merging two sorted linked lists into one linked list in python

Question

here is my code:

def merge_lists(head1, head2):
    if head1 is None and head2 is None:
        return None
    if head1 is None:
        return head2
    if head2 is None:
        return head1
    if head1.value < head2.value:
        temp = head1
    else:
        temp = head2
    while head1 != None and head2 != None:
        if head1.value < head2.value:
            temp.next = head1
            head1 = head1.next
        else:
            temp.next = head2
            head2 = head2.next
    if head1 is None:
        temp.next = head2
    else:
        temp.next = head1
    return temp
    pass

the problem here is stucked in the infinite loop.can any one tell me what the problem is

the examples are:

 assert [] == merge_lists([],[])
 assert [1,2,3] == merge_lists([1,2,3], [])
 assert [1,2,3] == merge_lists([], [1,2,3])
 assert [1,1,2,2,3,3,4,5] == merge_lists([1,2,3], [1,2,3,4,5])

Answer 1

The problem with the current code is that it causes a side-effect of the temp node's next before it navigates to the next node from the current node. This is problematic when the current temp node is the current node.

That is, imagine this case:

temp = N
temp.next = N  # which means N.next = N
N = N.next     # but from above N = (N.next = N) -> N = N

There is a corrected version, with some other updates:

def merge_lists(head1, head2):
    if head1 is None:
        return head2
    if head2 is None:
        return head1

    # create dummy node to avoid additional checks in loop
    s = t = node() 
    while not (head1 is None or head2 is None):
        if head1.value < head2.value:
            # remember current low-node
            c = head1
            # follow ->next
            head1 = head1.next
        else:
            # remember current low-node
            c = head2
            # follow ->next
            head2 = head2.next

        # only mutate the node AFTER we have followed ->next
        t.next = c          
        # and make sure we also advance the temp
        t = t.next

    t.next = head1 or head2

    # return tail of dummy node
    return s.next