Multi-Section Garbage Collection

A computer program product for facilitating garbage collection within a computing environment, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
• obtaining processing control based on execution of a load instruction and a determination that an object pointer to be loaded indicates a location within a selected portion of memory undergoing a garbage collection process;
• wherein determining the garbage collection process is being executed within the selected portion of memory further comprising:
• identifying a base address and size of a first memory block subject to the garbage collection;
• and
• assigning a binary value to each first memory block section, including assigning a binary value corresponding to an enabled section;
• obtaining an image of the load instruction and calculating a pointer address from the image;
• determining whether the object pointer is to be modified;
• modifying the object pointer to provide a modified object pointer;
• and
• storing the modified object pointer in a selected location.

A method comprising:

• obtaining processing control based on execution of a load instruction and a determination that an object pointer to be loaded indicates a location within a selected portion of memory undergoing a garbage collection process;
• wherein the determination comprises:
• identifying a base address and size of a first memory block subject to the garbage collection;
• and
• assigning a binary value to each first memory block section, including assigning a binary value corresponding to an enabled section;
• obtaining an image of the load instruction and calculating a pointer address from the image;
• determining whether the object pointer is to be modified;
• modifying the object pointer to provide a modified object pointer;
• and
• storing the modified object pointer in a selected location.