Binary Tree deletion setting to NULL after freeing

Question

I'm performing binary tree deletion in c.I was trying out few methods interestingly this weird situation came.

void Delete(){
    struct BinaryTree* ptr = root;
    int element;
    printf("Enter element to delete : ");
    scanf("%d",&element);
    while(ptr){
        if(element>ptr->data)
            ptr = ptr->right;
        else if(element<ptr->data)
            ptr = ptr->left;
        else
            break;
    }
    if(ptr->left && ptr->right){
        struct BinaryTree **smallest = &(ptr);
        smallest = &((*smallest)->right);
        while((*smallest)->left){
            smallest = &((*smallest)->left);
        }
        ptr->data = (*smallest)->data;
        free(*smallest);
        *smallest = NULL;

    } else if(ptr->left){
            /*rest cases*/
    }

}

The above code works and it sets the the NODE to NULL.

But when i do this procedure in this way it doesn't set to NULL.

if(ptr->left && ptr->right){
    struct BinaryTree *smallest = ptr;
    smallest = smallest->right;
    while(smallest->left){
        smallest = smallest->left;
    }
    ptr->data = smallest->data;
    struct BinaryTree **refsmall = &smallest;
    free(*refsmall);
    *refsmall = NULL;
}

Aren't these two methods are same? If not can someone explain me how they are different?Why the first method work and second didn't?

Answer 1

You should avoid using global variables in your code. If you really want to use globals the first version of delete should look like this:

void Delete(){
    /* at some point you will need to change the 'real' root, not the copy of it */
    struct BinaryTree **ptr = &root;
    int element;
    printf("Enter element to delete : ");
    scanf("%d",&element);
    while(*ptr){
        if(element > (*ptr)->data)
            ptr = &(*ptr)->right;
        else if(element < (*ptr)->data)
            ptr = &(*ptr)->left;
        else
            break;
    }
    if((*ptr)->left && (*ptr)->right){
        struct BinaryTree **smallest = ptr;
        smallest = &(*smallest)->right;
        while((*smallest)->left){
            smallest = &(*smallest)->left;
        }
        (*ptr)->data = (*smallest)->data;
        free(*smallest);
        *smallest = NULL;

    } else if((*ptr)->left){
            /*rest cases*/
    }
}

In the first version you would not be able to delete the root.