How do i return an object from a function in Delphi without causing Access Violation?

Question

I have a delphi function that returns a TStringList, but when I return a value and try to use it I get a Access Violation Error i.e

myStringList := FuncStringLis         


        

Answer 1

Simple answer: you can't. Why are you trying to? Is it because you've learned that you need to free every object you create in the same function in which they're created? That's generally correct, but not always, and this is one of the exceptions to the rule. A better way to put it is that every object must be freed by its owner.

If you have a function that generates an object, like this one, but then passes it on to another function, it doesn't take ownership of the object. Remove the call to free and document it, so you (and anyone else who uses this function) will realize that it creates a new object that the code that calls it has to take ownership of.