====== zvar_Create ======

===== Description =====

Create a variable.

===== Files =====

^ Declaration | ''Zeolite.h'' |
^ Implementation | ''Zeolite.cpp'' |

===== Function prototype =====

<code="C">ZVAR zvar_Create(long VarID);</code>

===== Arguments =====

^ Name ^ Type ^ Comment ^
| VarID | long | The [[zeolite:VarID|type ID]] of the variable to be created. |

===== Return value =====

Null if an error occurred, and a non-nullZVAR handle otherwise.

===== Comments =====

==== Garbage collection ====

ZVARs never go 'out of scope', so your plugin is responsible for deleting variables when they are no longer needed using the [[zeolite:functions:zvar_Delete]] function. If your plugin doesn't delete its variables, L3DT will do the garbage collection when it closes, and it may mock you for not cleaning up after yourself.

<note tip>
To restore normal scoping rules, use the C++ wrapper classes ([[zeolite:classes:CzVar]], [[zeolite:classes:CzStr]], [[zeolite:classes:CzMap]], etc.). These classes automatically delete their variable handles when going out of scope, so you don't have to.
</note>

==== Variable size ====

A variable created with ''zvar_Create'' occupies more memory than using, say, the //new// operator in C++. This is because the ZVAR structure stores, in addition to the data, such things as the variable type and name string. Thus, if you wish to create a large array of variables (e.g. a million floats) you should not use [[zeolite:functions:zvar_Create]], [[zeolite:functions:zvar_CreateShared]] or [[zeolite:functions:zlist_CreateItem]] for each item in the array, but instead use the provided buffer functions (''zbuffer_xxx''), which store the data in an array without decoration.