output.txt

jpr5@finesse(tmp)$ ruby foo.rb
2148181980 born
2148181820 born
2148181660 born
2148181500 born
2148181340 born
nuke class constant
done
calling GC.start
done
exiting
2148181340 dying
2148181500 dying
2148181660 dying
2148181820 dying
2148181980 dying
jpr5@finesse(tmp)$

remove_const_doesnt_destruct_instances.rb

#!/usr/bin/ruby

class Foo
    @foo = "bar"
end

finalizer = proc { |id| puts "#{id} dying" }

objs = 1.upto(5).inject([]) do |l, n|
    obj = Foo.new
    puts "#{obj.object_id} born"
    ObjectSpace.define_finalizer(obj, finalizer)
    l << obj
end

puts "nuke class constant"
Object.class_eval do
    remove_const :Foo
end
puts "done"

sleep 1

puts "calling GC.start"
GC.start
puts "done"

at_exit {
    puts "exiting"
}