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Memory leak via obj-c - markhula - Apr 17, 2011 07:55 AM
Hi all,
I'm no fan of obj-c; I avoid it like the plague.
Instruments seems to suggest I am getting a memory leak here:
NSData *readstream = [[NSData alloc] initWithBytes:mystream->buf length:mystream->size];
I *presume* the nsdata alloc is never released. How do I release it??
< Yeah I know it's simple if your an obj-c fan>
Cheers!
Ok, I think I can answer this myself :-)
I added [readstream release];
I presume that's correct; leak seems to be gone.
The whole obj-c memory alloc/dealloc is the biggest mess I think I have ever seen. Does anyone actually think it's well implemented???; seems like a right mare!
Cheers
RE: Memory leak via obj-c - OneSadCookie - Apr 17, 2011 08:04 AM
The basic rules of ObjC memory management:
you own a reference to an object you +alloc, -copy, or -retain.
you must -release or -autorelease each object you own a reference to when you're done with it.
corollary:
if you don't want someone else to -release an object, you need to -retain or -copy it, eg. when you assign it to an object's field.
As you can see from the rules, it's not a mess at all. It's vastly simpler than any other scheme I've met other than actual garbage collection.
RE: Memory leak via obj-c - markhula - Apr 17, 2011 08:17 AM
Yo OSC,
I did get the jist of it when I first looked into OBJ-C. It just seems to be the number 1 thing that trips people up and causes memory leaks. The basic premise you suggest is of course correct; perhaps it's more the way it's implemented in obj-c that makes it feel clunky. Always feel like you are heading for a memory leak with it.
Cheers
RE: Memory leak via obj-c - OneSadCookie - Apr 17, 2011 09:32 AM
In my experience, memory leaks in ObjC are far rarer, and when present, far easier to find and fix, than in manual memory management environments like C and C++. The rules are almost trivial, and quickly become completely habitual. Only reference cycles require thought, and they require thought in any manual memory management environment.
RE: Memory leak via obj-c - SethWillits - Apr 17, 2011 01:35 PM
(Apr 17, 2011 07:55 AM)markhula Wrote: The whole obj-c memory alloc/dealloc is the biggest mess I think I have ever seen. Does anyone actually think it's well implemented???; seems like a right mare!
It's really simple. Not as simple as garbage collection, but it really isn't difficult or a nightmare at all. Any hatred you have for Obj-C I think must be purely based on biased unfamiliarity
.Keith's rules cover it well. That's really all it comes down to. The corollary is worded a bit funny though…