Is it possible to set to null an instance of a class within the class

Question

Is it possible to set to null an instance of a class within the class. For example, could I do something like this

int main{
    //Create a new test object
    Test test = new Test();
    //Delete that object. This method should set the object "test" to null, 
    //thus allowing it to be called by the garbage collector.
    test.delete();

}


public class Test{

    public delete(){
        this = null;
    }
}

I have tried this and it does not work. Using "this = null" I get the error that the left hand side needs to be a variable. Is there a way to achieve something similar?

Answer 1

An instance of an object doesn't know which references might be referring to it, so there's no way that code within the object can null those references. What you're asking for isn't possible(*).

* _{at least not without adding a pile of scaffolding to keep track of all the references, and somehow inform their owners that they should be nulled - in no way would it be "Just for convenience".}

Answer 2

You can do something like this

public class WrappedTest {
    private Test test;
    public Test getTest() { return test; }
    public void setTest(Test test) { this.test = test; }
    public void delete() { test = null; }
}