Question:
Given a nested list of integers, implement an iterator to flatten it.
Each element is either an integer, or a list – whose elements may also be integers or other lists.
Solution:
/**
* // This is the interface that allows for creating nested lists.
* // You should not implement it, or speculate about its implementation
* public interface NestedInteger {
*
* // @return true if this NestedInteger holds a single integer, rather than a nested list.
* public boolean isInteger();
*
* // @return the single integer that this NestedInteger holds, if it holds a single integer
* // Return null if this NestedInteger holds a nested list
* public Integer getInteger();
*
* // @return the nested list that this NestedInteger holds, if it holds a nested list
* // Return null if this NestedInteger holds a single integer
* public List<NestedInteger> getList();
* }
*/
public class NestedIterator implements Iterator<Integer> {
Stack<NestedInteger> stack;
// constructor
public NestedIterator(List<NestedInteger> nestedList) {
stack = new Stack<>();
for (int i = nestedList.size()-1; i >= 0; i--) {
stack.push(nestedList.get(i));
}
}
@Override
public boolean hasNext() {
// here we need to use while loop instead of for loop
// in case there are multi dimensional nested loop
while (!stack.isEmpty()) {
if (stack.peek().isInteger()) {
return true;
}
else {
List<NestedInteger> list = stack.pop().getList();
for (int i = list.size()-1; i >= 0; i--) {
stack.push(list.get(i));
}
}
}
// if the stack is empty, then it will get here and return false;
return false;
}
@Override
public Integer next() {
return stack.pop().getInteger(); // don't forget getInteger
}
}
Note:
- The idea is referred from the blog: http://steventang626.com/2019/01/18/NestedIterator/
- A nestedList is a list made of NestedInteger.