Objective-c and Xcode strange behavior - objective-c

Question

In xcode 4.3.1, target iPad 5.1 simulator
create a single view app
use ARC, don't use Storyboard
in ViewController.h
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#interface ViewController : UIViewController
{
NSObject *anObject;
NSObject *anotherObject;
}
-(void) makeObjects;
#end
in ViewController.m add
-(void) makeObjects{
anObject = [[NSObject alloc] init];
anotherObject = [[NSObject alloc] init];
int a = 1;
}
in AppDelegate.m add a line
- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: (NSDictionary *)launchOptions
{
self.window = [[UIWindow alloc] initWithFrame:[[UIScreen mainScreen] bounds]];
// Override point for customization after application launch.
self.viewController = [[ViewController alloc] initWithNibName:#"ViewController" bundle:nil];
self.window.rootViewController = self.viewController;
[self.viewController makeObjects]; // ADD THIS LINE <--------
[self.window makeKeyAndVisible];
return YES;
}
in ViewController.m, set a breakpoint at
anObject = [[NSObject alloc] init];
run
step over breakpoint
anObject = 0x00000000, anotherObject is set!

Answer 1

Are you using the LLDB debugger? Currently it doesn't give you correct values on iVars in the simulator. Switch back to GDB and you'll find the correct values reported. I discovered this behavior here: UIViewController subclass can't assign instance variable.
And yes, I reported a bug. I got a response back from Apple stating it is a known issue.