How to fix this non-recursive odd-even-merge sort algorithm?

Question

I was searching for non-recursive odd-even-merge sort algorithm and found 2 sources:

• a book from Sedgewick R.
• this SO question

Both alg

Answer 1

The following code works for arrays of any size and isn't recursive. It is a straight port from the implementation of the corresponding function in Perl's Algorithm::Networksort module. The implementation happens to correspond to the algorithm as described by Knuth in The Art of Computer Programming, vol 3 (algorithm 5.2.2M). It doesn't help to actually fix your algorithm, but it at least gives you a working non-recursive implementation of Batcher's odd-even mergesort with only three nested loops :)

#include 
#include 

void oddeven_merge_sort(int length)
{
    int t = ceil(log2(length));
    int p = pow(2, t - 1);

    while (p > 0) {
        int q = pow(2, t - 1);
        int r = 0;
        int d = p;

        while (d > 0) {
            for (int i = 0 ; i < length - d ; ++i) {
                if ((i & p) == r) {
                    printf("%2i cmp %2i\n", i, i + d);
                }
            }

            d = q - p;
            q /= 2;
            r = p;
        }
        p /= 2;
    }
}

If you can get your hands on a copy of The Art of Computer Programming, vol 3, you will have a nice explanation of how and why the algorithm works, as well as a few additional details.