Garbage Collector

[Monika Pasricha]

"When a String object is concatenated actually a new String object is created, the previously reffered String is eligible for garbage collection. "
Why the previously refered string is eligible for garbage collection. I think when we concatanate a string, new string reference is created and the previous string remains as it is.
Plez clarify..

[bill bozeman]

Depends on how you are doing it. For example if you had this:

String s = new String( "java" );
String t = new String( "ranch" );
s = s + t;

Then yes, once s is concatentated with t, the original String "java" is elgible for garbage collection.
However if you did this:

String s = new String( "java" );
String t = new String( "ranch" );
String u = s + t;

or

String s = new String( "java" );
String t = new String( "ranch" );
System.out.println( s + t );

Then no, the String "java" is not eligble for garbage collection since s still points to it. Strings are immutable, so unless you say s now equals something else, the original String referenced by s is still there and you are still able to get to it.
Bill


[This message has been edited by bill bozeman (edited January 26, 2001).]