I get your point @inaelrodrigues. Honestly, I chose the same answer. For me, after line 3, the references a, b and c point to null, so the object itself is eligible for garbage collection from that point (line 3) and not later.
Well, the object will be available for GC only after the assignment b = a = null; is executed not before. If you say, at line //3, it could also mean just before b = a = null; because that is also technically line marked //3.
The point is, the whole statement b = a = null; is at line //3 so it would be incorrect to say that the object will be eligible for gc at that line. Only thing that is certain is that right after line //3, it will be eligible for GC.
HTH,
Paul.
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Sorry, I was looking at the wrong code. I checked this question again and the given answer I.e. "never in this method", is correct. Please go through the given explanation.
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I get your point @inaelrodrigues. Honestly, I chose the same answer. For me, after line 3, the references a, b and c point to null, so the object itself is eligible for garbage collection from that point (line 3) and not later.
Regards,
Guillaume
c doesn't point to null, it points to the object created in line XXX.
Can you tell me if this line creates 2 different objects (with c and d pointing to two seperate objects) or does this create just 1 object (with c and d pointing to the same object).
I think it creates 2 different objects and not 1. Am I correct?
public int getObject(Object a) //0
{
Object b = new Object(); //XXX
Object c, d = new Object(); //1
c = b; //2
b = a = null; //3
return 0; //4
} // 5
in this code, when is XXX eligible for garbage collection ? after line 5 ?
can you also tell me , once control is abruptly returned back after line 4 back to the caller, when actually is the scope of this method over ?
Scope of a method is always from opening bracket to closing bracket.
Object will be eligible to be GCed after line //4 itself. The difference between //4 and //5 is not important for the purpose of the exam.
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and one more clarification .
if instead of return c, if we had return (c=null);
then on this line itself the object would become eligible for garbage collection right ? i.e. after the expression (c=null ) is evaluated . since before the full statement return (c=null); is complete, when (c=null ) is evaluated itself its eligible for GC.
Once a method returns all the variables that it created are gone. The stack space (where all the automatic variables are kept) is cleared up and reclaimed. So there is no question of a variable hanging on to an object after the method returns.
based on this explanation (from another question 7.2.921) i should think that object can be garbage collected after "return" statement i.e. after line 4.
Where am i wrong?
The variables of this method are indeed gone after the method returns. But in this case the return statement returns the reference to the object to the caller.
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Because it can be determined the object can never be garbage collected in this method. Option 4 and 5 are contradictory. So, if 4 is correct, 5 cannot be correct.
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Hi,I get your point @inaelrodrigues. Honestly,
I chose the same answer.
For me, after line 3, the references a, b and c point to null, so the object itself is eligible for garbage collection from that point (line 3) and not later.