Garbage Collector Doubt

[CristOm]

Hi,
I'm studying to become java programmer certification exam, and I faced this 'self test question' (taken from the SCJP Sun Certified Programmer for java 6-0071591060 book, page No. 277):
Given:
/*-----------------------------------------------------------------*/
class CardBoard {
Short story = 200;
CardBoard go(CardBoard cb) {
cb = null;
return cb;
}

public static void main(String[] args) {
CardBoard c1 = new CardBoard();
CardBoard c2 = new CardBoard();
CardBoard c3 = c1.go(c2);
c1 = null;
// do Stuff
}
}
/*------------------------------------------------------------------*/
When // doStuff is reached, how many objects are eligible for the Garbage Collector?

...
The answer the book gives me is : Only one CardBoard (object (c1)) is eligible and its Short wrapper object.


So, my worry is:
What happend with the c2 and c3 objects.
I can even use the object referenced by the c2 object after being used (= null) in the go method of c1. How can this happend?

Could somebody help me out, explaining me what is really occurring here.
Sorry for my english vocabulary.

[j2me64]

Could somebody help me out, explaining me what is really occurring here.

the right answer is C. 2, that means that 2 objects are eligible by the gc. c3 has a null reference and also c1 so this 2 objects are eligible.

[JosAH]

the right answer is C. 2, that means that 2 objects are eligible by the gc. c3 has a null reference and also c1 so this 2 objects are eligible.

That is not true; Java has pass by value so setting a parameter to null doesn't affect any original object passed in. c1 is set to null in the last statement so it's a prey for the garbage collector (including its Short member object).

kind regards,

Jos

[CristOm]

Now I understand the context of java passing values.
As the book says : "And that means, pass-by-copy-of the-variable!"
Page 214. (Does Java Use Pass-By-Value Semantics?)

I thought that when the go() method was executed it was going to make a null reference of the reference passed to it.

Thanks a lot JosAH.

[JosAH]

Now I understand the context of java passing values.
As the book says : "And that means, pass-by-copy-of the-variable!"
Page 214. (Does Java Use Pass-By-Value Semantics?)

I thought that when the go() method was executed it was going to make a null reference of the reference passed to it.

Thanks a lot JosAH.

You're welcome of course; you ask one thing and learn something else, that's how a bit of research works ;-)

kind regards,

Jos

[j2me64]

That is not true; Java has pass by value so setting a parameter to null doesn't affect any original object passed in.

what is not true? i never affirmed that java has a pass by reference. but look at the code: from the main method you call CardBoard c3 = c1.go(c2); and the return value is null and the value null is set in the main method and not in a subroutine. so also c3 is null and eligible.

[CristOm]

what is not true? i never affirmed that java has a pass by reference. but look at the code: from the main method you call CardBoard c3 = c1.go(c2); and the return value is null and the value null is set in the main method and not in a subroutine. so also c3 is null and eligible.

c3 is not eligible because there has never existed an 'object' for the 'reference' c3 as c1 have.

CardBoard c1 = new CardBoard(); (An object in memory)
CardBoard c2 = new CardBoard(); (Another object in memory)
CardBoard c3 = c1.go(c2); (Java has never created an object for c3 at this point)
Just a reference to 'nothing' (no eligible object).

You can give it a try; c2 is still alive after the " // do Stuff" section.
c3 cannot be accessed because it has no a reference to anything.

[j2me64]

the possible answers are

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. Compilation fails
E. It is not possible to know
F. An exception is thrown at runtime.

the right answer has nothing to do with pass-by-value. i cite the scjp-book p. 277

C is correct. Only one CardBoard object (c1) is eligible, but it has an associated Short wrapper object that is also eligible.

now it should be clear from where the second object come from.

[JosAH]

the possible answers are

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. Compilation fails
E. It is not possible to know
F. An exception is thrown at runtime.

the right answer has nothing to do with pass-by-value. i cite the scjp-book p. 277



now it should be clear from where the second object come from.

Your reply #6 suggested that the object referred to by c3 could also be garbage collected; c3 doesn't and didn't point to an object. It is true that only c1 (and its member Short object) can be garbage collected. Your wordings possibly confused me.

kind regards,

Jos

[Tolls]

c3 has a null reference and also c1 so this 2 objects are eligible.

Confused you?
He's clearly saying c3 is eligible for collection...

Yes, the answer is two, but not for the reasons stated in that quote.