How are you using @a outside of the object?

Generally, cleaning this up would be done by either the implicit or a custom DESTROY(). However, if you are returning the ref to an outside program, then (correct me if I'm wrong) Perl can't destroy it, because there are still references to it. AFAIK, Perl won't allow 'dangling pointers', but I've never tested this in your context.

For that matter, I don't even know if your cleanUp() could wreck the reference that the package gave out, as it doesn't even belong to the object of the package. Perhaps someone could clarify this.

Furthermore, hopefully your variables are named as such for example only, because I've been smacked around a few times for using @A and 'sub A' etc ;)

Steve

In reply to Re: Dereferencing question by stevieb
in thread Dereferencing question by bob_dobalina

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