iphone - Returning nil in the init in Objective C code -

in case, if return nil in init method, what's happening retain count , going release object?

as undertand called alloc (which happen before init), retain count become 1. now, init called , let reason can't initialize object, returns nil.

and looks have object retain count equal 1 , nobody has reference call release.

should call [self autorelease] in init such case or else?

see allocating , initializing objects in documentation.

specifically, if have error in initializer, release self , return nil:

- init {     self = [super init];     if (self) {          if (... failed initialize in self ...) {              [self release];              return nil;          }     }     return self; } 

now, consider happens when call [super init] , returns nil. above pattern has been employed, self has been released, , nil return indicates instance gone. there no leak , happy.

this valid pattern (assume self instance of myclass):

- init {     self = [super init];     if (self) {         ... normal initialization here ...     } else {         self = [myclass genericinstancewheninitializationgoesbad];         self = [self retain];     }     return self;  } 

since init expected return retained (by implication of being chained +alloc), [self retain], though looks goofy, correct. self = [self retain] being defensive in case myclass overrides retain weird.