Need help with Variables + Removing Leaks

Ok, so I got this neat "Leak Checker" program, which not only scans and marks leaks, but also suggests a fix for each one. (For those interested, it can be downloaded here). Anyway, I had a couple questions.


1. It tells me (for example, Location leaks) to set the point to a variable (MyLoc), reference the variable instead of the point, then remove the location. 'K. But since I have, like, 20 different triggers (mostly for spells) that could all be firing off at once and using "MyLoc", wouldn't I need a different "MyLoc" (like "MyLocSpell1", "MyLocSpell2", etc) for each spell??


2. For Unit Group leaks, it offers help, but it doesn't specify where to place the code (same for all the other types of Leaks). I mean, I understand to set the unit group to a variable before the actual "Pick Every Unit" code. But does the "removeunitgroup" code go after everything inside the loop, or after the loop outside the loop? (Hope that makes sense).

3. Finally, (and I may be confusing this with Local Variables), I remember reading somewhere that you have to null the variable, then remove it. What's that all about?



Thanks in advance for help. :P

Ugh, GUI leaks. Spawn of the devil, I swear.

You better know some lite JASS, 'cause you'll need it.

To make a global variable a local variable:
Make a global location, call it "TempPoint"
The FIRST action in your trigger:
"Custom Script:" In that custom script, put "local location udg_TempPoint"

Now use TempPoint like you normally would. Setting it, etc. (You can only do this for one variable per trigger) TempPoint is now "local" and won't mess up with other triggers using it.

At the end of your trigger, use custom script again. Put in: "call RemoveLocation(udg_TempPoint)"
Right after it, put one more Custom Script: "set udg_TempPoint = null"


About Part 2:

Set the global variable to whatever at the beginning of your script. Now, use it like normal. At the very end of your script, put in custom script: "call DestroyGroup(udg_WhateverYouNamedTheVariable)"

Part 3:
That's incorrect. In fact, that CAUSES a leak. You remove, then you null. If you null, then try to remove, the game loses reference of that object and it is stuck forever, hence a leak (except for units when they die, and things of that nature)

PS: I would learn JASS. All this leak-cleaning stuff gets a lot easier to manage, trust me.
PSS: I'm hoping you know this, but don't put the " " in the custom script, or else it will cause lots and lots of errors.

They cannot fire off all at once. Unless you use Wait or Run Trigger the trigger will run from beginning to end without other triggers running.

Regarding groups:

Another option is to tell Warcraft you want the group destroyed. Run the Custom Script before you pick all units, and the group will be destroyed automatically.

Wow, thanks for all the help; +Rep, of course. Now let's see...

@Darkwulf: Ah, ok, that makes sense. I've known of locals for a while, but now it makes sense; you can use the same variable because it's "local" to the trigger in which it's used.
However, you said I can only "localize" and stuff one variable per trigger, am I right? That may be a problem, where I need to summon sfx + reference locations...

And also thanks about the order; I wasn't sure it needed to be nulled at all; I'd just heard one way or the other. Cool.

P.S. Yeah, I know... I learned quick/visual basic programming in high school, so I have some background... But I'm less than a year away from leaving, and it seems like a big ordeal, very different and still hard to read... Meh.
P.P.S. What do you take me for, a incontinent juvenile?!... :P, just kidding. Normal precautions, of course.

@Themerion: Thanks for the visual. However, I've heard of using that "Custom Script: set bj_wantDestroyGroup = true" before; then somebody mentioned that it didn't work properly, or that it needed to be repeated for each action-line in the Unit Group thingy... Am I making sense?
My apologies if it seems like I be doubtin' your wisdom, mon.

I'm not very familiar with the bj_wantDestroy method, it's possible that there are issues with it which I am ignorant of. I myself stick to the first version (set variable), but I noticed that the "Unit Group - Pick All Units..." function looks like this:


So I assumed it would work too.

Yes, the set bj_wantdestroygroup method is usable. I would actually encourage using it MOST of the time (sometimes you want to save a group, but if it's just for a temporary group, set it to true. The function automatically sets it back to false for you)

Hey, I'm just spouting baseless, rumor-mongering remarks; I'm gonna wait until someone "higher-up" the JASS food-chain tells me otherwise. Until then, I'll probably just stick with the 'localized' unit-group variables-thingy.

EDIT: Woops, posted a few seconds too late. Ok then, that's cool; makes work easier for me :P.
Again, thanks for the help.

(Oh yeah, and what if I need to use more than one type of local variables, like sfx and location?)

I wouldn't worry about the SFX. Sometimes (not all the time), you can use "Destroy Special Effect" and then when it asks which effect to destroy, just make it create one. Beware, though, this will ONLY work if the effect has a death animation, and the death animation is many times different than the effect you want.

Otherwise, a temporary global works fine for special effects. I don't think you need to worry about localizing it. Just make sure you destroy it at the end so it doesn't leak.

You only need to localize a variable when you're using Waits in the trigger. Scripts and triggers run in one piece, so you can use temporary global variables as long as there's no wait in between.


Sometimes you want a wait though. Blizzard use this approach for Special Effects in Extreme Candy Wars:

Set SpecialFX=LastCreatedEffect().
Run Trigger:

(See? Even Blizzard use temporary globals! (here to pass data between triggers))

Ok, cool.

(Hey, wait a minute, you posted within 10 minutes of your other post... Am I the only one with the "600 second wait" between posts??)

(darn, 307 seconds to go...)
(now 44...)


Curse you, forum-based wait command! Thwarted again!
Hmm... that can't be. I don't usually need Waits, but it seems like there was something else I needed locals for.



P.S. I'll probably just edit this post again and again instead of reposting; takes too long.

The 600 second wait is mandatory for new members for a while. Everyone had to go through with it. It wears off soon, don't worry.

And locals are useful for cleaning things like locations, groups, etc. Plus, it's a good reassurance even if you aren't using waits, just for the safety of it.

Beware, though. Global -> Local conversion do NOT work with Pick Every Unit In Group or If/Then/Else (maybe even loops, not sure), due to the GUI's stupidity of making new functions for those when they really aren't needed. I think you can re-declare the local inside the block, but I'm not 100% sure.

I'm sorry, I don't really get the usage of this. Is this an entirely separate trigger? Do I need to set my created special effects to a variable, as you indicated above the trigger-code? And where do I put all the in (since I'm using a "For Integer A" loop thing). For reference, here's mine:

The usage of it is that you can clean up your special effect leaks. Yes, it is a separate trigger. Yes, you need to set the effects to a variable after creation.

As I stated in the other post you shouldn't use waits in a for loop.

Since you don't want the entire effect to be played, I suggest you put the time before destruction in a variable as well:


When you run the trigger Special Effect Destruction, it will store your effect in the trigger. It will then wait TempReal seconds and finally destroy the effect.


100% safe and leak-free.

Ah, ok. Thanks for clearing that up.