__weak Person *weakObj = personObj;

/** 
 * Initialize a fresh weak pointer to some object location. 
 * It would be used for code like: 
 *
 * (The nil case) 
 * __weak id weakPtr;
 * (The non-nil case) 
 * NSObject *o = ...;
 * __weak id weakPtr = o;
 * 
 * This function IS NOT thread-safe with respect to concurrent 
 * modifications to the weak variable. (Concurrent weak clear is safe.)
 *
 * @param location Address of __weak ptr. 
 * @param newObj Object ptr. 
 */
id
objc_initWeak(id *location, id newObj)
{
    if (!newObj) {
        *location = nil;
        return nil;
    }
    return storeWeak<DontHaveOld, DoHaveNew, DoCrashIfDeallocating>
        (location, (objc_object*)newObj);
}

// Update a weak variable.
// If HaveOld is true, the variable has an existing value 
//   that needs to be cleaned up. This value might be nil.
// If HaveNew is true, there is a new value that needs to be 
//   assigned into the variable. This value might be nil.
// If CrashIfDeallocating is true, the process is halted if newObj is 
//   deallocating or newObj's class does not support weak references. 
//   If CrashIfDeallocating is false, nil is stored instead.
enum CrashIfDeallocating {
    DontCrashIfDeallocating = false, DoCrashIfDeallocating = true
};
template <HaveOld haveOld, HaveNew haveNew,
          enum CrashIfDeallocating crashIfDeallocating>
static id 
storeWeak(id *location, objc_object *newObj)
{
    ASSERT(haveOld  ||  haveNew);
    if (!haveNew) ASSERT(newObj == nil);
    Class previouslyInitializedClass = nil;
    id oldObj;
    SideTable *oldTable;
    SideTable *newTable;
    // Acquire locks for old and new values.
    // Order by lock address to prevent lock ordering problems. 
    // Retry if the old value changes underneath us.
 retry:
    if (haveOld) {
        oldObj = *location;
        oldTable = &SideTables()[oldObj];
    } else {
        oldTable = nil;
    }
    if (haveNew) {
        newTable = &SideTables()[newObj];
    } else {
        newTable = nil;
    }
    SideTable::lockTwo<haveOld, haveNew>(oldTable, newTable);
    if (haveOld  &&  *location != oldObj) {
        SideTable::unlockTwo<haveOld, haveNew>(oldTable, newTable);
        goto retry;
    }
    // Prevent a deadlock between the weak reference machinery
    // and the +initialize machinery by ensuring that no 
    // weakly-referenced object has an un-+initialized isa.
    if (haveNew  &&  newObj) {
        Class cls = newObj->getIsa();
        if (cls != previouslyInitializedClass  &&  
            !((objc_class *)cls)->isInitialized()) 
        {
            SideTable::unlockTwo<haveOld, haveNew>(oldTable, newTable);
            class_initialize(cls, (id)newObj);
            // If this class is finished with +initialize then we're good.
            // If this class is still running +initialize on this thread 
            // (i.e. +initialize called storeWeak on an instance of itself)
            // then we may proceed but it will appear initializing and 
            // not yet initialized to the check above.
            // Instead set previouslyInitializedClass to recognize it on retry.
            previouslyInitializedClass = cls;
            goto retry;
        }
    }
    // Clean up old value, if any.
    if (haveOld) {
        weak_unregister_no_lock(&oldTable->weak_table, oldObj, location);
    }
    // Assign new value, if any.
    if (haveNew) {
        newObj = (objc_object *)
            weak_register_no_lock(&newTable->weak_table, (id)newObj, location, 
                                  crashIfDeallocating ? CrashIfDeallocating : ReturnNilIfDeallocating);
        // weak_register_no_lock returns nil if weak store should be rejected
        // Set is-weakly-referenced bit in refcount table.
        if (!newObj->isTaggedPointerOrNil()) {
            newObj->setWeaklyReferenced_nolock();
        }
        // Do not set *location anywhere else. That would introduce a race.
        *location = (id)newObj;
    }
    else {
        // No new value. The storage is not changed.
    }
    SideTable::unlockTwo<haveOld, haveNew>(oldTable, newTable);
    // This must be called without the locks held, as it can invoke
    // arbitrary code. In particular, even if _setWeaklyReferenced
    // is not implemented, resolveInstanceMethod: may be, and may
    // call back into the weak reference machinery.
    callSetWeaklyReferenced((id)newObj);
    return (id)newObj;
}

/** 
 * Registers a new (object, weak pointer) pair. Creates a new weak
 * object entry if it does not exist.
 * 
 * @param weak_table The global weak table.
 * @param referent The object pointed to by the weak reference.
 * @param referrer The weak pointer address.
 */
id 
weak_register_no_lock(weak_table_t *weak_table, id referent_id, 
                      id *referrer_id, WeakRegisterDeallocatingOptions deallocatingOptions)
{
    objc_object *referent = (objc_object *)referent_id;
    objc_object **referrer = (objc_object **)referrer_id;
    if (referent->isTaggedPointerOrNil()) return referent_id;
    // ensure that the referenced object is viable
    if (deallocatingOptions == ReturnNilIfDeallocating ||
        deallocatingOptions == CrashIfDeallocating) {
        bool deallocating;
        if (!referent->ISA()->hasCustomRR()) {
            deallocating = referent->rootIsDeallocating();
        }
        else {
            // Use lookUpImpOrForward so we can avoid the assert in
            // class_getInstanceMethod, since we intentionally make this
            // callout with the lock held.
            auto allowsWeakReference = (BOOL(*)(objc_object *, SEL))
            lookUpImpOrForwardTryCache((id)referent, @selector(allowsWeakReference),
                                       referent->getIsa());
            if ((IMP)allowsWeakReference == _objc_msgForward) {
                return nil;
            }
            deallocating =
            ! (*allowsWeakReference)(referent, @selector(allowsWeakReference));
        }
        if (deallocating) {
            if (deallocatingOptions == CrashIfDeallocating) {
                _objc_fatal("Cannot form weak reference to instance (%p) of "
                            "class %s. It is possible that this object was "
                            "over-released, or is in the process of deallocation.",
                            (void*)referent, object_getClassName((id)referent));
            } else {
                return nil;
            }
        }
    }
    // now remember it and where it is being stored
    weak_entry_t *entry;
    if ((entry = weak_entry_for_referent(weak_table, referent))) {
        append_referrer(entry, referrer);
    } 
    else {
        weak_entry_t new_entry(referent, referrer);
        weak_grow_maybe(weak_table);
        weak_entry_insert(weak_table, &new_entry);
    }
    // Do not set *referrer. objc_storeWeak() requires that the 
    // value not change.
    return referent_id;
}