Code without effect (wx demo TreeCtrl.py ImageList)

[Steve Holden]

Martin Drautzburg wrote:

> In the wx demoy TreeCtrl.py I find the following code, that should
> have no effect but seems to be needed nevertheless.
> 
> class TestTreeCtrlPanel(wx.Panel):
>     def __init__(self, parent, log):
>         [...}
>         self.tree = MyTreeCtrl(self, tID, wx.DefaultPosition, ...
>         isz = (16,16)
>         il = wx.ImageList(isz[0], isz[1])
>         fldridx = il.Add(wx.ArtProvider_GetBitmap(wx.ART_FOLDER, wx.ART...
>         [...]
> 
>         self.tree.SetImageList(il)
> -->     self.il = il
>     
> What is the effect of the last statement? self.il is not used
> anywhere. I used similar code in my application and it crashes unless
> I assign the image list to the parent panel. The name of the attribute
> does not seem to matter. I can write self.foo=il just as well, but
> without it it crashes.

You will probably find that without that reference to the image list it 
will be garbage-collected while the images are still beign displayed, 
leading to results that are at best unpredictable and at worst fatal to 
your program.

regards
  Steve
-- 
Steve Holden               http://www.holdenweb.com/
Python Web Programming  http://pydish.holdenweb.com/
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