Confused!may u tell me the difference?!

[palioz_c]

Hello everyone!!!
i just need someone to tell me wut is the cursor linked list implementation?
wut the use of it ? and wut does it differ from the normal static array and linked lists ?!?!?!?!?!? :( when is it better to be used ??
thanks a bunch:D

[nspils]

Can you explain more about what you are referring to as a "cursor linked list"? Is the "cursor" in the name just an indication that you use a cursor (like an iterator) to move through the linked list?

[palioz_c]

yea.. well we have to work on a project using cursor linked lists implemtation.. it is like a linked lists but without using pointers ?!?! and actually i didn't know wut the use of it wut is the mechanism of it!!?

[nspils]

The general benefit of a linked list is that you do not need to know the size of the linked list at declaration time, the way you do with an array. The linked list has just the amount of storage that you need - nothing wasted. Most importantly, it is easier to remove from or add elements to a list.

[jonnin]

you can use a large array from *somewhere* (static array, pointer, vector, whatever) as your memory and poke your linked list nodes into this memory region. A vector is ideal as you can allocate more memory if you run out. The rest of the linked list remains the same. This does some things for you
1) your memory is sequential, so when you use the list, you have fewer page faults (these create sluggish program performance)
2) your list is more efficient because it is not creating/destroying memory all the time
3) you do not have the dangers of "pointers gone wrong" in your code (usually only a problem for novice programmers, but why add trouble spots when you do not need to?)
4) you can go behind the list's back for searching etc (use the base container's memory in a faster algorithm or loop instead of all the pointer hopping)

[palioz_c]

yeeep yeep i got it now:D.. thank u so much!