Generic typeof for weak self references

In the latest clang version Apple clang version 4.0 (tags/Apple/clang-421.1.48) (based on LLVM 3.1svn), i.e. Xcode 4.4+, the __typeof__((__typeof__(self))self) trick is not necessary anymore. The __weak typeof(self) bself = self; line will compile just fine.

This works!

__typeof__(o) __weak

Which I've defined in my BBlock project as BBlockWeakSelf which can be used like this:

BBlockWeakSelf wself = self;

https://github.com/kgn/BBlock/blob/master/BBlock.h

Edited based on Aleph7's response.

The correct way to do this is

__weak ActualClassName* weakSelf = self;

Macros only make it unclear what the variable actually is, and what you're actually doing with it, in addition to adding non-portable meta-language to your code.

If you need a more generic version of the class than ActualClassName provides, you aren't dealing with self anymore, since where self is defined, so is the class of self defined.

In those cases, you should use the closest base class name in your inheritance tree, NSObject or better, never id, e.g.

__weak MyBaseClassName* weakObject = object;