Subj : Re: System resource wrapping
To   : netscape.public.mozilla.jseng
From : Ludovic Delabre
Date : Thu Feb 10 2005 06:46 pm

Hello!
Why do you think the GC would destroy object "like that" ? I assume that 
object are always kept alive as long as they are referenced - that's the 
point of a GC, no ?

Ludovic.

Matthew Mondor wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have created a custom class with SpiderMonkey which needs to wrap a
> filedescriptor internally. When the object is constructed, it allocates
> necessary system resources, including opening a file and storing the
> filedescriptor.  This data is stored in the private member of the
> object, and retreived by other related methods of that class.  This
> seems to be working well so far, however I have been wondering:
> 
> Since these objects hold a filedescriptor to an open file, and that
> there is a close() method which the caller uses at will to free that
> resource, is it possible for GC operation in some circumstances to call
> the finalizer function of that object inadvertantly?  If so, I can close
> all resources in the finalizer, but wouldn't the user like magically
> loose it's object at times?
> 
> Since this is sortof a user script controlled resource, unlike most
> temporary objects which can be discarded implicitely, these need to be
> discarded explicitely in general.  Does this mean that I should use
> something like JS_AddRoot() to prevent any kind of inadvertent GC
> operation on them?  I.E. is this a proper candidate to be added to the
> root.
> 
> Thanks,
> Matt

.