Segmentation Fault in deleting a node - c++

Question

I have a C++ Code that just manipulates basic linked list - add a new node, delete a node and view the list
//UNIX Environment
#include <iostream>
#include <malloc.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#define clear() printf("\033[H\033[J")
using namespace std;
struct node
{
int val;
node *next;
};
struct node* head = NULL;
void add_node(struct node *hea)
{
char f;
int val;
cout<<"Enter value : ";
cin>>val;
if(head==NULL)
{
head = new(struct node);
head->val = val;
head->next = NULL;
}
else
{
node *traverser = hea;
node *traverser_prev = NULL;
while(traverser!=NULL)
{
traverser_prev = traverser;
traverser=traverser->next;
}
traverser = new(struct node);
traverser->val = val;
traverser->next = NULL;
traverser_prev->next=traverser;
}
cout<<"\nEnter Y to return : ";
cin>>f;
while(f!='Y')
{
cout<<"Wrong entry.Enter again : ";
cin>>f;
}
return;
}
void view_list(struct node *hea)
{
char f;
node *traverser = hea;
while(traverser!=NULL)
{
cout<<traverser->val<<" ";
traverser=traverser->next;
}
cout<<"\nEnter Y to return : ";
cin>>f;
while(f!='Y')
{
cout<<"Wrong entry.Enter again : ";
cin>>f;
}
return;
}
void delete_node(node *hea)
{
char f;
int del_value;
cout<<"Enter value to be deleted :";
cin>>del_value;
node *traverser = hea;
cout<<"OK1\n";
node* traverser_prev = NULL;
cout<<"OK2\n";
while(traverser!=NULL)
{
if(traverser->val==del_value)
{
if(traverser==hea)
{
hea=traverser->next;
cout<<"Here cond1\n";
delete traverser;
}
else
{
traverser_prev->next = traverser->next;
cout<<"Here cond2\n";
}
}
else
{
traverser_prev = traverser;
traverser = traverser->next;
cout<<"Here cond3\n";
}
}
cout<<"\nEnter Y to return : ";
cin>>f;
while(f!='Y')
{
cout<<"Wrong entry.Enter again : ";
cin>>f;
}
return;
}
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
while(1)
{
clear();
int choice;
cout<<"POINTER BASICS\n";
cout<<"1. Add new element\n";
cout<<"2. View elements\n";
cout<<"3. Delete element\n";
cout<<"4. Exit\n";
cout<<"Enter choice: ";
cin>>choice;
switch(choice)
{
case 1: add_node(head);
break;
case 2: view_list(head);
break;
case 3: delete_node(head);
break;
default:break;
}
if(choice==4)
break;
}
}
However, whenever I try to delete node, it throws me a segmentation fault error with core dumped. What is the reason for the error?

Answer 1

One problem is that in the delete_node function you pass the list head by value, which means that the pointer is copied and inside the function you only modify the copy.
There are two solutions: Either don't use the argument at all and only use the global variable, or pass the argument by reference:
void delete_node(node*& hea)

Answer 2

Is it possible that when you are executing the line
traverser_prev->next = traverser->next;
traverser_prev == NULL?