[FFmpeg-devel] Memory leaks in Ffmpeg after changing vlc allocation approach

[Art Clarke]

On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 6:32 PM, Baptiste Coudurier <
baptiste.coudurier at smartjog.com> wrote:

> [...]
> IMHO ffmpeg is an executable, not a library.
>
> Good point, and I misspoke (miswrote?).  The comments I made were in
reference to libav*, not ffmpeg.

I agree 100% that:
(a) ffmpeg is an executable(1); and
(b) as such, static heap objects leaking upon exit are not worth worrying
one iota about.

But, lots of folks do use libav* (e.g. mplayer, totem, and others I'm
sure).  Some folks are even crazy enough to embed libav* in long-running
processing handling multiple files over days (I know.... we're nuts).  In
those cases, having libraries that clean up after themselves MIGHT be
desirable.

(That "MIGHT" is not mean sarcastically; I can see both sides of the
argument.  Allowing static leap heaps and static members in-general does
make management of lookup tables code easier if you don't have to clean them
up until your containing process exits, and then the OS will do it for you,
and in something as complicated as ffmpeg/libav*, a little simplicity goes a
long way).

- Art


(1) OK, "ls ffmpeg" and "file ffmpeg" also agree that ffmpeg is an
executable, and so that sentence really adds no value.