RELEASE Instruction

RELEASE( options ) list of arrays or series

You can use RELEASE to free up the space in memory which previously has been set aside for the listed arrays and series. By using the options, you can release several other large memory blocks

Parameters

list...

The arrays or series whose memory blocks you want to release.

Options

The options allow the release of space set aside for certain other purposes, though with modern computers, these are generally not large enough to matter. Each of these is a switch option, which is off by default:

FREQUENCY	releases the frequency domain series block set up by a FREQUENCY instruction.
REGRESS	releases the block of regression information: %XX, %BETA and other things.
CMOMENT	releases the array %CMOM and other information set up by CMOMENT.

Notes

You may find it necessary to use this instruction if you have severe constraints on available memory, or if you are running a large program. However, it makes little sense to release a series or array unless you are truly finished with it. If you set it or dimension it later, you simply have borrowed the space temporarily.

RELEASE does not actually remove the arrays and series themselves from the table of variables, so you can re-dimension them later without using another DECLARE.

If you use LOCAL arrays or series in a PROCEDURE, note that RATS does not automatically release the space allocated to them when it finishes executing the procedure. If you want to free up the space, you will have to do an explicit RELEASE instruction.