Using Retrieve Method to Find for Remove, BST C++

Question

To make deletion of a leaf easier, im wondering how i can use my retreive method(which finds a node) to first retreive it before i delete. So that way i dont have to recode the same looping scheme that is in retreive:

bool BST::retrieve(const char *key, data& aData) const
{
    for ( int i = 0; i < maxSize / 2; i++ )
    {//iterate
     if (! items[2*i+1].empty &&//proceed
        items[2*i+1].theData.getName() < key )
     {// then search leftward
      if ( items[2*i+1].theData == key )
      {
       aData.setName(key);
       return true;
      }
     }
     else if (! items[2*i+2].empty && 
          items[2*i+2].theData.getName() > key )
     { // then search rightward
      if ( items[2*i+2].theData == key )
      {
       aData.setName(key);
       return true;
      }
     }
    }// reiterate on condition.
    return false;
}

bool BST::remove(const char* key)
{   
    this->retrieve(key, items[Position].theData );
         // get the position of the node we want to delete.
         if ( items[2*Position+1].empty &&
              items[2*Position+2].empty )
         {
             // then it is a leaf.
         }
}

BST::BST(int capacity) : items(new item[capacity]), Position(0), 
leftChild(0), rightChild(0), maxSize(capacity), size(0), isLeaf(0)
{

}

Position varaible is coming up as 0. and if i declare a plain old int "isLeaf" at the start of the retreive method, and then when we find it, assign it, "isLeaf = 2*i+1;" or "isleaf = 2*i+2".

I would then need to pass that POD, "isLeaf" as a paramater. Therefore, I would need a helper function for the remove method?

It seems that it would be extraneous to code my remove method to retreive a node..

Basically im after the index.

Answer 1

I would suggest you change your retrieve function to use a function that finds the index of the data you're trying to find then populate the aData field. Then you can use the new function in both the retrieve and remove function to find the index.