When to release an instance variable

Question

I basically have this scenario:

//in interface header 
@property(nonatomic,retain)OtherClass *otherClass;

//implementation
- (id)initWithOtherClassInstance:(OtherClass*)otherClass
{ 
    if (self != [super init])
        return self;

         self.otherClass = otherClass;

    return self;
}

- (void)dealloc
{
    //Do I need to release otherClass ?
    [otherClass release];

    [super dealloc];
}

I am wondering if I should release an instance variable that was not explicitly allocated, a new one or a copy was called? The memory management guides say that I don’t want to do this, but I worry about self.otherClass = otherClasssaving the instance variable and thus causing a leak when I decide not to release it in the method dealloc.

In addition, freeing an instance variable in a method deallocdoes not throw an exception that would be if it were overridden.

Does my reasoning make sense, and what is the best thing to do in this case?

Answer 1

, , . , [foo release] ivar, set setter, . self.otherClass = nil; .

, , .

Answer 2

, , , "". .

Answer 3

,

self.otherClass = otherClass

[self setOtherClass:otherClass]

setOtherClass:

- (void) setOtherClass:(OtherClass*)other
{
  [other retain];
  [otherClass release];
  otherClass = other;
}

, , - .

, , dealloc:

- (void) dealloc
{
  [self setOtherClass:nil];
  [super dealloc];
}

Answer 4

init . [super init] .

, , self.otherClass , , , . -init, nil dealloc, , , , , .

, -init -dealloc. , , , , KVO dealloc. , , ivar init dealloc.