Adding elements of another arraylist recursive-java
Here is a method that should just create a new ArrayList copying all the elements of the ArrayList parameter arrlist, which I think I did correctly.
public ArrayList<T> copy (ArrayList<T> arrlist) {
ArrayList<T> um=new ArrayList<T>();
for (int i=0;i<arrlist.size();i++)
um.add(arrlist.get(i));
return um;
However, I would like to write this exact method using recursion only without loops. Here's what I wrote. The copy method uses a recursive helper method.
public ArrayList<T> copy(ArrayList<T> arrlist) {
return copy(arrlist,0);
}
private ArrayList<T> copy(ArrayList<T> arrlist, int n) {
ArrayList<T> um=new ArrayList<T>();
if (n<arrlist.size())
um.add(list.get(n));
return copy(list,n+1);
}
Also, it doesn't work. Any suggestions or hints?
The problem is you are creating a new one ArrayList
in every recursion. And you are not going back anywhere.
What you need to do is in the helper method also pass the target ArrayList
as a parameter and add to it instead of a new one.
(And of course, don't forget to come back when you're done.)
You allocate (ArrayList um = new ArrayList ();) a list of arrays in all recursive calls. Also I can't see when the recursive function will stop calling itself
See below for basic recursive fibonacci function:
public int fib(int n) {
if(n <= 1) {
return n;
} else {
return fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2);
}
}
It works like a recursive function because it has a base case, a path that the function will take to return a result that is not another call to itself. To complete the recursive call, you need the base register if the condition is met and return the results.
Try the following:
private void copy(ArrayList<T> src, ArrayList<T> src_copy, int n) {
if (n>=0){
src_copy.add(src.get(n));
copy(src,src_copy, n-1);
}
}
Then use it like below:
ArrayList<T> src = ... ; //your arrayList
ArrayList<T> src_copy = new ArrayList<T>();
if (src != null && src.size() > 0) {
copy(src, src_copy, src.size()-1);
}
I don't know what kind of error you are getting. but I think it should work.
public ArrayList<T> copy(ArrayList<T> arrlist) {
ArrayList<T> um = new ArrayList<T>();
return copy(arrlist, um, 0);
}
private ArrayList<T> copy(ArrayList<T> arrlist, ArrayList<T> um, int n) {
if (n < arrlist.size())
um.add(arrlist.get(n));
else
return um;
return copy(arrlist, um, n+1);
}