From: Jeff Rose <rosejn@...>
Date: 2006-05-28T18:41:54+09:00
Subject: Re: object.reference_count

gene.tani@gmail.com wrote:
> Jeff Rose wrote:
>> Timothy Hunter wrote:
>>> Jeff Rose wrote:
>>>> Tim Hunter wrote:
>>>>> Jeff Rose wrote:
>>>>>> Is there a way to get the current reference count for an object?
>>>>> AFAIK Ruby doesn't keep track of the reference count. If you're
>>>>> coming from Python, keep in mind that Ruby uses a mark-and-sweep GC,
>>>>> which is fundamentally different from Python's.
>>>>>
>>>> Aha.  Didn't think about that.  Are there callbacks or anything you
>>>> can use to implement reference counting without having to use special
>>>> methods for referencing an object?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Why don't you describe what it is you're trying to do?
>> Just wondering...
> 
> if you're using google groups you need to search the archives of
> comp.lang.ruby, not ruby-talk
> http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.ruby/browse_frm/thread/c9530bf2d5d892a3?tvc=1

Huh?  I'm on the mailing list, and in googling around I didn't find 
information on reference counting, which makes sense given the garbage 
collector used.

This spawned from a conversation with a friend who was working in C++ on 
a system that is all reference count based.  He asked how it would work 
in ruby, and I didn't know.

Thanks for the help Tim.

-Jeff