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ReferenceCounting

Files
file	IotrRefCount.h
file	SmartPointer.h
Compounds
class	IotrRefCount
class	SmartPointer
Functions
template<class T> void	IotrRelease (T **obj)
template<class T> void	IotrAddRef (T *const *obj)
template<class T> void	SpNil (SmartPointer< T > &sp)
template<class T> void	SpReferTo (SmartPointer< T > &sp, T *obj)
template<class T> T *	SpAsPointer (SmartPointer< T > &sp)
void	release (IotrRefCount **obj)
void	addRef (IotrRefCount *const *obj)

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Detailed Description

Code to support reference-count garbage collection.

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Function Documentation

void IotrRefCount::addRef (  IotrRefCount *const *    obj )  [inline, static, inherited]

Increment the reference count of this object: it is more convenient to call the template function IotrAddRef(). The parameter obj contains the address of a pointer of type exactly (IotrRefCount *). In other words it can't be a pointer to an instance of a subclass. IotrAddRef() does not have this restriction. See also: IotrAddRef

template<class T> void IotrAddRef (  T *const *    obj )  [inline]

Increments the reference count of obj. Objects are only deleted when their reference count becomes zero, so this call must be balanced by a call to IotrRelease to decrement the reference count when this object is no longer needed. Parameters: obj  the address of a pointer to the object whose reference count is to be incremented. The pointer (*obj) will be unaltered. See also: IotrRelease

template<class T> void IotrRelease (  T **    obj )  [inline]

Release a reference to an object. If the number of references to obj becomes zero, delete the object. Parameters: obj  the address of a pointer to the object to be released. On exit, this pointer (*obj) will be set to nil.

void IotrRefCount::release (  IotrRefCount **    obj )  [inline, static, inherited]

Release this reference to obj: it is more convenient to call the template function IotrRelease(). The parameter obj contains the address of a pointer of type exactly (IotrRefCount *). In other words it can't be a pointer to an instance of a subclass. IotrRelease() does not have this restriction. See also: IotrRelease.

template<class T> T* SpAsPointer (  SmartPointer< T > &    sp )  [inline]

Call SpAsPointer instead; returns a traditional pointer to the underlying object. This pointer has its reference count incremented so that it will continue to exist after the SmartPointer goes out of scope. Use this method to return a pointer to the object, or to create a new traditional pointer reference to the object

template<class T> void SpNil (  SmartPointer< T > &    sp )  [inline]

Set a SmartPointer to nil.

template<class T> void SpReferTo (  SmartPointer< T > &    sp, T *    obj )  [inline]

Make a SmartPointer refer to the same object as a traditional pointer. The reference count is incremented. Use this function to keep a reference to a parameter of a routine.

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