Re: access / freeing memory

[Jan Prazak <janp9@gmx.net>]

On Thu, 18 Jul 2002 17:22:38 -0100, chris.danx wrote:


>>  head.next.next := null; (to delete the 3rd element)
>>
>> or similar things???
> 
> How do you know that head.next.next exists?

Because the stack is head->1->2->3->null (it's just an example).

> Firstly, when you create an object via 'new' it is allocated and
> initialised.  Usually a call to new will typically take memory from the
> heap, this is an area of memory typically used for dynamic memory
> management.  The heap is usually within your program, and the compiler
> will insert code to manage it.

<...>

Thanks for this long description. I have already some experience with
pointers (in Pascal), so I have already found out how it works, but I
didn't know anything about heap (I didn't even know what it is, I thought
of some kind of a stack), so now I'm a bit wiser.

> p.s. why do ppl mention things like Storage_Pools to newbies?  It only
> confuses them and makes things harder!

Yes, that was really confusing...

BTW: I have read that Modula-3 has a fully functionable garbage
collection, and M3 is also free available, but I think I will continue
using Ada and have a look at M3 later. To all: does someone know where to
find a brief comparison between Ada95 and M3?

Jan