Attempt to write function search()

I am doing a binary tree , I need to search for a specific element
these are the structures and the function itself( not completed)

Code:

---

struct employee{
  char fname[SIZE];
  char lname[SIZE];
  double socialnum;
  float rate;
  float workhrs;
  float pay;
  struct employee *next;
  struct employee *prev;
};
typedef struct employee EMP;

struct treeNode{
struct treeNode *leftPtr;
EMP *data;
struct treeNode *rightPtr;
};

typedef struct treeNode TreeNode;
typedef TreeNode *TreeNodePtr;

---

Here is the search function I wrote, it won't compile because I am not
really sure what is it that I'm doing, what is wrong? how could i
modify this function to search for an employee by comparing the first
name (fname) with the key and return all information of the employee if
there is a match?

Code:

---

treeNode *search(char *key, treeNode *leaf)
{
    //printf("Enter Employee name:");
  //gets(key);
    //If the leaf is pointing to something
    if(leaf!=NULL)
    {
        if(strcmp(key, leaf->value) == 0)
        {
            //If the values are equal, return the node
            return leaf;
        }
        else if(strcmp(key, leaf->value) < 0)
        {
            //If the inputed value is less then the leaf's value, search left side for the inputed value
            return search(key,leaf->left);
        }
        else
        {
            //If the inputed value is greater then the leaf's value, search right side for the inputed value
            return search(key,leaf->right);
        }
    }
    else
    {
        //If the leaf isn't pointing to anything, return 0;
        return NULL;
    }
}

---

this is how function is called in main:

Code:

---

EMP *foundNode = NULL;
case 2:
system("clear");
char key[20];
printf("Please enter first name to search tree: ");
gets(key);
foundNode = search(key, &tmpItem);

getchar();

break;

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by elsewhere

Here is the search function I wrote, it won't compile because I am not
really sure what is it that I'm doing, what is wrong?

---

if it doesnt compile, tell us what the compiler error is! sure, we could waste our time looking through this code while the error may not even be in this code. provide us with the complete code, not fragments of the code (that arent even complete fragments). not being rude, just trying to 'help me help you'

treenodes have a pointer to an EMP, not a char pointer called value.

Mats is having an allergic reaction to unnecessary use of strcmp:

Code:

---

        if(strcmp(key, leaf->value) == 0)
        {
            //If the values are equal, return the node
            return leaf;
        }
        else if(strcmp(key, leaf->value) < 0)

---

could be replaced with:

Code:

---

int cmp;

...
        cmp = strcmp(key, leaf->value);
        if(cmp == 0)
        {
            //If the values are equal, return the node
            return leaf;
        }
        else if(cmp < 0)

---

thus halving the amount of strcmp done within the loop.

--
Mats

I made a couple of changes in the code, basically replacing the search function prototype,

Code:

---

TreeNodePtr search(char *key, TreeNodePtr leaf)

---

now its ok, I am getting two syntax errors in the function search()
here is the function:

Code:

---

TreeNodePtr search(char *key, TreeNodePtr leaf)
{
    //printf("Enter Employee name:");
  //gets(key);
    //If the leaf is pointing to something
    if(leaf!=NULL)
    {
  /* Allocate a temporary structure to help with our compareData() call */
  EMP tmpData;
  strcpy(tmpData->fname, key);
        switch (compareData(leaf->data, tmpData))
        {
  case 0:
            //If the values are equal, return the node
            return leaf;
  case -1:
            //If the inputed value is less then the leaf's value, search left side for the inputed value
            return search(key,leaf->leftPtr);
  case 1:
            //If the inputed value is greater then the leaf's value, search right side for the inputed value
            return search(key,leaf->rightPtr);
        }
    }
    else
    {
        //If the leaf isn't pointing to anything, return 0;
        return NULL;
    }
}

---

errors:
operations.c:109: error: invalid type argument of ‘->’

Code:

---

strcpy(tmpData->fname, key);

---

operations.c:110: error: incompatible type for argument 2 of ‘compareData’

Code:

---

switch (compareData(leaf->data, tmpData))

---

and here is the compareData function:

Code:

---

int compareData( EMP *firstVal, EMP *secondVal)
{

switch (strcmp(firstVal->fname, secondVal->fname))
{
 /* The two first names match */
 case 0:
  switch (strcmp(firstVal->lname, secondVal->lname))
  {
  /* The last name ALSO matches */
  case 0:
    break;
  /* The firstVal's lastname is greater than secondVal's lastname */
  case 1:
    return 1;
    break;
  /* The firstVal's lastname is less than secondVal's lastname */
  case -1:
    return -1;
    break;
  }
  break;
 /* The firstVal's firstname is greater than secondVal's firstname */
 case 1:
  return 1;
  break;
 /* The firstVal's firstname is less than secondVal's firstname */
 case -1:
 return -1;
 break;
}
}

---

Note that strcmp is by no means guaranteed to return 1, 0 or -1, It could for example return -23 or 18 as a result.

--
Mats

Concerning another function that has to be implemented the delete_entry() function, which has to call the search function to locate the entry(if it exist) and delete( one occurance of it)
any ideas, suggestion, will be highly appreciated
will post the function if I have any issues with it

thanks