Question

Here is what i have in my main method:

int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {  
    NSString *string=[[NSString alloc]init];  
    NSLog(@"%@   The retain count is:%d", string, [string retainCount]);  
    NSLog(@"Hello, World!");  
    return 0;  
}    

The output on executing this piece of code is “The retain count is :-1”.
I was expecting it to give me 1 as the retain count, since i created the object using alloc.
I have similar problems when i try to retain or release the NSString objects.

When i try with NSArray, i get the retain count immediately after creation of object as 2. I do not understand the mechanism of how the objects are being treated.
Please explain!
Thanks in advance..

Answer 1

-1 is what you get if you cast UINT_MAX to a signed value. UINT_MAX is the documented retain count of objects which are never released, which includes string literal objects.

Speaking of the documentation, I suggest reading the big box about how retainCount is generally not useful.