Do I have to release a NSLocalizedString?

The question is simple. Do I need to release a NSLocalizedString? For instance:

NSString *internetMessageTitle = NSLocalizedString(
@"You are currently not connected to a internet network"
@"Title of the message that tells the user there is no internet network");

Because I did this:

NSLog(@"Retain count of InternetMessageTitle is: %d", 
                                             [internetMessage retainCount]);

But it prints a retain count of 2. However I have read that the retainCount attribute is not very reliable. Should I release it twice?

And yes I have read the memory management rules and guide of the documentation but I don't see here any indication of NARC (NewAllocRetainCopy). I am still a beginner so I don't really know how NSLocalizedString makes strings.

Thank you!

EDIT1: I use this varia开发者_运维百科ble in a UIAlertView I don't know if the retainCount is increased there when I use it. And even when the alert is not used (inside an if, and if the if is skipped it isn't used) the retainCount is still 2 according to NSLog.

---

No, you must not release it. If you check how NSLocalizedString is defined you'll see:

#define NSLocalizedString(key, comment) \
        [[NSBundle mainBundle] localizedStringForKey:(key) value:@"" table:nil]

That its normally a call to NSBundle's method that returns autoreleased string

I use this variable in a UIAlertView I don't know if the retainCount is increased there when I use it. And even when the alert is not used (inside an if, and if the if is skipped it isn't used) the retainCount is still 2 according to NSLog.

Yes, labels in UIAlert retain their content strings, but you should not worry about that - they will release them when get destroyed.

---

As you say, there's no NARC -- so you already know the answer is no.

And what you've read about retain counts? Heed it. Never look at the retain count as useful info. Never look at it all.

And FFS don't do something insane like calling release on an object several times just because you think it has a retain count > 1. That stuff is absolutely guaranteed to mess you up.

---

The Cocoa memory management rules are very simple. There's only one of consequence: all alloc/new*/*copy* calls must be balanced by a call to auto-/release. You're not calling a method or function named "alloc", starting with "new" or containing "copy", thus you shouldn't release.

Even simpler than following the memory rules is to use properties (object or class) when possible.