[PartialCloning]

Why is everyone implying you shouldn't use static!? You should use static for large arrays in forwards that are fired repeatedly in quick intervals, or you will get a stack error unless you use #pragma dynamic to increase the size of the memory block.

static should not be used in the default amx plugins, that's a poor solution to poor usage.

[asherkin]

Stack overflows from large local arrays has nothing to do with the frequency of calls.

[PartialCloning]

PHP Code:

public server_frame()
{
    server_print("server_frame");
    new test[12345];
    new test2[12345];
    new test3[12345];
} 


server_frame [AMXX] Run time error 3: stack error server_frame [AMXX] Run time error 3: stack error server_frame [AMXX] Run time error 3: stack error ...

PHP Code:

public server_frame()
{
    server_print("server_frame");
    static test[12345];
    static test2[12345];
    static test3[12345];
} 


server_frame server_frame server_frame server_frame ...

[klippy]

It still has nothing to do with frequency, only the size.

[Bugsy]

I understood static declaration the same as OciXCrom..allocate the memory once and it is re-used each time instead of re-allocated. Though asherkins point is also true, static allows local variables to retain values between function calls, similar to a global, but with local scope..while I don't think this is the reason for its existence.

wiki says it too, so it has to be true

In computer programming, a static variable is a variable that has been allocated "statically", meaning that its lifetime (or "extent") is the entire run of the program.

[OciXCrom]

Originally Posted by Bugsy I understood static declaration the same as OciXCrom..allocate the memory once and it is re-used each time instead of re-allocated. Though asherkins point is also true, static allows local variables to retain values between function calls, similar to a global, but with local scope..while I don't think this is the reason for its existence. wiki says it too, so it has to be true In computer programming, a static variable is a variable that has been allocated "statically", meaning that its lifetime (or "extent") is the entire run of the program.

Finally, I'm not the only one. It says that everywhere though, even when plugin approvers review my plugin submissions they say I should use static for functions that are called often.

Originally Posted by HamletEagle We should see what "often" really mean. Making them static only worth if the function is called per frame(i.e PreThink, AddToFullPack, CmdStart, etc) or if you are working with very big arrays(so you don't overflow anything). Even if you have a task that repeats at 1.0 seconds and only small arrays static is not needed. You could also use static on a global variable if you work with multiple files(i.e custom includes) and you want a variable to be accesible only in the scope of the file in which it was create. Using static in other cases is pretty much over-optimization and for the sake of good practices let's use new.

[klippy]

Originally Posted by Bugsy Though asherkins point is also true, static allows local variables to retain values between function calls, similar to a global, but with local scope..while I don't think this is the reason for its existence.

Actually that's the exact reason for its existence.
Also declaring a single cell variable as static then immediately unconditionally setting its value is not any better than using new var =... , performance wise.

[olotfi]

I come from a scripting background and the preprocessor in C has always seemed ugly to me. None the less I have embraced it as I learn to write small C programs. I am only really using the preprocessor for including the standard libraries and header files I have written for my own functions. CCleaner Happy Wheels VLC