C Recursion (explain)


 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Top Forums Programming C Recursion (explain)
# 1  
Old 04-26-2010
C Recursion (explain)

Hi,

Question: how come the output is like that? Can explain to me abit. I am learning C.

Thanks!

Code:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
void printit(char line_of_char[], int index);
int main()
{
char line_of_char[80];
int index = -1;
 strcpy(line_of_char, "This is a string.");
 printit(line_of_char, index);
 return 0;
}
void printit(char line_of_char[], int index)
{
 if(line_of_char[index])
 {
  index++;
  printf("+%c", line_of_char[index]); /*how come this is not being printed after "-" was printed*/
  printit(line_of_char, index);
  printf("-%c", line_of_char[index]);
 }
}
// Output is:
//+T+h+i+s+ +i+s+ +a+ +s+t+r+i+n+g+.+ - -.-g-n-i-r-t-s- -a- -s-i- -s-i-h-T


Last edited by seede; 04-26-2010 at 06:35 AM..
# 2  
Old 04-26-2010
Code:
void printit(char line_of_char[], int index)
{
 if(line_of_char[index])
 {
  index++;
  printf("+%c", line_of_char[index]); /*how come this is not being printed after "-" was printed*/
  printit(line_of_char, index);
  printf("-%c", line_of_char[index]);
 }
}

function call pushes data onto the stack, so what this does is to push various
values of index onto the stack. The first print statement is using the value of index as it gets incremented 1,2,3 ...

The second printf (after the recursive call) statement is going "back in time" by popping values off the stack 10,9,8, .....

Change the code so it just prints value of the index variable, nothing else. Then you will see.

BTW the "if(line_of_char[index])" has a problem, the initial value is -1, which is the character before the start of the variable line_of_char. Apparently it works for you, but that it called "programming by coincidence" a really bad thing. It could trigger a segfault on other systems. Or other problems.

---------- Post updated at 08:29 ---------- Previous update was at 08:16 ----------

Corrected code, sort of:
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

void printit(char line_of_char[], int index);
int main()
{
   char line_of_char[80]={0x0};
   int index = -1;
   
   strcpy(line_of_char, "This is a string.");
   printit(line_of_char, index);
   printf("\n");
   return 0;
}
void printit(char line_of_char[], int index)
{
   if(index ==-1 || line_of_char[index])
   {   
   	index++;
    printf("+%c", line_of_char[index]); 
    printit(line_of_char, index);
    printf("-%c", line_of_char[index]);
   }
}


Last edited by jim mcnamara; 04-26-2010 at 11:23 AM..
# 3  
Old 04-26-2010
"if(line_of_char[index])" evaluates to false because index "-1" is out of the array boundaries and is not at an offset position so you really should not be getting any output at all.

Edit: Sorry, I didn't see Jim's reply. Smilie
# 4  
Old 04-26-2010
Hi Guys,

Alright, the line:
if(line_of_char[index])
should have some problems with other systems, but somehow works for me right now. But I don't mind this for now :) (Thanks)

I've changed the code and output the index:
+0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17-17-16-15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0

The first print statement is using the value of index as it gets incremented 1,2,3 ...
I understand this one clearly since it's clear to me what the code is doing as it never reaches the 2nd printf so it keeps on calling 1st printf.

The second printf (after the recursive call) statement is going "back in time" by popping values off the stack 10,9,8, .....

I am still tying out to understand how it prints the 17 down to 1 since I never did something (index--). I understand the stack is going back but can you maybe help me understand this? Or, should I just set my thinking that it will go back after the recursive call of the 1st printf? (I'll read more about stack later on, need to learn C bit by bit)

:D Thanks a lot!
# 5  
Old 04-26-2010
The stack is used as a temporary storage place for function arguments, return addresses and local variables.

The memory area for each function call is placed on the top of the stack, and then taken off when the execution of the call is completed.

Every time your function goes back one step in the nest, the previous value of i is popped off the stack thus it appears as if it is being decremented (but actually it's not)... what is really being decremented is the stack pointer.

All nested functions (in C at least) rely on some sort of stack so you should probably spend a bit understanding the concept. Smilie
# 6  
Old 04-26-2010
Now I understand it. That helped me a lot understanding this code.

Thanks alot guys!

.: Seede


[CLEARED]
Login or Register to Ask a Question

Previous Thread | Next Thread

10 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. Solaris

BIND 9, disable recursion

Hi, I am trying to disable the recursion on DNS server (Solaris 10). I have added the lines in the named.conf as below: allow-query-cache { none; }; recursion no; Then restarted the solaris DNS services svcadm refresh svc:/network/dns/server:default Still I am able to... (0 Replies)
Discussion started by: snchaudhari2
0 Replies

2. Shell Programming and Scripting

script recursion

Can someone please explain me why the following script calls it self recursively: #!/bin/bash echo Called $0 while this not: #!/bin/bash echo Called $($0) Thanks (6 Replies)
Discussion started by: superpointer
6 Replies

3. Programming

Recursion

I want to halt a tail recursive function after certain validation. I want to come out of entire recursion without unwinding phase. How can i achieve that . The coding is done in C language. (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: joshighanshyam
5 Replies

4. Shell Programming and Scripting

KSH: recursion into subdirectories?

Hello, I'm scripting a newbie. I'm using KSH on HP-UX. I'm trying to write a script that will change a whole directory of file names into UPPER CASE. I have the "convert to upper case" part of it working fine: ls | while read filename; do typeset -u uppercase uppercase=${filename} ... (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: Wotan31
2 Replies

5. Shell Programming and Scripting

How to remove old files without recursion?

Hi folks, I need to write a script which remove files with suffix *.dmp from a specific directory ,older than 30 days and not including recursive subdirectories. I.e: The following command remove recursive all *.dmp files older than 30 days: find $ORACLE_BASE -mtime +30 -type f -name... (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: nir_s
5 Replies

6. Shell Programming and Scripting

diffrence in non recusion and recursion

Hi, If i have given to write a prog for factorial in C using recursion and without recursion which one is better in what condition and why ? thanks (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: useless79
2 Replies

7. Shell Programming and Scripting

Help Help Help in recursion

Hello every body. I am trying to find the factorial using the following code. But it is giving the syntax error. I tried very much but in vain. Thanks in advance for helping me factorial() { if then y=`expr $1 - 1` x=$(( $1 \* factorial $y ))... (6 Replies)
Discussion started by: murtaza
6 Replies

8. Shell Programming and Scripting

Problem with recursion in subdirectories

Hello ! I need some help with my simple bash script. This script removes all files ( with name given in $1 ) in current dir and subdirectories . The problem is with first loop in the script ( for file in * ; do ) . When I run the sript in my home directory this script display sometimes( ... (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: scotty_123
5 Replies

9. Shell Programming and Scripting

recursion too deep

I am running a korn shell script which has a recursive function. The script ran for 117 iterations and ended up with the following error "recursion too deep". what should be done to avert this? Thanks in advance Swamy p.s. I am on UNIX MPRAS V4 (3 Replies)
Discussion started by: swamy455
3 Replies

10. Shell Programming and Scripting

recursion

I'm using the UNIX csh and i wish to use recursion to nav my way up (or down as it is) a given folder. My little test script is called "r" and takes a folder as argv (or $1) #!/bin/tcsh -f set allFiles = `ls -A $argv` cd $argv while ($#allFiles) if (-d... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: gsjf
1 Replies
Login or Register to Ask a Question