On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Kostya Vasilyev <[email protected]> wrote: >>> > There is no leaked database connection with Content Providers. >> >> Yes, there is, at least by my definition (close() not being called). > > By this definition, every program running in a non-GC environment has a > memory leak, which would be a very interesting point of view.
I never said a memory leak. I said a leaked database connection. > To me, a leak is where the use of some resource grows over time and has no > chance of decreasing. The resource in question may be memory, open files, > DMA buffers, etc. To me, a leak is something that is allocated and not released. The "release" could be manually (e.g., calling close()) or automatically (e.g., finalizers in a GC environment). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_leak > Besides, not closing a database is not specific to content providers. > > An application that shares a database object among different components > might keep it open as well. Which, if never closed, would represent a leak of a database connection. >> That presumes that there is no SQLite logic in a database close() that >> is important. One hopes that is the case, given the way content >> providers are implemented. > > It seems safe to not close a SQLite database, based on empirical evidence > supported by some ten million Android devices worldwide, all having some > databases and content providers, including those built into the platform. Those same ten million Android devices worldwide are also using AsyncTask, which Romain Guy indicated has flaws severe enough to cause them to drop it back to a single-thread pool in an upcoming Android release, which may have fairly substantial backwards-compatibility issues. IOW, while I agree that empirical evidence beats no evidence, it is not a guarantee that everything is all coming up roses, either. > Besides empirical evidence, see this comment made by the author of SQLite, > D. Richard Hipp: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg01280.html > >> Program crashes, OS crashes, and power failures should not >> corrupt an SQLite database. This too is a positive sign. It is entirely possible that I am merely a curmudgeon. Three decades of dealing with resource corruption due to poor coding practices -- like opening databases and not closing them -- will do that to a guy. -- Mark Murphy (a Commons Guy) http://commonsware.com | http://github.com/commonsguy http://commonsware.com/blog | http://twitter.com/commonsguy _The Busy Coder's Guide to *Advanced* Android Development_ Version 1.9.2 Available! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
