Linked list questions

[Bulova]

How would you copy a linked list or arrange a linked list to a certain value inside the nodes?

[packetpirate]

By arrange, do you mean sort?

[Bulova]

yeah or just switch the posistion from one node to another

[D80DSL3A]

Just swap the prev and next pointer assignments for the 2 nodes.

[Mathhead200]

fun2code wrote:

Just swap the prev and next pointer assignments for the 2 nodes.

And of course the nodes pointing to them ;)

[D80DSL3A]

@Mathhead200 Of course...
I felt that the carelessly phrased question deserved a similarly phrased answer.

[Mathhead200]

Hey! Memory leaks are not funny fun2code... Okay, maybe a little... :)

[packetpirate]

Why would you do that? Just swap the data fields in the two nodes, assuming that's how your nodes are structured.

[D80DSL3A]

I would do that because the data fields may be large, complex structures. Changing a few pointer assignments and leaving the data in place may often be more efficient.
This especially applies when sorting a list, which typically involves making many swaps.

I think this is a principal advantage that a linked list offers - the ability to change the order of the nodes while leaving the data in place in memory.