Stacks

Based on Koffmann and Wolfgang

Chapter 5
 Chapter Outline

• The Stack<E> data type and its four methods:

• push(E), pop(), peek(), and empty()
• How the Java libraries implement Stack
• How to implement Stack using:
• An array
• A linked list
• Using Stack in applications
• Finding palindromes
• Testing for balanced (properly nested) parentheses
• Evaluating arithmetic expressions
Chapter 5: Stacks 2
 The Stack<E> Abstract Data Type

• A stack can be compared to a Pez dispenser

• Only the top item can be accessed
• Can only extract one item at a time
• A stack allows access only to the top element
• A stack’s storage policy is Last-In, First-Out

Carl
Barb push Carl ... Barb
Alex Alex

Chapter 5: Stacks 3
 Specification of Stack<E>
As An Abstract Data Type
• Since only the top element of a stack is visible ...
• There are only a few operations
• Need the ability to
• Inspect the top element: peek()
• Retrieve & remove the top element: pop()
• Push a new element on the stack: push(E)
• Test for an empty stack: empty()

Chapter 5: Stacks 4
API for Stack<E> (old)

Chapter 5: Stacks 5
 Stack Applications

• Text studies two client programs using stacks

• Palindrome finder
• Parenthesis (bracket) matcher
• A palindrome is a string that is the same in either direction
• “Able was I ere I saw Elba”
• “A man, a plan, a canal: Panama”
• Abba

Chapter 5: Stacks 6
Stack Applications (continued)

Chapter 5: Stacks 7
 Palindrome Code

public class Palindrome {

private String input;
private Stack<Character> charStack =
new Stack<Character>();

public Palindrome (String input) {

this.input = input;
fillStack();
}

...

Chapter 5: Stacks 8
 Palindrome Code (2)

// pushes chars of input String, such

// that last ends up on top, and they
// can be popped in reverse order

private void fillStack () {

for (int i = 0, len = input.length();
i < len;
++i) {
charStack.push(input.charAt(i));
}
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 9
 Palindrome Code (3)

// adds chars, in reverse order, to result

// uses a StringBuilder to reduce allocation
// that would happen with String +

private String buildReverse () {

StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder();
while (!charStack.empty()) {
result.append(charStack.pop());
}
return result.toString();
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 10
 Palindrome Code (4)

public boolean isPalindrome () {

return input.equalsIgnoreCase(buildReverse());
}

Testing this class:

• Single character, empty string: both always palindromes
• Multiple characters, one word
• Multiple words
• Different cases (upper/lower)
• Both even- and odd-length strings

Chapter 5: Stacks 11
 Stack Applications: Balancing Brackets

• Arithmetic expressions should balance parentheses:

(a+b*(c/(d-e)))+(d/e)
• Not too hard if limited to parentheses only:
• Increment depth counter on (
• Decrement depth counter on )
• If always ≥ 0, then balanced properly
• Problem harder if also use brackets: [] {}
• A stack provides a good solution!

Chapter 5: Stacks 12
 Balancing Brackets: Overview
• Start with empty stack of currently open brackets
• Process each char of an expression String
• If it is an opener, push it on the stack
• If it is a closer, check it against the top stack element
• If stack empty, or not a matching bracket:
not balanced, so return false
• Otherwise, it matches: pop the opener
• If stack is empty at the end, return true
• If not empty, then some bracket unmatched: false

Chapter 5: Stacks 13
 isBalanced Code

public static boolean isBalanced (String expr) {

Stack<Character> s = new Stack<Character>();
try {
for (int idx = 0, len = expr.length();
idx < len;
idx++) {
... process each char of expr ...
}
} catch (EmptyStackException ex) {
return false;
}
return s.empty();
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 14
 isBalanced Code: Loop Body

// process each char of expr:

char ch = expr.charAt(idx);
if (isOpen(ch)) {
s.push(ch);
} else if (isClose(ch)) {
char top = s.pop();
if (!matches(ch, top)) {
return false;
}
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 15
 isBalanced Code: Helper Routines
private static final String OPEN = “([{“;
private static final String CLOSE = “)]}”;

private static boolean isOpen (char ch) {

return OPEN.indexOf(ch) >= 0;
}

private static boolean isClose (char ch) {

return CLOSE.indexOf(ch) >= 0;
}

private static boolean matches (char open,

char close) {
return OPEN .indexOf(open) ==
CLOSE.indexOf(close);
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 16
 Testing isBalanced
• Expressions without brackets
• Expressions with just one level
• Expressions with multiple levels, same kind
• Expressions with multiple levels, different kinds
• Expressions with same # open/close, but bad order:
• )(
• Expressions with open/close order ok, wrong bracket:
• (]
• Expressions with too many openers
• Expressions with too many closers
Chapter 5: Stacks 17
 Implementing Stack as Extension of Vector

