Hi List,
=20
is there a way to tell the GC that an object isn't needed anymore?
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There is a rb_force_recycle which may do the trick, but I found no
way to access it from ruby.
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(and of course this shouldn't be necessary in 'most' situations)
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cheers
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Simon
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=20
The cleanest way i can think of would be to set the references to nil,
and call GC.start. This will not in every case collect the object
(because there may be something looking like a reference in some
register).
As an insane idea maybe you could use something like weakref to
channel all pointers through one object if you're program logic may
hold some unused references somewhere. (Though getting rid of the
unused references may make more sense).
E.g.:
$ cat collectme.rb
class Collectme
def initialize
@data =3D Array.new(2**18)
end
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def hello
puts "I'm big!"
end
end
class Collected
class << self
alias :_new :new =20
end
def self.new
@@instance ||=3D _new
end
end
class CollectProxy
def initialize(object)
@_object =3D object
end
def method_missing(m, *args, &block)
raise "Already collected" if @_object =3D=3D Collected.new
@_object.__send__(m, *args, &block)
end
def respond_to?(*m)
raise "Already collected" if @_object =3D=3D Collected.new
super(*m) || @_object.respond_to?(*m)
end
def methods
super() + @_object.methods
end
def garbage_collect
@_object =3D Collected.new
GC.start
end
end
puts "Memory before allocation:"
system "ps -o vsize -p #{$$}"
my_big_objects =3D Array.new(12) { CollectProxy.new(Collectme.new) }
puts "Memory after allocation:"
system "ps -o vsize -p #{$$}"
my_big_objects.each do | my_big_object | my_big_object.hello end
puts "Memory after call:"
system "ps -o vsize -p #{$$}"
my_big_objects.each do | my_big_object | my_big_object.garbage_collect end
puts "Memory after collect:"
system "ps -o vsize -p #{$$}"
puts "Calling collected object"
my_big_objects.each do | my_big_object | my_big_object.hello end
$ ruby collectme.rb=20
Memory before allocation:
VSZ
3084
Memory after allocation:
VSZ
15420
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
I'm big!
Memory after call:
VSZ
15420
Memory after collect:
VSZ
4112
Calling collected object
collectme.rb:29:in `method_missing': Already collected (RuntimeError)
from collectme.rb:68
from collectme.rb:68:in `each'
from collectme.rb:68
but this is just for fun.
regards,
Brian
--=20
http://ruby.brian-schroeder.de/
Stringed instrument chords:
http://chordlist.brian-schroeder.de/