WoW API: wipe

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Wipes a table of all contents.

table = table.wipe(table)
wipe(table)

Arguments

table

Table - The table to be cleared.

Returns

table

Table - The empty table.

Example

local tab = {}
tab.Hello = "Goodbye"
print(tab.Hello) -- print "Goodbye"
tab = table.wipe(tab)
print(tab.Hello) -- print nil

Notes

• While this function returns an empty table, it is not necessary to assign it to a variable.

local t = {"stuff"}
t = wipe(t)
print(#t) -- prints 0

local t = {"stuff"}
wipe(t)
print(#t) -- also prints 0

• The difference between wipe(table) and table={} is that wipe removes the contents of the table, but retains the variable's internal pointer.

data={1,2,3}

copy=data
assert(copy==data)   -- they're the same object
copy={}
assert(copy~=data)   -- they're no longer the same:
assert(#copy==0)     -- the copy is expectedly empty,
assert(#data==3)     -- but the original table remains.

copy2=data
assert(copy2==data)  -- they're the same object
wipe(copy2)
assert(copy2==data)  -- they're still the same object:
assert(#copy2==0)    -- the copy is expectedly empty,
assert(#data==0)     -- and so is the original table.