[Tutor] Is there Python code for accessing an object's reference count?

[Dick Moores]

At 03:25 AM 10/3/2006, Andre Roberge wrote:
>On 10/3/06, Dick Moores <rdm at rcblue.com> wrote:
> > Is there Python code for accessing an object's reference count?
>
>See sys.getrefcount.

Fascinating. And surprising.
 >>> from sys import getrefcount
 >>> getrefcount(1)
493
 >>> getrefcount(2)
157
 >>> getrefcount(3)
60
 >>> getrefcount(22)
12
 >>> getrefcount(222)
3
 >>> getrefcount(222234523452345345)
2
 >>> getrefcount(2.23452345345)
2
 >>>

That refcount for 1 (and 2, 3, and 12) is puzzling to me. I closed 
python, called python,  and tried it again. Essentially no change. 
When would this go to zero? Only when I shut off my computer?

I just answered that last question by shutting off my computer, and found
 >>> from sys import getrefcount
 >>> getrefcount(1)
493
 >>> q = 1
 >>> getrefcount(1)
499
 >>> w = 1
 >>> getrefcount(1)
500
 >>> del w
 >>> getrefcount(1)
499
 >>> q = 2
 >>> getrefcount(1)
498
 >>>

Still 493. Why?

Then after "q = 1", 499, not 494. Why?

The other refcounts, after w=1, del w, and q=2, are as I expected.

Thanks,

Dick