_MEMELEMENT

The _MEMELEMENT function returns a _MEM block referring to a variable's memory, but not past it.

Syntax

memoryBlock = _MEMELEMENT(referenceVariable)

• The referenceVariable parameter designates the existing variable name using the memory block.
• _MEMELEMENT is the same as _MEM but in an array it returns the specifications of an element, not the entire array.
• All values created by memory functions MUST be freed using _MEMFREE with a valid _MEM variable type.
• The _MEMELEMENT type contains the following read-only elements where name is the variable name:

name.OFFSET is the beginning offset of the memory block AS _OFFSET

name.SIZE returns the largest available region of memory of the ELEMENT in bytes AS _OFFSET

name.ELEMENTSIZE is the _BYTE size of the elements within the block AS _OFFSET

• 2 = INTEGER values have an element size of 2 bytes
• 4 = LONG integer and SINGLE float values have an element size of 4 bytes
• 8 = DOUBLE float and _INTEGER64 values have an element size of 8 bytes
• 32 = _FLOAT values have an element size of 32 bytes
• LEN = STRING or _OFFSET byte sizes vary so use LEN(variable) for the number of bytes.

name.TYPE is the type (represented as bits combined to form a value) AS LONG (see below).

.TYPE values (version 1.000 and up)

• 0 = UDT (user defined type) or memory created by _MEMNEW
• 1 = 1 bit ELEMENT.SIZE=1 *Only used along with specific types (currently integers or floats)
• 2 = 2 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=2 *
• 4 = 4 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=4 *
• 8 = 8 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=8 *
• 16 = 16 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=16 *
• 32 = 32 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=32 *
• 64 = 64 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=64 *
• 128 = 128 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=128 *
• 256 = 256 bit. ELEMENT.SIZE=256 *
• 512(+ bit*) = integer types only(ie. whole numbers)
• 1024(+ bit*) = floating point types only(ie. numbers that can have a decimal point)
• 2048 = STRING type only
• 4096(+ 512 + bit*) = _UNSIGNED integer type only
• 8192 = _MEM type only
• 16384(+ 512 + bit*)= _OFFSET type only

Note: If a future integer, float or other type doesn't have a size that is 1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128 or 256 it won't have a size-bit set.

Versions prior to 1.000

• 1 = Integer types such as _BYTE, INTEGER, LONG, _INTEGER64 or _OFFSET
• 2 = _UNSIGNED variable types. Value must be added to the variable type value.(2 cannot be used by itself)
• 3 = ALL _UNSIGNED INTEGER type values.(add 1 + 2)
• 4 = Floating point types such as SINGLE, DOUBLE or _FLOAT
• 8 = STRING
• 0 = unknown(eg. created with _MEMNEW) or user-defined-types

Note: _MEM and _OFFSET values cannot be cast to other variable types.

Examples

Example: Comparing the specifications returned by _MEM and _MEMELEMENT from an array.

DIM a(1 TO 100) AS _UNSIGNED _BYTE DIM m1 AS _MEM DIM m2 AS _MEM m1 = _MEM(a(50)) 'function returns information about array up to specific element PRINT m1.OFFSET, m1.SIZE, m1.TYPE, m1.ELEMENTSIZE m2 = _MEMELEMENT(a(50)) 'function returns information about the specific element PRINT m2.OFFSET, m2.SIZE, m2.TYPE, m2.ELEMENTSIZE END

Output using VERSION .954 ONLY .TYPE values: 1 (integer) + 2 (unsigned)

28377205 51 3 1 28377205 1 3 1

Explanation: _MEM returns the info about the array to that element while _MEMELEMENT returns info about that element only.

• _MEM value returns the available array .SIZE as 51 bytes from the designated array element.
• _MEMELEMENT value returns the available element .SIZE as one byte.

See also

• _MEM
• _MEMNEW
• _MEMGET, _MEMPUT
• _MEMFREE

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