Will it save memory if I keep using one instance name?

Ruby
#1

All all! I’m a newbie here, please look my example code:

r = Page.find :all, :conditions => “is_default = ‘true’”
assert_equal 1, r.length
r = Page.create NEW_INSTANCE_DATA
assert !r.new_record?
r = Page.find :first, :conditions => “name = ‘privacy_policy’”
assert_not_nil r
assert r.is_default

if I writing this way~ it there any effect to saving memory?
(because I think the old instance are always released in time.)

#2

On 2/23/07, a_a [email protected] wrote:

if I writing this way~ it there any effect to saving memory?
(because I think the old instance are always released in time.)

The instance is released any time after the interpreter detects you
don’t use it any more. That means:

  1. if you assign another object to ‘r’ you lose the previous value and
    it’s ready to be destroyed.

  2. the same effect you can achieve using different vars (a,b,c etc.)
    if you assign nil to them (a = Page.find… ; a = nil; b= etc.)

  3. you can never tell when the garbage collecting will take place. you
    just know it will happen sometime.