From: Robert Klemme <bob.news@...>
Date: 2003-12-09T00:12:03+09:00
Subject: Re: WeakRef and Object#hash


"ts" <decoux@moulon.inra.fr> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:200312081429.hB8ETig01761@moulon.inra.fr...
> >>>>> "R" == Robert Klemme <bob.news@gmx.net> writes:
>
> R> Hm, not sure what exactly you mean.
>
>  matz is trying to say that it's hard to know if a variable will be
gc'ed,
>  because internally ruby can have reference to the object that you are
not
>  aware.

Aha.  But "WeakRef.new Object.new" is not supposed to generate any side
effects that create additional references to the newly created instance of
class Object, is it?  At least not, if WeakRef#initialize is unmodified.

> R>                                    I was assuming, the line
> R> wr = WeakRef.new Object.new
> R> leads to exactly one ref (the weak ref to be precise) to the
instance.
>
>  yes, it has only one ref. Now write it (like in the original example)
>
>    class WeakRef; end
>    wr = WeakRef.new Object.new
>
>  and if you are lucky the variable will not be gc'ed because internally
>  ruby has a reference to it.

To prevent misunderstandings: I was talking about the Object instance, not
"wr".  Currently I can't see how opening class WeakRef and closing it
without doing anything else affects the references to the newly created
Object instance.  Could you please clarify this?  Thanks a lot!

Regards

    robert