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garbage collection: arrays

If I have a large array

theArray:Array = new Array();

and I add 50,000 elements etc. then need to "flush" all those elements...

Should I use --

theArray = [ ] ;

Will that do it? OR should I use :

theArray = new Array( );

to ensure that the previous contents are garbage-collected ?

Please explain for ---> BOTH Flash 7 and Flash 8 ...

Thanks

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

trigger-happy

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Donelson

ASKER

Okay, thanks.

NOTE:

If I say --

theArray[5] = createEmptyMovieClip("foo", 10);

then say

delete theArray;

then the movieClip "foo" does not go away ever, but the array does. (looking at the _root objects)

trigger-happy

The thing is that delete is meant to get rid of references, in order to get rid of the movieclip, you're going to have to do something like theArray[5].unloadMovie();
theArray[5].removeMovieClip();
delete theArray;

Chances are that if you're using theArray to contain references to MovieClips, then you're going to have to loop through the array and delete the movieclips manually and then finally delete the entire array.

--trigger-happy

Donelson

ASKER

Thanks, TH. Yes, that is what I'm doing, but I was curious as to the garbage-collection of "unreferenced objects" that Flash is supposed to do. It must be that movieClips keep their reference on the _root (etc) so are not automatically gc'd.