non recursive binary tree insert() method not working

Question

I have written a binary tree code for inserting elements into it in non-recursive method. The code is not working as intended. Regardless of how many times I debug the code, nothing seems to be wrong but I am getting wrong results. I am hoping you guys can help. Thanks in advance.

void insert(int element){
    if(root == NULL){
        struct elemq *node;
        node = (struct elemq *)malloc(sizeof(struct elemq));
        node->ele = element;
        node->left = NULL;
        node->right = NULL;
        root = node;
        cout << root->ele << "\n";
    }
    else{
        struct elemq *ref;
        ref = root;
        while(ref != NULL){
            if(element <= ref->ele){
                if(ref->left == NULL){
                    struct elemq *node;
                    node = (struct elemq *)malloc(sizeof(struct elemq ));
                    node->ele = element;
                    node->left = NULL;
                    node->right = NULL;
                    ref->left = node;
                    break;
                }
                else{
                    ref = ref->left;
                }
            }
            else if(element > ref->ele){
                if(ref->right == NULL){
                    struct elemq *node;
                    node = (struct elemq *)malloc(sizeof(struct elemq ));
                    node->ele = element;
                    node->left = NULL;
                    node->right = NULL;
                    ref->right = node;
                    break;
                }
                else{
                    ref = ref->right;
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Every time I try to insert an element, each element is being treated as root, not only the first time. So, every time, the condition if(root == NULL) is true. I declared root as global variable and initialized it to NULL in main(). I came to know this by putting cout << in the first if() condition. I modified my previous post to this new question.

Some code somewhere is trashing root. Insert cout << root << "\n"; all over the place and seen if it transitions back to zero. Then find where it happens... — Yakk - Adam Nevraumont
– Yakk - Adam Nevraumont, Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 5:05
its my mistake. sorry. each time i am inserting an element, i am making root as null in the main. thank you — Justin Carrey
– Justin Carrey, Commented Oct 28, 2012 at 5:13

dchhetri · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-28 04:00:03Z

2

node = ref->left;

You want

ref->left = node;

and similar for the ref->right

answered Oct 28, 2012 at 4:00

dchhetri

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1 Comment

Justin Carrey Over a year ago

I made the change. Still, every time i try to insert an element, each element is being treated as root, not only at first time. So, every time, the condition if(root == NULL) is being true. I declared root as global variable and initialized it to NULL in main().

Adam Schmidt · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-28 04:00:19Z

1

I think you are mistakenly setting the node that you are adding to the references, instead of setting the left and right references to the node you are adding. Change node = ref->left to ref->left = node, and likewise for the right.

answered Oct 28, 2012 at 4:00

Adam Schmidt

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