Link items in Linked List

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I am using VS 2010. In my application, I have a linked list, containing a few integers. I want to be able to link the last item in the list to the first item in the list, so that when I loop through the list, it should run continuously until stopped by event (like a circular motion, it just keeps on going)

I know that with the last item in the list, the head should point to the first item's tail in the list. How do I achieve this? Any articles or help would be appreciated

Posted 8-Jan-12 2:27am

Andrew797

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Abhinav S · Answer 1 · 2012-01-08T02:32:00

Solution 1

What you are looking for is a circular linked list.
http://navaneethkn.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/circular-linked-list/[^] is a very good resource and should help you out.

Posted 8-Jan-12 2:32am

Abhinav S

OriginalGriff · Answer 2 · 2012-01-08T02:33:00

Solution 2

Try:

C#

lastItem.Next = head;

That gets the reference for the first item in the list (from head) and assigns it as the next item for the last item.

Posted 8-Jan-12 2:33am

OriginalGriff

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Andrew797 8-Jan-12 11:05am

I see I cant access an item in a linked list by index, for instance linkedlist[5]; Can this circular effect be accomplished with any other collection type like Hashtable, array, list?

OriginalGriff 8-Jan-12 11:17am

No - they do not expose their Next or Previous pointers (specifically so people won't mess with them and create infinite loops!)
You could access an item in a linked list by index - but you would have to write an extension method to do it (and it would have to traverse the list to get to the index number)
To be honest, I would set up my own LoopList generic and handle all that myself - it isn't difficult and would reduce the confusion for others! :laugh:
Is there any particular reason why you are trying to set up looped lists?

Andrew797 8-Jan-12 11:20am

I'm still a student, and its holidays now, so I'm working on a little slot machine, with 3 rows and 5 columns (3 rows and 5 reels) and I'm doing this circular list to prevent the same picture from appearing in the same reel

OriginalGriff 8-Jan-12 11:40am

Right! Then you do need a circular list.

I would create two classes - Slot and Reel - where Reel contains either a hand made circular list or an array of Slots.
Since a slot machine only needs to access the "front" slot (and maybe three or so each side for "preview"), and is told "Rotate x slots" I would probably go with an array and move an index manually - a lot faster and less hassle than stepping through a list - and handle the wrap from the end to the beginning myself. You may prefer to creat eyou own circlular list - it isn;'t difficult just a little clumsy.