Why does my NSString object not return RetainCount as 1

[rraagg]

Evening all,

Why does my NSString object not return RetainCount as 1:

NSString *test;
test = @"test";
NSLog(@" retain count is %d", [test retainCount]);

This prints

retain count is 2147483647

Shouldn't retain count be 1 as test is a string object?

Anyone got any ideas why this is happened.

[Karl Kraft]

Originally Posted by rraagg

Evening all,

Shouldn't retain count be 1 as test is a string object?

Because constant non-mutable strings are a special case. The string can never be deallocated because it isn't in the heap.

Karl Kraft Blog Archive Don’t use non mutable objects to understand leak detection

[rraagg]

oh right, ok cheers.