• Collection hierarchy includes java.util.Stack

• The Vector class offers a growable array of objects
• Elements of a Vector accessed by index
• Size can grow or shrink as needed
• That is: Vector is just like ArrayList

Chapter 5: Stacks 18
Implementing Stack as Extension of Vector (2)

Top element of
the Stack is at
the highest index

Chapter 5: Stacks 19
 Stack Code
public class Stack<E> extends Vector<E> {

public E push (E e) {
add(e);
return e;
}

public E pop () throws EmptyStackException {

try {
return remove(size()-1);
} catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException ex) {
throw new EmptyStackException();
}
}
...
Chapter 5: Stacks 20
 Stack Code (2)
public class Stack<E> extends Vector<E> {
...

public E peek () throws EmptyStackException {

try {
return get(size()-1);
} catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException ex) {
throw new EmptyStackException();
}
}

public boolean empty () {

return size() == 0;
}
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 21
 Implementing Stack with a List

• Can use ArrayList, Vector, or LinkedList:

• All implement the List interface
• Name of class illustrated in text is ListStack
• ListStack is an adapter class
• Adapts methods of another class to ...
• Interface its clients expect by ...
• Giving different names to essentially the same
operations

Chapter 5: Stacks 22
 ListStack Code
public class ListStack<E>
implements StackInterface<E> {

private List<E> list;

public ListStack () {
list = new ArrayList<E>();
// or new Vector<E> or new LinkedList<E>
}

public E push (E e) {
list.add(e);
return e;
}
...
Chapter 5: Stacks 23
 ListStack Code (2)
public E peek () {
if (empty())
throw new EmptyStackException();
return list.get(list.size()-1);
}

public E pop () {
if (empty())
throw new EmptyStackException()
return list.remove(list.size()-1);
}

public boolean empty () {

return list.size() == 0;
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 24
 Implementing Stack Using an Array

• Must allocate array with some default capacity

• Need to keep track of the top of the stack
• Have no size method, so must track size
• Similar to growable PhoneDirectory

Chapter 5: Stacks 25
Implementing Stack Using an Array (2)

Chapter 5: Stacks 26
 ArrayStack Code
public class ArrayStack<E>
implements StackInterface<E> {

private static final int INITIAL_CAPACITY = 10;

private E[] data =

(E[]) new Object[INITIAL_CAPACITY];

private int top = -1;

public ArrayStack () { }

public boolean empty () { return top < 0; }

...
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 27
 ArrayStack Code (2)
public E push (E e) {
if (++top == data.length) reallocate();
return data[top] = e;
}

public E pop () {
if (empty()) throw new EmptyStackException();
return data[top--];
}

public E peek () {
if (empty()) throw new EmptyStackException();
return data[top];
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 28
 ArrayStack Code (3)
private reallocate () {
E[] newData = (E[]) new Object[data.length*2];
System.arraycopy(data, 0, newData, 0,
data.length);
data = newData;
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 29
 Implementing Stack as a Linked Structure

• We can implement Stack using a linked list:

Chapter 5: Stacks 30
 LinkedStack Code
public class LinkedStack<E>
implements StackInterface<E> {

private Node<E> top = null;

public LinkedStack () { }

public boolean empty () { return top == null; }

public E push (E e) {
top = new Node<E>(e, top);
return e;
}
...
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 31
 LinkedStack Code (2)
public E pop () {
if (empty()) throw new EmptyStackException();
E result = top.data;
top = top.next;
return result;
}

public E peek () {
if (empty()) throw new EmptyStackException();
return top.data;
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 32
 LinkedStack Code (3)
private static class Node<E> {

private E data;
private Node<E> next;

