Reassigning variable to new object destroys old one?

[woger151]

If I write
$x = new some_class($ini t_data1);
and then
$x = new some_class($ini t_data2);

does the first object (constructed with $init_data1) get destroyed, or
do I have to call unset() for that? And am I guaranteed that after
the second call the value of $x will be as if the first call was never
made?

I tried using var_dump within a for loop to see what was happening
(ie, using "new" and assigning it to the same variable name everyt
ime), and in the printout I get stuff like
object(some_cla ss)#1
alternating with
object(some_cla ss)#2

If I call unset(), I don't get the #2. I'm assuming that (in the case
I don't call unset()) PHP is destroying the variable every other
iteration due to some kind of garbage collection algorithm. And the
"#1" and "#2" refer to the actual object being referenced.

TIA

[ZeldorBlat]

On Apr 30, 10:35 am, woger...@jqpx37 .cotse.net wrote:

If I write
$x = new some_class($ini t_data1);
and then
$x = new some_class($ini t_data2);

does the first object (constructed with $init_data1) get destroyed, or
do I have to call unset() for that? And am I guaranteed that after
the second call the value of $x will be as if the first call was never
made?

I tried using var_dump within a for loop to see what was happening
(ie, using "new" and assigning it to the same variable name everyt
ime), and in the printout I get stuff like
object(some_cla ss)#1
alternating with
object(some_cla ss)#2

If I call unset(), I don't get the #2. I'm assuming that (in the case
I don't call unset()) PHP is destroying the variable every other
iteration due to some kind of garbage collection algorithm. And the
"#1" and "#2" refer to the actual object being referenced.

TIA

The object is automatically destroyed when nothing is referencing it.
When you assign the second instance to $x, there is nothing left
referencing the first instance.

There was another thread on this subject recently:
<http://groups.google.com/group/comp....se_frm/thread/
7046181c4c50726 3/3e766edeeebbd5f 5#3e766edeeebbd 5f5>

[Tyno Gendo]

ZeldorBlat wrote:

The object is automatically destroyed when nothing is referencing it.
When you assign the second instance to $x, there is nothing left
referencing the first instance.

There was another thread on this subject recently:
<http://groups.google.com/group/comp....se_frm/thread/
7046181c4c50726 3/3e766edeeebbd5f 5#3e766edeeebbd 5f5>

At the risk of starting the $a++ thread again ... hehe

I believe that will be why $a = $a++; doesn't work.

The PHP manual should say $a++ "Returns value of $a" not "Returns $a..."
which to me infers it returns itself as a reference and the ++ should work.

But, returns value of a, hence $a overwrites itself, and the ++ tries to
take effect on the original which now has no references so doesn't exist.

Umm... Monday afternoon.. I'm bored and perplexed at the same time.

I don't think that helped you, sorry. I'll get my coat.

[Toby A Inkster]

ZeldorBlat wrote:

The object is automatically destroyed when nothing is referencing it.
When you assign the second instance to $x, there is nothing left
referencing the first instance.

This isn't strictly true. There may still be other references to the
object floating about.

class Foo
{
public static $primary_instan ce = NULL;
public $val;

public function __construct ($n)
{
if (!isset(self::$ primary_instanc e))
self::$primary_ instance = $this;
$this->val = $n;
}

public function carp ()
{
echo $this->val . "\n";
}
}

$x = new Foo(123); // First Foo object

$x = new Foo(456); // Replacement Foo object
$x->carp();

// But the first one is still hanging around
// because another reference to it exists.
Foo::$primary_i nstance->carp();

--
Toby A Inkster BSc (Hons) ARCS
http://tobyinkster.co.uk/
Geek of ~ HTML/SQL/Perl/PHP/Python/Apache/Linux

[ZeldorBlat]

On Apr 30, 12:40 pm, Toby A Inkster <usenet200...@t obyinkster.co.u k>
wrote:

ZeldorBlat wrote:

The object is automatically destroyed when nothing is referencing it.
When you assign the second instance to $x, there is nothing left
referencing the first instance.

This isn't strictly true. There may still be other references to the
object floating about.

class Foo
{
public static $primary_instan ce = NULL;
public $val;

public function __construct ($n)
{
if (!isset(self::$ primary_instanc e))
self::$primary_ instance = $this;
$this->val = $n;
}

public function carp ()
{
echo $this->val . "\n";
}

}

$x = new Foo(123); // First Foo object

$x = new Foo(456); // Replacement Foo object
$x->carp();

// But the first one is still hanging around
// because another reference to it exists.
Foo::$primary_i nstance->carp();

--
Toby A Inkster BSc (Hons) ARCShttp://tobyinkster.co. uk/
Geek of ~ HTML/SQL/Perl/PHP/Python/Apache/Linux

Right -- so, like I said, the object is destroyed when nothing is
referencing it.

[Toby A Inkster]

ZeldorBlat wrote:

Right -- so, like I said, the object is destroyed when nothing is
referencing it.

But you also said:

When you assign the second instance to $x, there is nothing left
referencing the first instance.

Which is not necessarily correct.

--
Toby A Inkster BSc (Hons) ARCS
http://tobyinkster.co.uk/
Geek of ~ HTML/SQL/Perl/PHP/Python/Apache/Linux

[woger151]

On Apr 30, 10:43 am, ZeldorBlat <zeldorb...@gma il.comwrote:

On Apr 30, 10:35 am, woger...@jqpx37 .cotse.net wrote:

If I write
$x = new some_class($ini t_data1);
and then
$x = new some_class($ini t_data2);

does the first object (constructed with $init_data1) get destroyed, or
do I have to call unset() for that? And am I guaranteed that after
the second call the value of $x will be as if the first call was never
made?

I tried using var_dump within a for loop to see what was happening
(ie, using "new" and assigning it to the same variable name everyt
ime), and in the printout I get stuff like
object(some_cla ss)#1
alternating with
object(some_cla ss)#2

If I call unset(), I don't get the #2. I'm assuming that (in the case
I don't call unset()) PHP is destroying the variable every other
iteration due to some kind of garbage collection algorithm. And the
"#1" and "#2" refer to the actual object being referenced.

TIA

The object is automatically destroyed when nothing is referencing it.
When you assign the second instance to $x, there is nothing left
referencing the first instance.

There was another thread on this subject recently:
<http://groups.google.com/group/comp....se_frm/thread/
7046181c4c50726 3/3e766edeeebbd5f 5#3e766edeeebbd 5f5>- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Great---thanks for the informative reply.