Reassigning an array of a class.

[MS]

Hi,

In my Genetic Algorithm program, I have a class called Genome. Another
class called GA has a class variable called 'population' which is an array
of type Genome.

One of the methods in GA, called CreateNextGeneration(), creates a local
array of class Genome called 'nextGeneration', and at the end of that
method I want the class variable 'population' to hold the array
'nextGeneration'.

Is it as simple as?

population = nextGeneration;

At the moment class Genome contains a copy method, and I have a loop which
copies all the Genomes in 'nextGeneration' to 'population' (the 2 arrays
are always the same size). This is obviously ineffecient, but I was
worried about what memory and garbage collection overheads there would be
it I used the line:

population = nextGeneration;

Should using this line be ok?

Many thanks,

MS

[Eric Sosman]

MS wrote:

Hi,

In my Genetic Algorithm program, I have a class called Genome. Another
class called GA has a class variable called 'population' which is an array
of type Genome.

One of the methods in GA, called CreateNextGeneration(), creates a local
array of class Genome called 'nextGeneration', and at the end of that
method I want the class variable 'population' to hold the array
'nextGeneration'.

Is it as simple as?

population = nextGeneration;

At the moment class Genome contains a copy method, and I have a loop which
copies all the Genomes in 'nextGeneration' to 'population' (the 2 arrays
are always the same size). This is obviously ineffecient, but I was
worried about what memory and garbage collection overheads there would be
it I used the line:

population = nextGeneration;

Should using this line be ok?

Yes. Neither `population' nor `nextGeneration' is
actually an array; both are references to array objects.
Here's a crude schematic:

population -> [a,b,c]

nextGeneration -> [x,y,z]

When you execute `population = nextGeneration' you redirect
the upper arrow to point to the lower array object. If there
are no other references to the upper array, it becomes
eligible for garbage collection.

--
Er*********@sun.com

[MS]

> Yes. Neither `population' nor `nextGeneration' is

actually an array; both are references to array objects.
Here's a crude schematic:

population -> [a,b,c]

nextGeneration -> [x,y,z]

When you execute `population = nextGeneration' you redirect
the upper arrow to point to the lower array object. If there
are no other references to the upper array, it becomes
eligible for garbage collection.

Many thanks Eric.

[Nigel Wade]

Eric Sosman wrote:

MS wrote:

Hi,

In my Genetic Algorithm program, I have a class called Genome. Another
class called GA has a class variable called 'population' which is an array of type Genome.

One of the methods in GA, called CreateNextGeneration(), creates a local
array of class Genome called 'nextGeneration', and at the end of that
method I want the class variable 'population' to hold the array
'nextGeneration'.

Is it as simple as?

population = nextGeneration;

At the moment class Genome contains a copy method, and I have a loop which copies all the Genomes in 'nextGeneration' to 'population' (the 2 arrays
are always the same size). This is obviously ineffecient, but I was
worried about what memory and garbage collection overheads there would be
it I used the line:

population = nextGeneration;

Should using this line be ok?

Yes. Neither `population' nor `nextGeneration' is
actually an array; both are references to array objects.
Here's a crude schematic:

population -> [a,b,c]

nextGeneration -> [x,y,z]

When you execute `population = nextGeneration' you redirect
the upper arrow to point to the lower array object. If there
are no other references to the upper array, it becomes
eligible for garbage collection.

One important point though, is that after 'population = nextGeneration' both
population and nextGeneration refer to the *same* array.

If your CreateNextGeneration() method simply "populates" the array
nextGeneration, then you will also change the data which population refers
to. You need to make sure that CreateNextGeneration() creates a new array.

--
Nigel Wade, System Administrator, Space Plasma Physics Group,
University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
E-mail : nm*@ion.le.ac.uk
Phone : [phone], Fax : [phone]

[MS]

>> Yes. Neither `population' nor `nextGeneration' is

actually an array; both are references to array objects.
Here's a crude schematic:

population -> [a,b,c]

nextGeneration -> [x,y,z]

When you execute `population = nextGeneration' you redirect
the upper arrow to point to the lower array object. If there
are no other references to the upper array, it becomes
eligible for garbage collection.

One important point though, is that after 'population = nextGeneration' both
population and nextGeneration refer to the *same* array.

If your CreateNextGeneration() method simply "populates" the array
nextGeneration, then you will also change the data which population refers
to. You need to make sure that CreateNextGeneration() creates a new array.

Thanks.

CreateNextGeneration() does create a new local array, nextGeneration, and
fills it with new Genomes. It does some stuff and then finally reassigns
population: 'population = nextGegeration;'.

Cheers,

MS