Question

I am wondering if I am using blocks as shown in the code below

__block Loader *loader = [[Loader alloc]initWithResourcePath:self.resourcePath]; 

[loader setCompletionHandler:^(NSArray *anArray){
    self.answerArray=anArray;
    [self reloadData];

}];

[loader getObjects];

My question is with regards to memory management. The analyzer tells me that there is a potential leak (since I did an alloc/init for my loader). How can I stop the leak here? I tried to release the loader at the end but that causes my app to stop functioning. Any advise is appreciated here

Answer 1

Several issues:

• there is no reason for loader to be declared __block; you aren’t re-assigning in the block and, thus, the __block is pointless.

• the leak is because you alloc/init the loader, but never release it

• do not name methods getSomething; the get prefix is reserved for methods that return stuff by reference. Just call it objects. If it is supposed to trigger the load, then call it load or performLoad.

If it is asynchronous, then getObjects is pointless. If synchronous, then the completion block is pointless.

If loader is to be used synchronously, release it at the end of the method. If it is asynchronous, then the completion block could release it. Note that the use of __block in this case is still pointless; while referring to loader in the completion block will create a retain cycle, it will be broken when you explicitly Block_release() the block in your loader (because you must have done a Block_copy() when setting the completion handler if it is to be used asynchronously in the first place).