run time error question

[tennis]

I got run-time error for the following code. I am just starting to get familiar with linked list. Can any one point out what's the problem here? thanks

#include "stdafx.h"
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

struct node
{
int data;
node * next;
};

node* buildonetwothree()  
{
node* head=NULL;          
node* second=NULL;        
node* third=NULL;         


head->data=1;
head->next=second;

second->data=2;
second->next=third;

third->data=3;
third->next=NULL;
return head;           
}


int length(node* head) 
{

node* moving=head;
int count=0;
while(moving!=NULL)    
{moving=moving->next;
count++;}
return count;
}

void main()
{
node* head=NULL;
head=buildonetwothree();
cout<<length(head);

}

[gerard4143]

You haven't allocated any memory for your pointers

node* buildonetwothree()
{
node* head=NULL;
node* second=NULL;
node* third=NULL;

head->data=1;

head->next=second;
second->data=2;
second->next=third;
third->data=3;
third->next=NULL;

return head;
}

[tennis]

thanks, I changed

node* head=NULL;         
node* second=NULL;       
node* third=NULL;

to

node* head=new node;  
node* second=new node;
node* third=new node;

now it works, but where should I deallocate the dynamic allocated memory? at the end of the main program?

[gerard4143]

thanks, I changed

node* head=NULL;         
node* second=NULL;       
node* third=NULL;

to

node* head=new node;  
node* second=new node;
node* third=new node;

now it works, but where should I deallocate the dynamic allocated memory? at the end of the main program?

You really should implement your nodes as classes and let the destructor's worry about freeing up allocated memory..