MEMORY( )

Topic group Related topics Example

Returns the amount of currently available memory.

Syntax

MEMORY([<expN>])

<expN>

Any number, which causes MEMORY( ) to return the amount of available physical memory.

Description

Use MEMORY( ) to determine how much memory is available in the system. It returns the amount in kilobytes (1024 bytes).

In Windows, available memory is a combination of physical memory (RAM installed in the computer) and virtual memory (disk space used to simulate memory).

When called with no parameters, MEMORY( ) returns the total amount of available memory: the amount of unused physical memory plus the amount of disk space available for virtual memory. By default, Windows 95 sets no maximum for virtual memory, so MEMORY( ) will return free physical memory plus free disk space on the hard drive used for virtual memory. On Windows NT, the size of the paging file used for virtual memory is set to a reasonable size.

When called with any numeric parameter, MEMORY( ) returns the amount of free physical memory. The amount of free physical memory can vary greatly, depending on what the system is doing or has just finished doing. For example, you may have more free physical memory right after viewing and dismissing a dialog box, since the memory that was used to display the dialog box is momentarily unallocated.

dBASE Plus’s About dialog box displays the amount of free memory in bytes.