331. Verify Preorder Serialization of a Binary Tree

One way to serialize a binary tree is to use pre-order traversal. When we encounter a non-null node, we record the node’s value. If it is a null node, we record using a sentinel value such as #.

     _9_
    /   \
   3     2
  / \   / \
 4   1  #  6
/ \ / \   / \
# # # #   # #

For example, the above binary tree can be serialized to the string "9,3,4,#,#,1,#,#,2,#,6,#,#", where # represents a null node.

Given a string of comma separated values, verify whether it is a correct preorder traversal serialization of a binary tree. Find an algorithm without reconstructing the tree.

Each comma separated value in the string must be either an integer or a character ‘#’ representing null pointer.

You may assume that the input format is always valid, for example it could never contain two consecutive commas such as "1,,3".

Example 1:
"9,3,4,#,#,1,#,#,2,#,6,#,#"
Return true

Example 2:
"1,#"
Return false

Example 3:
"9,#,#,1"
Return false

参考
https://discuss.leetcode.com/topic/35976/7-lines-easy-java-solution
这题一般是用栈来实现，但是参考链接给出了一个非常新颖的想法，就是用出度和入度来解决。
如果把NULL节点当做叶子节点，那么：

• 所有的非null节点都会有一个入度和两个出度（root除外）
• 所有的null节点都会有一个入度和0个出度。

显然当我们构造这棵树的时候，我们可以计算出度和入度的差值，diff = outdegree - indegree ，如果来了一个新的节点，我们需要把diff - 1（因为入度增加了），如果新来的节点不是null节点，diff就应该+2（因为会有两个出度），如果序列是合法的，那么在构造的过程中，diff 是应该始终大于0的，最后结束的时候diff = 0 。
所以java代码如下

public boolean isValidSerialization(String preorder) {
    String[] nodes = preorder.split(",");
    int diff = 1;
    for (String node: nodes) {
        if (--diff < 0) return false;
        if (!node.equals("#")) diff += 2;
    }
    return diff == 0;
}

因为java有split函数，而C++没有，所以我们得自己实现一个split函数：

class Solution {
public:
    bool isValidSerialization(string preorder) {
        if(preorder.empty()) return true;
        int diff = 1;
        vector<string> pre;
        split(preorder,",",pre);
        for(auto s : pre){
            --diff;
            if(diff < 0) return false;
            if(s != "#") diff+=2;
        }
        return diff==0;
    }
    void split(const string s,const string delim,vector<string>& ret){
        int last = 0;
        int index = s.find_first_of(delim,last);
        while(index != -1){
            ret.push_back(s.substr(last,index-last));
            last = index + 1 ;
            index = s.find_first_of(delim,last);
        }
        if(last < s.size())
            ret.push_back(s.substr(last));
    }
};

至于C++为什么不内置split函数，可以查看相关讨论。http://stackoverflow.com/questions/30967131/why-doesnt-stdstring-contain-a-split-method

方法二就是用栈来实现了

https://discuss.leetcode.com/topic/42231/simple-c-solution-using-stack-without-extra-splitting-function

At first glance, a leaf node’s pattern should look like number,#,#, start from the beginning of array, once you see this pattern, convert it to a single "#", meaning the node with value number has already been fully explored(left subtree, right subtree), so we replace it with a "#". While iterating the array, we just keep doing this kind of absorbing/merging backward until we reach the end of array. Then we check if the root has been fully explored, which should eventually be a single #. During absorbing, if this pattern appears #,#,#, return false. It’s known that it’s a pain in C++ that there is no split function as Java does, but it won’t matter here since split string is not necessary, we just need to know before , it’s a number or #.

"9,3,4,#,#,12,#,#,2,#,6,#,#"

stack status

char   stack
'9':   '9'  
'3':   '3','9'
'4':   '4','3','9'
'#':   '#','4','3','9'
'#':   '#','3','9'
'12':  'n', '#', '3','9'
'#':   '#','1', '#', '3','9'
'#':   '#','3','9' -> '#','9'
'2':   '2', '#','9'
'#':   '#', '2', '#','9'
'6':   '6', '#', '2','#','9'
'#':   '#', '6', '#', '2','#','9'
'#':   '#', '2','#','9' -> '#','9' -> '#'

//方法二：stack
class Solution {
public:
    bool isValidSerialization(string preorder) {
        stack<char> stk;
        preorder.push_back(',');
        bool is_num = false;
        for(auto c : preorder){
            if(c == '#'){
                while(stk.size() && stk.top() == '#'){
                    stk.pop();
                    if(stk.empty() || stk.top() == '#') return false;
                    stk.pop();
                }
                stk.push('#');
            } else if( c == ','){
                if(is_num) stk.push('n');
                is_num = false;
            } else{
                is_num = true;
            }
        }
        return stk.size()==1 && stk.top() == '#';
    }
};