logo

CuriousTab

CuriousTab

Discussion


Home Java Programming Garbage Collections Comments

  • Question
  • What allows the programmer to destroy an object x?


  • Options
  • A. x.delete()
  • B. x.finalize()
  • C. Runtime.getRuntime().gc()
  • D. Only the garbage collection system can destroy an object.

  • Correct Answer
  • Only the garbage collection system can destroy an object. 

    Explanation
    Option D is correct. When an object is no longer referenced, it may be reclaimed by the garbage collector. If an object declares a finalizer, the finalizer is executed before the object is reclaimed to give the object a last chance to clean up resources that would not otherwise be released. When a class is no longer needed, it may be unloaded.

    Option A is wrong. I found 4 delete() methods in all of the Java class structure. They are:

    1. delete() - Method in class java.io.File : Deletes the file or directory denoted by this abstract pathname.
    2. delete(int, int) - Method in class java.lang.StringBuffer : Removes the characters in a substring of this StringBuffer.
    3. delete(int, int) - Method in interface javax.accessibility.AccessibleEditableText : Deletes the text between two indices
    4. delete(int, int) - Method in class : javax.swing.text.JTextComponent.AccessibleJTextComponent; Deletes the text between two indices

    None of these destroy the object to which they belong.

    Option B is wrong. I found 19 finalize() methods. The most interesting, from this questions point of view, was the finalize() method in class java.lang.Object which is called by the garbage collector on an object when garbage collection determines that there are no more references to the object. This method does not destroy the object to which it belongs.

    Option C is wrong. But it is interesting. The Runtime class has many methods, two of which are:


    Garbage Collections problems


    Search Results


    • 1. When is the B object, created in line 3, eligible for garbage collection?
      void start() {  
          A a = new A(); 
          B b = new B(); 
          a.s(b);  
          b = null; /* Line 5 */
          a = null;  /* Line 6 */
          System.out.println("start completed"); /* Line 7 */
      } 
      

    • Options
    • A. after line 5
    • B. after line 6
    • C. after line 7
    • D. There is no way to be absolutely certain.
    • Discuss
    • 2. At what point is the Bar object, created on line 6, eligible for garbage collection?
      class Bar { } 
      class Test 
      {  
          Bar doBar() 
          {
              Bar b = new Bar(); /* Line 6 */
              return b; /* Line 7 */
          } 
          public static void main (String args[]) 
          { 
              Test t = new Test();  /* Line 11 */
              Bar newBar = t.doBar();  /* Line 12 */
              System.out.println("newBar"); 
              newBar = new Bar(); /* Line 14 */
              System.out.println("finishing"); /* Line 15 */
          } 
      }
      

    • Options
    • A. after line 12
    • B. after line 14
    • C. after line 7, when doBar() completes
    • D. after line 15, when main() completes
    • Discuss
    • 3. Which statement is true about a static nested class?

    • Options
    • A. You must have a reference to an instance of the enclosing class in order to instantiate it.
    • B. It does not have access to nonstatic members of the enclosing class.
    • C. It's variables and methods must be static.
    • D. It must extend the enclosing class.
    • Discuss
    • 4. Which statement, if placed in a class other than MyOuter or MyInner, instantiates an instance of the nested class?
      public class MyOuter 
      {
          public static class MyInner 
          {
              public static void foo() { }
          }
      }
      

    • Options
    • A. MyOuter.MyInner m = new MyOuter.MyInner();
    • B. MyOuter.MyInner mi = new MyInner();
    • C. MyOuter m = new MyOuter();

      MyOuter.MyInner mi = m.new MyOuter.MyInner();

    • D. MyInner mi = new MyOuter.MyInner();
    • Discuss
    • 5. Which is true about a method-local inner class?

    • Options
    • A. It must be marked final.
    • B. It can be marked abstract.
    • C. It can be marked public.
    • D. It can be marked static.
    • Discuss
    • 6. When is the Demo object eligible for garbage collection?
      class Test 
      {  
          private Demo d; 
          void start() 
          {  
              d = new Demo(); 
              this.takeDemo(d); /* Line 7 */
          } /* Line 8 */
          void takeDemo(Demo demo) 
          { 
              demo = null;  
              demo = new Demo(); 
          } 
      }
      

    • Options
    • A. After line 7
    • B. After line 8
    • C. After the start() method completes
    • D. When the instance running this code is made eligible for garbage collection.
    • Discuss
    • 7. After line 8 runs. how many objects are eligible for garbage collection?
      public class X 
      {
          public static void main(String [] args) 
          {
              X x = new X();
              X x2 = m1(x); /* Line 6 */
              X x4 = new X();
              x2 = x4; /* Line 8 */
              doComplexStuff();
          }
          static X m1(X mx) 
          {
              mx = new X();
              return mx;
          }
      }
      

    • Options
    • A. 0  
    • B. 1
    • C. 2
    • D. 3
    • Discuss
    • 8. After line 11 runs, how many objects are eligible for garbage collection?
      class X2 
      {
          public X2 x;
          public static void main(String [] args) 
          {
              X2 x2 = new X2();  /* Line 6 */
              X2 x3 = new X2();  /* Line 7 */
              x2.x = x3;
              x3.x = x2;
              x2 = new X2();
              x3 = x2; /* Line 11 */
              doComplexStuff();
          }
      }
      

    • Options
    • A. 0
    • B. 1
    • C. 2
    • D. 3
    • Discuss
    • 9. Where will be the most chance of the garbage collector being invoked?
      class HappyGarbage01 
      { 
          public static void main(String args[]) 
          {
              HappyGarbage01 h = new HappyGarbage01(); 
              h.methodA(); /* Line 6 */
          } 
          Object methodA() 
          {
              Object obj1 = new Object(); 
              Object [] obj2 = new Object[1]; 
              obj2[0] = obj1; 
              obj1 = null; 
              return obj2[0]; 
          } 
      }
      

    • Options
    • A. After line 9
    • B. After line 10
    • C. After line 11
    • D. Garbage collector never invoked in methodA()
    • Discuss
    • 10. When is the Float object, created in line 3, eligible for garbage collection?
      public Object m() 
      {  
          Object o = new Float(3.14F); 
          Object [] oa = new Object[l];
          oa[0] = o; /* Line 5 */
          o = null;  /* Line 6 */
          oa[0] = null; /* Line 7 */
          return o; /* Line 8 */
      }
      

    • Options
    • A. just after line 5
    • B. just after line 6
    • C. just after line 7
    • D. just after line 8
    • Discuss


    Comments

    There are no comments.

Enter a new Comment