Node (E data, Node<E> next) {

this.data = data;
this.next = next;
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 33
 Comparison of Stack Implementations
• Vector is a poor choice: exposes Vector methods
• Likewise, extending other List classes exposes
• Using a List as a component avoid exposing
• LinkedStack operations are O(1)
• But Node objects add much space overhead
• ArrayList component is perhaps easiest
• Still some space overhead (Stack+ArrayList)
• Array as a component best in space and time
• But somewhat harder to implement

Chapter 5: Stacks 34
 Additional Stack Applications:
Evaluating Arithmetic Expressions
• Expressions normally written in infix form
• Binary operators appear between their operands:
a+b c*d e*f-g
• A computer normally scans in input order
• One must always compute operand values first
• So easier to evaluate in postfix form:
ab+ cd* ef*g-

Chapter 5: Stacks 35
Postfix Expression Evaluation Examples

Chapter 5: Stacks 36
 Advantages of Postfix Form

• No need to use parentheses for grouping

• No need to use precedence rules:
• Usual meaning of a + b * c is a + (b * c)
• * takes precedence over + ... or ...
• * has higher precedence than +
• Postfix: a b c * +
• For (a+b)*c, postfix is: a b + c *

Chapter 5: Stacks 37
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions

• Input: String with integers and operators separated

by spaces (for StringTokenizer)
• Operators: + - * / (all binary, usual meaning)
• Strategy:
• Use stack for input integers, evaluated operands
• Operator pops operands, computes, pushes result
• At end, last item on stack is the answer

Chapter 5: Stacks 38
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (2)
1. Create empty Stack<Integer>
2. For each token of the expression String do:
3. If the token is an Integer (starts with a digit)
4. Push the token’s value on the stack
5. Else if the token is an operator
6. Pop the right (second) operand off the stack
7. Pop the left (first) operand off the stack
8. Evaluate the operation
9. Push the result onto the stack
10. Pop the stack and return the result

Chapter 5: Stacks 39
Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (3)

Chapter 5: Stacks 40
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (4)
import java.util.*;
public class PostfixEval {
public static class SyntaxErrorException
extends Exception {
SyntaxErrorException (String msg) {
super(msg);
}
}

private final static String

OPERATORS = “+-*/”;
Chapter 5: Stacks 41
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (5)
private Stack<Integer> operandStack =
new Stack<Integer>();

private int evalOp (char op) {

int rhs = operandStack.pop();
int lhs = operandStack.pop();
int result = 0;
switch (op) {
case ‘+’: result = lhs + rhs; break;
case ‘-’: result = lhs - rhs; break;
case ‘*’: result = lhs * rhs; break;
case ‘/’: result = lhs / rhs; break;
}
return result;
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 42
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (6)
private boolean isOperator (char ch) {
return OPERATORS.indexOf(ch) >= 0;
}

public int eval (String expr)

throws SyntaxErrorException {
operandStack.reset();
StringTokenizer tokens =
new StringTokenizer(expr);
...;
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 43
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (7)
try {
while (tokens.hasMoreTokens()) {
String token = tokens.nextToken();
... loop body ...
}
... after loop ...
} catch (EmptyStackException exc) {
throw new SyntaxErrorException(
“Syntax Error: The stack is empty”);
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 44
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (8)
// loop body: work done for each token
if (Character.isDigit(token.charAt(0))) {
int value = Integer.parseInt(token);
operandStack.push(value);

} else if (isOperator(token.charAt(0))) {
int result = evalOp(token.charAt(0));
operandStack.push(result);

} else {
throw new SyntaxErrorException(
“Invalid character encountered”);
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 45
 Program: Evaluating Postfix Expressions (9)
// Work after loop completes
int answer = operandStack.pop();
if (operandStack.empty()) {
return answer;
} else {
throw new SyntaxErrorException(
“Syntax Error: Stack not empty”);
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 46
 Converting Infix to Postfix

• Need to handle precedence

• Need to handle parentheses
• First implementation handles only precedence

• Input: Infix with variables, integers, operators

• (No parentheses for now)
• Output: Postfix form of same expression

Chapter 5: Stacks 47
 Converting Infix to Postfix (2)

• Analysis:
• Operands are in same order in infix and postfix
• Operators occur later in postfix
• Strategy:
• Send operands straight to output
• Send higher precedence operators first
• If same precedence, send in left to right order
• Hold pending operators on a stack

Chapter 5: Stacks 48
Converting from Infix to Postfix: Example

Chapter 5: Stacks 49
Converting from Infix to Postfix: Example (2)

