Question on Memory Leaks

[Mindless]

Hi everyone,

A quick question: does this leak?

Set LCPoint = centre of playable map area
Move UnitA to LCPoint
Set LCPoint = Point(222,324)
Move UnitB to LCPoint
call RemoveLocation(udg_LCPoint)

Do I need to call RemoveLocation after moving UnitA, then reseting LCPoint, then calling RemoveLocation again after moving UnitB?
So, should I do this?

Set LCPoint = centre of playable map area
Move UnitA to LCPoint
call RemoveLocation(udg_LCPoint)
Set LCPoint = Point(222,324)
Move UnitB to LCPoint
call RemoveLocation(udg_LCPoint)

 

[johnnymra]

As far as i am aware, yes. But you should read the tutorial about memory leaks. >HERE<

 

[Mindless]

Thanks. Just a side question though, what causes leaks? I mean, why does region, player group, unit group and all that leak, but not, let's say, reals for example? Why isn't there a:

Set LCReal = 500
Set UnitA Movement Speed = LCReal
call RemoveReal(udg_LCReal)

?

 

[KaerfNomekop]

Because reals, integers and the rest don't create objects that can't be referred to later. If you use a value of 249 or 481.6, that doesn't create an instance, it just uses the value for the time being. Clearing leaks will prevent you from having extra unit groups, locations/points etc. [Units within 500.00 of (Position of (Triggering Unit))] will leak because since you aren't saving the point or the unit group into a variable, you can't reference it later.

 

[Dirac]

there's no such thing as a RemoveReal function, real the tutorial posted by johnnymra it should be enough

 

[WolfieeifloW]

He knows there isn't a 'RemoveReal' function, lol.
He was wondering why something like that doesn't need a variable.

Like KaerfNomekop said, plus, I'm pretty sure it's something like:
Positions, groups, etc. can change, and when they do, they're left behind in the WC3 memory.
That takes up space, memory, which will add up over time.
If you don't destroy them, those 'leaks' will build up, using more and more memory.
Eventually, they will lag your map into nothingness.

Memory Leak: the leakage of handle objects, or in other words, basically whenever you create something or reference something, other than integers the game loses it’s location, thus causing a leaked piece of memory. Now granted these are cleaned at the end of the game, but if enough pile up during play without being removed, it can cause serious lag to the players, ranging from a little here and there, to complete un-playability, neither of which is wanted.

 

[Mindless]

Ah.. Thanks guys. I think I understand now... a bit. But this leads back to my first question. If memory leaks are defined as above, why shouldn't the first alternative (see first post) be leakless? I've stored a point in a variable, then simply changed the value of the variable. That shouldn't leak, should it?

That piece of code should be the same as:

Set LCPoint = centre of playable map area
Set LCPoint = Point(222,324)
...

(not moving the units anymore of course but in terms of memory leaking, those should be equivalent)

Or, does this leak too...

 

[vypur85]

Set Unit_Var = Your Unit A
Set Unit_Var = Your Unit B
Unit - Remove Unit_Var

Does Your Unit A gets removed from the code above? Think about it. It applies to point variables too.

If it doesn't get removed, meaning it leaks...


Edit:
From Post#11, I guess you still don't get it from this simple reply. Sometimes you just need to imagine things from a different perspective. My reply stops here.

 

[KaerfNomekop]

Well, I'm not sure if Centre of Playable Map Area leaks, since it should stay the same throughout. Not sure what happens when you change camera boundaries though.

But generally it will leak, since you reference the first point then change the value of the variable. How do you use the first point again? You can't.

 

[Ayanami]

Ah.. Thanks guys. I think I understand now... a bit. But this leads back to my first question. If memory leaks are defined as above, why shouldn't the first alternative (see first post) be leakless? I've stored a point in a variable, then simply changed the value of the variable. That shouldn't leak, should it?

That piece of code should be the same as:

Set LCPoint = centre of playable map area
Set LCPoint = Point(222,324)
...

(not moving the units anymore of course but in terms of memory leaking, those should be equivalent)

Or, does this leak too...

I believe that leaks because your reference to your first LCPoint is gone.

When you refer LCPoint as Center of Playable Map Area, that point is stored into memory. Then, you refer to another point which stores that point into memory. However, this will cause a memory leak as you are not able to refer to the first point anymore, which is just taking up memory. I believe that's why it causes memory leak in this case.

 

[Mindless]

So I'll have to clean up memory every time I set a variable to a new value?

So I'll even have to clean up memory for completely pointless actions like this:

Set LCPoint = Point(334,554)
call RemoveLocation(udg_LCPoint)
Set LCPoint = Point(887,343)
call RemoveLocation(udg_LCPoint)

even if I do nothing in between the successive set variables?

 

[Ayanami]

So I'll have to clean up memory every time I set a variable to a new value?

So I'll even have to clean up memory for completely pointless actions like this:

Set LCPoint = Point(334,554)
call RemoveLocation(udg_LCPoint)
Set LCPoint = Point(887,343)
call RemoveLocation(udg_LCPoint)

even if I do nothing in between the successive set variables?

Yes, exactly. It doesn't matter if you use the variable or not. At the instance when you set the variable, that's where the memory leak occurs.

 

[Mindless]

Right... Thanks a lot guys. Thanks for making my map leak free! And also thanks for giving me about 10 hours or more of hard work.