Memory management in Dot net

Question

public static void Main() { string a =abc; string b=a; a=xyz; } In this example what is structure of memory taken by these variable.

Vulpes · Answer

A variable of a particular type can only refer to one instance of that type at a time. So when 'a' is assigned a reference (effectively a pointer) to the string xyz it overwrites the reference which it previously contained to abc.

Andy Manitara · Answer

Technically abc still on the heap in a random address just no longer referenced by string a. String b points to abc and string a now points to a new entry in the heap xyz

Vulpes · Answer

All string literals such as abc and xyz are stored in a special area of the heap known as the intern pool. The local variables 'a' and 'b' are stored on the stack. However 'a' will initially contain a reference to where abc is stored in the intern pool and 'b' will also contain exactly the same reference. When 'a' is subsequently assigned a reference to where xyz is stored in the intern pool this won't affect 'b' which will still refer to abc.

Andy Manitara · Answer

1. Memory address - Value --------------------------------------- a -> #0x8f5c abc a = abc 2. Memory address - Value --------------------------------------- ab -> #0x8f5c abc a = b 3. Memory address - Value --------------------------------------- b -> #0x8f5c abc a -> #0x6f4e xyz a = xyz Something like that..

Shivanand Arur · Answer

Basically what happens is.... When you write as a = abc  then a pointer  a  is created on stack which points to the String Object created on heap (lets say the memory address is 100 ) which contains value  abc . For example .... a (points to address) -------> 100( This address contains value abc ) When you write b = a then another pointer  b  is created on the thread stack which also points to the same memory address ( 100 ) which contains value  abc . For example .... a (points to address) -------> 100 and b (also points to the same memory address) -------> 100 Now when you write a = xyz  then the  a  pointer starts pointing to another memory area which is created in the heap (say the memory address is 101 ) For example .... a (points to address) -------> 101( This address contains value xyz ) So now when you write Console.WriteLine(a); you will get the output as xyz instead of abc. Hope this helps you. Please mark the Answer an ACCEPTED IF IT HELPS YOU. Thank you.

Sharad Gupta · Answer

When 'a' is assigned a reference (effectively a pointer) to the string xyz it overwrites the reference which it previously contained to abc. then what happen ...................... It(a) override the same memory area which is previously contained by abc or not..

Shivanand Arur · Answer

Hey Sharad Gupta can you please mark the answer as Accepted if it has helped you... I think the answers Vulpes has given are completely correct and very helpful.... Thank you.

Shivanand Arur · Answer

at the last line in ur code... A refers to the area where xyz is stored...

Sharad Gupta · Answer

What? a referencing the both abc and xyz value or only xyz.

Sharad Gupta · Answer

I want to know in heap string a reference to memory of abc and b is also reference the memory of abc but when i assign a new value to a then what happened a 's value override last value or it takes new memory space for a new value.

Shivanand Arur · Answer

Since string us a reference type all the data will be stored on Heap... I hope this is what you wanted to know.... Let me know id U still have any doubt....