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WeakRef
===================================================================

.. currentmodule:: gi.repository.GObject





.. class:: WeakRef(*args, **kwargs)
   :no-contents-entry:






A structure containing a weak reference to a :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.Object`.

A ``GWeakRef`` can either be empty (i.e. point to :const:`None`), or point to an
object for as long as at least one "strong" reference to that object
exists. Before the object's :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.ObjectClass`.dispose method is called,
every :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.WeakRef` associated with becomes empty (i.e. points to :const:`None`).

Like :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.Value`, :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.WeakRef` can be statically allocated, stack- or
heap-allocated, or embedded in larger structures.

Unlike :func:`~gi.repository.GObject.Object.weak_ref` and :func:`~gi.repository.GObject.Object.add_weak_pointer`, this weak
reference is thread-safe: converting a weak pointer to a reference is
atomic with respect to invalidation of weak pointers to destroyed
objects.

If the object's :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.ObjectClass`.dispose method results in additional
references to the object being held (‘re-referencing’), any :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.WeakRef` taken
before it was disposed will continue to point to :const:`None`.  Any :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.WeakRef` taken
during disposal and after re-referencing, or after disposal has returned due
to the re-referencing, will continue to point to the object until its refcount
goes back to zero, at which point they too will be invalidated.

It is invalid to take a :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.WeakRef` on an object during :obj:`~gi.repository.GObject.ObjectClass`.dispose
without first having or creating a strong reference to the object.