Update node ordering algorithm for huffman encoding

FORMAT.md

@@ -79,5 +79,7 @@ different valid huffman trees, depending on the algorithm used. Thus it is
 important to use an algorithm that will give the same ordering. See the code
 for more details, but in a nuttshell:
 
+Order the list of nodes by weight (lightest to heaviest). Take the first two lightest nodes off the list, and set them as children of a new parent node. add this parent node to the end of the node list, after removing the child nodes from the list.
+
 When comparing nodes, the node that weighs the least becomes the left child. If
 weight is tied, the node that was examined longest ago becomes the left child.

huffman.c

@@ -7,22 +7,17 @@
 static int
 find_smallest (struct huffman_node **nodes, int count, int different)
 {
-	int smallest;
+	// 'real' weights will always be positive.
+	int smallest = -1;
 	int i;
 
-	for (i = 0; nodes[i]->weight == -1; i++);
-
-	if (i == different) {
-		for (i++; nodes[i]->weight == -1; i++);
-	}
-	smallest = i;
-
-	for (i = smallest + 1; i < count; i++) {
-		if (i == different || nodes[i]->weight == -1) {
+	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+		if (i == different) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (nodes[i]->weight < nodes[smallest]->weight) {
+		if (smallest == -1 ||
+		    nodes[i]->weight < nodes[smallest]->weight) {
 			smallest = i;
 		}
 	}
@@ -30,6 +25,17 @@ find_smallest (struct huffman_node **nodes, int count, int different)
 	return smallest;
 }
 
+static void
+shift_nodes (struct huffman_node **nodes, int count, int start)
+{
+	int i;
+	for (i = start; i + 1 < count; i++) {
+		nodes[i] = nodes[i + 1];
+	}
+	nodes[i] = NULL;
+}
+
+
 struct huffman_node *
 huffman_build_tree(void **values, int count)
 {
@@ -52,24 +58,30 @@ huffman_build_tree(void **values, int count)
 
 	int tree1;
 	int tree2;
-	for (i = 1; i < count; i++) {
+	for (; count > 1; count--) {
 		struct huffman_node *tmp;
 
 		tree1 = find_smallest (nodes, count, -1);
 		tree2 = find_smallest (nodes, count, tree1);
 
-		tmp = nodes[tree1];
+		tmp = malloc (sizeof (struct huffman_node));
+		tmp->weight = nodes[tree1]->weight + nodes[tree2]->weight;
+		tmp->value = NULL;
+		tmp->left = nodes[tree1];
+		tmp->right = nodes[tree2];
 
-		nodes[tree1] = malloc (sizeof (struct huffman_node));
-		nodes[tree1]->weight = tmp->weight + nodes[tree2]->weight;
-		nodes[tree1]->value = NULL;
-		nodes[tree1]->left = tmp;
-		nodes[tree1]->right = nodes[tree2];
+		if (tree1 > tree2) {
+			shift_nodes (nodes, count, tree1);
+			shift_nodes (nodes, count, tree2);
+		} else {
+			shift_nodes (nodes, count, tree2);
+			shift_nodes (nodes, count, tree1);
+		}
 
-		nodes[tree2]->weight = -1;
+		nodes[count - 2] = tmp;
 	}
 
-	return nodes[tree1];
+	return nodes[0];
 }
 
 void *

huffman.rb

@@ -68,8 +68,15 @@ class NodeQueue
       node1 = self.find_smallest(-1)
       node2 = self.find_smallest(node1)
       new = merge_nodes(@nodes[node1], @nodes[node2])
-      @nodes[node1] = new
-      @nodes.delete_at(node2)
+      if node1 > node2
+        @nodes.delete_at(node1)
+        @nodes.delete_at(node2)
+      else
+        @nodes.delete_at(node2)
+        @nodes.delete_at(node1)
+      end
+
+      @nodes << new
     end
     @huffman_root = @nodes.first
   end