Dynamic variables

[PGia]

Hi again.
There's something I can't seem to find a clear answer to.
Maybe someone here can give me that answer.

I'm experimenting with the use of dynamic variables, created in real-time.
However, there's something that often makes me doubt whether it's advisable to use them.
And that's where my question lies:
If my code creates thousands of variables to avoid having to store data in a structure (lists or arrays)... when at the end of the code I cancel each of those variables with (set 'v nil), do the names of those variables really disappear from AutoCAD's symbol table, or only their content?

 

I know about the atoms-family function and that it returns the value of a symbol if it exists.
But the AI says that a negative response from atoms-family is not a guarantee that the symbol no longer exists in AutoCAD's internal symbol table.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited 12 hours ago by PGia

[Lee Mac]

A couple of points to make:

• The need to create thousands of variables on-the-fly typically points to poor program design; in almost every case, a list is more suitable.
• Setting all such variables to nil at the end of the program does clear them from the document namespace, but consider that you are essentially creating & clearing global variables that are not local to the scope of your program, and as such, the variable names could potentially clash with identically named variables in the document namespace - this is generally considered bad practice.

 

Edited 10 hours ago by Lee Mac