CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidmemorystaticmemory-leaks
jclova
jclova

Reputation: 5576

Android: Does static link to Activity always leads to Memory Leak?

public class TestActivity extends Activity {

    public static TestActivity mTestActivity;

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
        mTestActivity = this;
    }

    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        mTestActivity = null;
        super.onDestroy();
    }

}

Can I ask a very rookie question?
Does static link to Activity ALWAYS leads to memory leak? Even if I 'null' it on destroy?

EDIT: If there is a memory leak even though you 'null' it on destroy, could you explain why?
I have some years of Java experience but I cannot understand why 'null' on destroy does not free the memory.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 221

Answers (2)

Mr_and_Mrs_D
Mr_and_Mrs_D

Reputation: 34016

onDestroy runs once - if ever. Till then you have your leak. Unregister in onPause(). Notice that pre-Honeycomb onPause() might be the last method that would run - not that it makes a difference in your case as a process being killed takes its classes with it (and their leaks). Or so I think. I don't know if an activity can be killed without its onDestroy being called (not in the case the whole process goes down - then it is perfectly possible but it also makes no difference as I said) - I don't think so though.

In short your leak exists as long as your activity is alive (instantiated)

Upvotes: 0

ahodder
ahodder

Reputation: 11439

If, you null it on destroy there is not point in keeping it static. As for the leak, yes, I think you will (if you change activities). It would be easier to just keep a (non-static) reference to the application.

Upvotes: 1

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