		(const linkedListType& otherList)
{ 
	if(this != &otherList) //avoid self-copy
		copyList(otherList);

	return *this; 
}

//Sorting using quicksort sorting algorithm
void linkedListType::quicksort(nodeType* &start, nodeType* &end)
{
     //Pointers to help traverse the list
     nodeType *current;
     nodeType *trailCurrent;
     nodeType *mid;
     nodeType *smallIndex;
     nodeType *trailSmall;
     nodeType *index;
     int temp;
     int pivot;
     
     if(start == NULL || start == end)//Empty or one element list
        return;
     //Locate the middle element - i.e pivot
     else {
            mid = start;
            trailCurrent = start;
            current = start->link;
            if(current != end->link)
            {
               trailCurrent = current;
               current = current->link;
             }
            while(current != end->link)
            {
               trailCurrent = current;
               current = current->link;
               mid = mid->link;
               if(current != end->link)
                 { trailCurrent = current;
                   current = current->link;
                 }
            }
          
          }
     //Swap pivot element with first element
     temp = start->info;
     start->info = mid->info;
     mid->info = temp;
     pivot = first->info;
     //partition list with left sublist < pivot
     //and right sublist > pivot
     smallIndex = start;
     trailSmall = start;
     index = start->link;
     do
     {
       if(index->info < pivot)
       {
         trailSmall = smallIndex;
         smallIndex = smallIndex->link;
         temp = smallIndex->info;
         smallIndex->info = index->info;
         index->info = temp;
         index = index->link;
       }
       else
         index = index->link;
       }while(index != end->link);
    
    temp = smallIndex->info;
    smallIndex->info = start->info;
    start->info = temp;
    quicksort(start, trailSmall);
    quicksort(smallIndex->link, trailCurrent);
    return;
    
}

int main(){
    
    linkedListType myList;
    cout<<"Enter any number of integers:";
    int num;
    cin>>num;    
    while(cin && !(num == 99))
      {
         myList.insertLast(num);
         cin>>num;
      }
         cout<<"This list has "<<myList.length()<<" elements"<<endl;
         cout<<"first node is "<<myList.front()<<endl;
         cout<<"last node is "<<myList.back()<<endl;
         cout<<"This list contains the elements:"<<endl<<"["<<myList<<"]"<<endl;
         myList.quicksort(myList.first, myList.last);
         cout<<endl;
         cout<<"After sorting with quicksort, now myList is :"<<endl;
         cout<<"["<<myList<<"]"<<endl;
         system("pause");
         return 0;
}
Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.