Memory problem created by macro sum example?

[webwrx]

Page 245 says - the following macro lets you easily create new fractions...

Code: (Objective-C)

#define MakeFract(x,y) ([[Fraction alloc] initWith: x over: y])

Then you can write expressions such as ... or even

Code: (Objective-C)

sum = [MakeFract (n1, d1) add: MakeFract (n2, f2)];

Am I correct in thinking this particular example would create a memory leak problem because you've just created two new objects without a name, therefore no way of releasing them (that I know of at this stage)?

Cheers...
Ben

[skochan]

Ben,

Excellent catch!  You're right, the handles to the fractions are lost in the example.  You could define

Code: (Objective-C)

MakeFract

this way instead:

Code: (Objective-C)

#define MakeFract(x,y) ([[[Fraction alloc] initWith: x over: y] autorelease])

except autorelease really hasn't been covered by this point in the text.

Cheers,

Steve Kochan

[webwrx]

Phew! I think I'm starting to "get" all this stuff.

I've only ever had experience with BASIC previously - and that was many years ago, so some of the concepts in Obj-C are tricky for me, but I find with persistence, writing things down, identifying my weak points and re-working them over and over it all starts to make sense. I've purchased about 6 different books on iPhone development and Objective-C. Yours is the only book that I feel like I'm actually LEARNING anything useful from.

Some other books fast track you into building interfaces and copying code straight from the book - but unless you understand the code that you're copying from the book, I believe that approach is futile.

Your book is helping me understand what's going on... so thanks - and not only for the book, but also for setting up these forums and your participation and support here. I really appreciate it.

Ben

[skochan]

Ben,

You're welcome!   

Cheers,

Steve Kochan