Python object deleting itself

Question

Why won\'t this work? I\'m trying to make an instance of a class delete itself.

>>> class A():
    def kill(self):
        del self


>>>          


        

Answer 1

If you're using a single reference to the object, then the object can kill itself by resetting that outside reference to itself, as in:

class Zero:
    pOne = None

class One:

    pTwo = None   

    def process(self):
        self.pTwo = Two()
        self.pTwo.dothing()
        self.pTwo.kill()

        # now this fails:
        self.pTwo.dothing()


class Two:

    def dothing(self):
        print "two says: doing something"

    def kill(self):
        Zero.pOne.pTwo = None


def main():
    Zero.pOne = One() # just a global
    Zero.pOne.process()


if __name__=="__main__":
    main()

You can of course do the logic control by checking for the object existence from outside the object (rather than object state), as for instance in:

if object_exists:
   use_existing_obj()
else: 
   obj = Obj()

Answer 2

This is something I have done in the past. Create a list of objects, and you can then have objects delete themselves with the list.remove() method.

bullet_list = []

class Bullet:
    def kill_self(self):
        bullet_list.remove(self)

bullet_list += [Bullet()]