block_copy when to use - ios

Question

When to copy a block? The document says, blocks are "deleted when execution returns from the scope in which they are defined.This means you can’t return them directly from a function. If blocks could only be used while their defining scope was still on the call stack, they wouldn’t be nearly as useful as they actually are"
So, here is code which I tried, hoping the block will be deleted once execution is completed in viewDidLoad.
MyReaderController.h
#interface MyReaderController : UIViewController
{
myBlockVar aBlockVar;
}
-(myBlockVar) getABlock;
#end
MyReaderController.m
#implementation MyReaderController
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
aBlockVar=[self getABlock];
NSLog(#"Block Result = %f",aBlockVar(1));
}
-(void) viewDidDisappear:(BOOL)animated{
[super viewDidDisappear:animated];
NSLog(#"Block Exists even after the execution completes=%# %f",aBlockVar,aBlockVar(5));
}
-(myBlockVar) getABlock{
return ^(int var){return 4.0f;};
}
#end
So, does this code require viewDidLoad to be changed to as coded below, if not then when should I use it.
- (void) viewDidLoad{
[super viewDidLoad];
aBlockVar=Block_copy([self getABlock]);
NSLog(#"Block Result = %f",aBlockVar(1));
}
PART 2
Later on I tried with this following code, hoping now it will return aBlockVar as nil obj in
viewDidDisappear.
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
Blocker *blocker=[[Blocker alloc] init];
myBlockVar myVar=[blocker getABlock];
aBlockVar=myVar;
NSLog(#"Block Result = %f",aBlockVar(1));
blocker=nil;
myVar=nil;
}
Blocker.m
#import "Blocker.h"
#implementation Blocker
-(myBlockVar) getABlock{
return ^(int var){return 4.0f;};
}
#end

Answer 1

Are you using ARC? If so, you don't need to use Block_copy or Block_release.
If you are, then you are correct with your revised code, as Block_copy takes it off the stack and into the heap where it is has an effective retain count of 1. You would also need to call Block_release where appropriate, when finally finished with the block, to bring its balance the copy, effectively bringing the retain count back to 0.

Answer 2

use #property (nonatomic, copy) (int)(^myBlock)(void);
let the system do all right memory management for you!
initialize:
self.myBlock = ^int(void){
return 4.0;
};
if you want to destroy your block somewhere do self.myBlock = NULL;

Answer 3

An addendum to the existing answers:
Even if you're using ARC, there are certain situations where you still need Block_copy.
For example, extracting a block argument from an NSInvocation and using it after the function returns.
- (void)interceptInvocation:(NSInvocation *)call {
BlockType block;
[call getArgument:&block atIndex:2]; // ARC cannot see this happen
block = (__bridge BlockType)Block_copy((__bridge void *)block);
dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0), ^{
block();
});
}
Without the copy, the block will have been deallocated by the time it is run.
It appears a matching Block_release is not necessary, as when I added one it crashed due to too many releases.

Answer 4

with arc never, without arc:
: when you have a STACK block and want to keep it as a HEAP block (e.g. when you have a block in a function and want it to live after you exited the function!)
You need to block_copy it then.
also you need retain/release it as you would a NSString so (using block_copy/block_release)