Why does my removeDuplicates method only remove the duplicate integer the first time it encounters it? [closed]

StackOverflow https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21249827

Question

My method for removing the duplicate numbers works but not if a number appears more than twice. e.g. a list with numbers 1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7,7,7,8,9 when using the method gives the list 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7,8,9

import java.util.*;
public class final SortAndRemove{
  private SortAndRemove(){
    }
public static void selectionSort(List<Integer> a){
    if(a == null)
        return;
    if (a.size() == 0 || a.size() == 1)
        return;

    int smallest;
    int smallestIndex;
    for (int curIndex = 0; curIndex < a.size(); curIndex++) {

        smallest = a.get(curIndex);
        smallestIndex = curIndex;

        for (int i = curIndex + 1; i < a.size(); i++) {
            if (smallest > a.get(i)) {

                smallest = a.get(i);
                smallestIndex = i;
            }
        }


        if (smallestIndex == curIndex);

        else {
            int temp = a.get(curIndex);
            a.set(curIndex, a.get(smallestIndex));
            a.set(smallestIndex, temp);
        }

    }
}


public static void removeDuplicates(List<Integer> a){
    if(a == null)
        return;
    if (a.size() == 0 || a.size() == 1)
        return;
    for(int curIndex = 0; curIndex <a.size(); curIndex++){
        int num = a.get(curIndex);
            for(int i = curIndex + 1; i < a.size(); i++){
                if(num == a.get(i))
                    a.remove(i);
            }

    }

}

  }
Was it helpful?

Solution

Wikipedia states that a utility class:

is a class that defines a set of methods that perform common, often re-used functions. Most utility classes define these common methods under static (see Static variable) scope.

It's good to give your utility class a private constructor (so that it can never be initialised) i.e.

public class SortAndRemove{
 private SortAndRemove() {
  throw new AssertionError();
 }
 ... // Remainder omitted
}

(This is discussed in Effective Java by Joshua Bloch, by the way)

OTHER TIPS

It's also good to make your utility class final (so no classes can extend from your utility because all methods are static)

public final class SortAndRemove{
 private SortAndRemove() {
  throw new AssertionError();
 }
 ... // Remainder omitted
}
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