Chapter 5: Stacks 50
 Converting Infix to Postfix: convert
1. Set postfix to an empty StringBuilder
2. Set operator stack to an empty stack
3. while more tokens in infix string
4. Get the next token
5. if the token is an operand
6. Append the token to postfix
7. else if the token is an operator
8. Call processOperator to handle it
9. else
10. Indicate a syntax error
11. Pop remaining operators and add them to postfix

Chapter 5: Stacks 51
 Converting Infix to Postfix: processOperator

1. while the stack is not empty & prec(new) ≤ prec(top)

2. pop top off stack and append to postfix

3. push the new operator

Chapter 5: Stacks 52
Converting Infix to Postfix

Chapter 5: Stacks 53
 Infix toPostfix: Code
import java.util.*;
public class InfixToPostfix {
private Stack<Character> opStack;
private static final String OPERATORS = “+-*/”;
private static final int[] PRECEDENCE =
{1, 1, 2, 2};
private StringBuilder postfix;
private boolean isOperator (char ch) {
return OPERATORS.indexOf(ch) >= 0;
}
private int precedence (Character ch) {
return (ch == null) ? 0 :
PRECEDENCE[OPERATORS.indexOf(ch)];
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 54
 Infix toPostfix: Code (2)
public String convert (String infix)
throws SyntaxErrorException {
opStack = new Stack<Character>();
postfix = new StringBuilder();
StringTokenizer tokens =
new StringTokenizer(infix);
try {
while (tokens.hasMoreTokens()) { loop body }
... after loop ...
} catch (EmptyStackException exc) {
throw new SyntaxErrorException(...);
}
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 55
 Infix toPostfix: Code (3)
// loop body
String token = tokens.nextToken();
Character first = token.charAt(0);
if (Character.isJavaIdentifierStart(first) ||
Character.isDigit(first)) {
postfix.append(token);
postfix.append(‘ ‘);

} else if (isOperator(first)) {
processOperator(first)

} else {
throw new SyntaxErrorException(...);
}
Chapter 5: Stacks 56
 Infix toPostfix: Code (4)
// after loop
while (!opStack.empty()) {
char op = opStack.pop();
postfix.append(op);
postfix.append(‘ ‘);
}
return postfix.toString();

Chapter 5: Stacks 57
 Infix toPostfix: Code (5)
private Character top () {
return opStack.empty() ? null : opStack.peek();
}

private void processOperator (Character op) {

while (precedence(op) <= precedence(top())) {
postfix.append(opStack.pop());
postfix.append(‘ ‘);
}
opStack.push(op);
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 58
 Infix toPostfix: Handling Parentheses
private static final String OPERATORS = “+-*/()”;
private static final int[] PRECEDENCE =
{2, 2, 3, 3, 1, 1};

private int precedence (Character ch) {

return (ch == null) ? 0 :
PRECEDENCE[OPERATORS.indexOf(ch)];
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 59
 Infix toPostfix: Handling Parentheses (2)
private void processOperator (Character op) {
if (op.charValue() != ‘(‘) {
while (precedence(op) <= precedence(top())) {
char top = opStack.pop();
if (top == ‘(‘) break;
postfix.append(top);
postfix.append(‘ ‘);
}
}
if (op.charValue() != ‘)’) {
opStack.push(op);
}
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 60
 Infix toPostfix: Handling Parentheses (3)
// in convert, after token loop:
while (!opStack.empty()) {
char op = opStack.pop();
if (op == ‘(‘)
throw new SyntaxErrorException(...);
// because ( is unmatched
postfix.append(op);
postfix.append(‘ ‘);
}

Chapter 5: Stacks 61
 Infix to Postfix: Making It Even Cleaner
• Can push a special “open bracket” first
• Stack is never empty
• This will not pop off: we give it very low precedence
• Push the same special bracket at the end:
• Will cause other operators to pop off
• Make bracket/parenthesis handling less special
• Add notion of left and right precedence
• Left value is for already scanned operator (on left)
• Right value is for not yet pushed operator (on right)
Chapter 5: Stacks 62
 Infix to Postfix: Making It Even Cleaner (2)
Operator + * ( )
Left Precedence 3 4 1 ---
Right Precedence 3 4 5 2

while (leftPred(top) >= rightPred(newer))

pop(top);
if (top == ‘(‘)
pop(top);
else
push(newer);

Chapter 5: Stacks 63