Difference between [NSThread detachNewThreadSelector:] and -performSelectorInBackground

Question

I've been using -performSelectorInBackground in many of my apps, sort of oblivious to -detachNewThreadSelector. Now I am wondering what the differences are between the two. Are they pretty much interchangeable, or are there differences and places where one is superior to the other? Thanks!

Answer 1

They're identical. See documentation.

performSelectorInBackground:withObject: The effect of calling this method is the same as if you called the detachNewThreadSelector:toTarget:withObject: method of NSThread with the current object, selector, and parameter object as parameters.

Answer 2

As Michael says, they are identical. I think, to use a thread by performSelectorInBackground:withObject: is easier way rather than NSThread.

However, NSThread can control its priority, stacksize, etc. If you'd like to customize the behavior, I recommend NSThread instead of performSelectorInBackground:withObject:.

Answer 3

Corey, if you're running on a new thread and you're using [object autorelease], you'll need to create your own autorelease pool. Fairly simple to do:

- (void)uploadDataOnThread
{
    NSAutoreleasePool *pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];

    // do something here...

    [pool release];
}