#922 – Ways in Which References to an Object Are Released

An object will potentially be deleted after there are no longer any references to the object.  You reference an object using a reference-typed variable.

There are several different ways in which a reference to an object can be released.

• Change the reference-typed variable so that it refers to a different object
• Change the reference-typed variable so that it refers to null
• Let the reference-typed variable go out of scope (return control from the method in which the variable was declared)

        static void SomeMethod()
        {
            // myDog references the Kirby Dog object
            Dog myDog = new Dog("Kirby");

            // Refer to new Dog object,
            // no longer refer to Kirby Dog object
            myDog = new Dog("Jack");

            // Set reference to null,
            // no longer refer to Jack Dog object
            myDog = null;

            myDog = new Dog("Ruby");

            // When we leave the method, myDog
            // will go out of scope and no longer
            // refer to Ruby Dog object
            return;
        }