CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++pointersdestructordelete-operator
damned
damned

Reputation: 71

Pointer to object and its destructor

class finder
{
    public:
        finder();
        ~finder();
}

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    finder* pfind = new finder(L"test");
    finder find(L"test2");
    system("PAUSE");
    return 0;
}

What I know that find's destructor will be called after program exit, but pfind's destructor won't be called. My question is why? And Should I add

delete _pfind;

before return 0?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 3337

Answers (3)

The Floating Brain
The Floating Brain

Reputation: 956

Mat is right, however I noticed you are using CLR/.Net C++ (or whatever they call it these days). I believe this comes with a gcnew keyword which will do the same thing as the new keyword but delete the object at the end of its scope. This is also known as garbage collection. On a personal note having both new and gcnew is a great tool because they both fit nicely into diffrent situations. Please keep in mind you code will not be cross-platform if you use gcnew.

Upvotes: 0

Mat
Mat

Reputation: 206689

The "why" is because you're responsible for managing the lifetime of objects you create with new.

The language says that objects with automatic storage duration (like find in your example) live as long as the block in which they are created. These get automatically deleted (you must not do it yourself) at the appropriate time (i.e. generally when you leave that block.)

Dynamic storage duration objects (like what pfind points to) last until you delete them. Nothing will delete them for you.

So yes, you need to delete it yourself in this case, with delete pfind;.

(Or use the appropriate type of smart pointer for your use case.)

Upvotes: 3

user229044
user229044

Reputation: 239291

Yes, you should explicitly clean up the memory you allocate by calling delete on your unmanaged pointers. Typically any block of code which allocates memory via new must be balanced by a block of code which deallocates that memory via delete.

Upvotes: 1

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