[Python-Dev] Re: [Patches] Reference cycle collection for Python

[nascheme@enme.ucalgary.ca]

On Wed, Mar 01, 2000 at 06:07:07PM +0100, Vladimir Marangozov wrote:
> Guido van Rossum wrote:
> > Once we reach the end of the second list, all objects still left in
> > the first list are garbage.  We can destroy them in a similar to the
> > way Neil does this in his code.  Neil calls PyDict_Clear on the
> > dictionaries, and ignores the rest.  Under Neils assumption that all
> > cycles (that he detects) involve dictionaries, that is sufficient.  In
> > our case, we may need a type-specific "clear" function for containers
> > in the type object.
> 
> Couldn't this be done in the object's dealloc function?

No, I don't think so.  The object still has references to it.
You have to be careful about how you break cycles so that memory
is not accessed after it is freed.


    Neil

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