How to delete entity and re-use variable

[Alienhead]

How to completely remove an entity that uses the same variable in the same routine.

I have two variables that hold references to two weapon entities the player uses. 

Scenario:  Player changes weapons but nulling the variable holders for the previous weapons dont work because the new weapons fill in the varaible preventing it from being deleted.

    -- drop old weps

    self.weplefthand = nil

    self.weprighthand = nil

    collectgarbage()

 

    self.weplefthand = NewWepToHold1

    self.weprighthand = NewWepToHold2

[Dreikblack]

1 hour ago, Alienhead said:

Player changes weapons but nulling the variable holders for the previous weapons dont work because the new weapons fill in the varaible preventing it from being deleted.

It should not prevent it at all. Are you sure there are no other pointers exist to those weapons?

Example how same reusing of var deletes prev entity without other references to it:

local displays = GetDisplays()
local window = CreateWindow("Ultra Engine", 0, 0, 1280, 720, displays[1], WINDOW_CENTER | WINDOW_TITLEBAR)
local framebuffer = CreateFramebuffer(window)
local world = CreateWorld()
-- Create a camera
local camera = CreateCamera(world)
camera:SetClearColor(0.125)
camera:SetFov(70)
camera:Move(0, 2, -8)
-- Create light
local light = CreateBoxLight(world)
light:SetRotation(45, 35, 0)
light:SetRange(-10, 10)

local box = CreateBox(world)
box:SetPosition(1, 1, 1)

-- Main loop
while window:Closed() == false and window:KeyHit(KEY_ESCAPE) == false do
    collectgarbage()
    world:Update()
    world:Render(framebuffer)
    if (window:KeyHit(KEY_SPACE)) then
        box = CreateBox(world)
    end
end

 

[Josh]

On 11/7/2024 at 3:43 AM, Alienhead said:

How to completely remove an entity that uses the same variable in the same routine.

I have two variables that hold references to two weapon entities the player uses. 

Scenario:  Player changes weapons but nulling the variable holders for the previous weapons dont work because the new weapons fill in the varaible preventing it from being deleted.

    -- drop old weps

    self.weplefthand = nil

    self.weprighthand = nil

    collectgarbage()

 

    self.weplefthand = NewWepToHold1

    self.weprighthand = NewWepToHold2

There is no need to set those variables to nil at all.

-- drop old weps
self.weplefthand = NewWepToHold1
self.weprighthand = NewWepToHold2
collectgarbage()

If the old objects are not being deleted, you must have the same objects referenced somewhere else. You can call SetHidden() to hide them, if nothing else works.

In Leadwerks, stuff like this could cause invalid pointer errors, which are impossible to detect and cause random memory overwrite. This was the #1 issue I saw causing problems in games made by the community.