# Getting rid of variables from memory?
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492
**Category:** flash
**Created:** [June 26, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492 "2008-06-26T15:45:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@sekasi](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/sekasi)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/1 "2008-06-26T15:45:48Z")
I know this might seem overkill but how come this throws a strict warning?
var hi2u:int = 25;
// code
hi2u = null;
Was under the impression that variables that are nulled are subject to the GC sweep.
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### Author:  [@Gundark](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Gundark)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/2 "2008-06-26T16:02:58Z")
Integers cannot be set to null. They’ll be destroyed whenever they go out of scope.
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### Author:  [@sekasi](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/sekasi)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/3 "2008-06-26T16:07:43Z")
Ic, thanks.
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### Author:  [@Gundark](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Gundark)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/4 "2008-06-26T18:38:03Z")
An integer can’t have the value of NaN, if you set one to NaN it will just be set to 0 instead. Only Numbers can be NaN.
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### Author:  [@Anogar](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Anogar)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/5 "2008-06-26T18:41:24Z")
So when exactly is it considered ‘out of scope’, in your understanding?
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### Author:  [@Gundark](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Gundark)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/6 "2008-06-26T18:48:25Z")
The way I understand it… if it’s a local variable then it’s out of scope when you leave the function the variable is defined in.
If it’s a class variable then it should be destroyed whenever the instance of the class it is defined in gets garbage collected.
An integer is a relatively small size anyway. In theory it should be about the same size as a reference pointer. You’ll never get huge memory leaks or anything from integers. They shouldn’t ever prevent an object from being garbage collected either.
That’s how it works as far as I know. I’d have to know more about how the Flash Player actually works to tell you exactly what happens. Hopefully Senocular or somebody with inside knowledge could correct anything I wrong about.
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### Author:  [@Anogar](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Anogar)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/7 "2008-06-26T19:01:49Z")
Yeah, clearly integers aren’t a big deal, but it’s interesting to ponder. A class should get garbage collected when it’s not on the stage, being listened to, doing anything at all, right? All the GC stuff is not very transparent. :-/
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### Author:  [@Gundark](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Gundark)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-rid-of-variables-from-memory/264492/8 "2008-06-26T19:11:13Z")
Right. Whenever an object is not in the display list, has no event listeners and has doesn’t have a references pointing to it it should be garbage collected.
Of course it gets weirder than that since you’ve got issues with self-referencing objects, events which doesn’t stop garbage collection, etc…
There are actually two different kinds of garbage collection which are performed. It’s pretty complicated stuff.