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AST_ANNUL - Annul a pointer to an Object

Description:
This routine annuls a pointer to an Object so that it is no longer recognised as a valid pointer by the AST library. Any resources associated with the pointer are released and made available for re-use.

This routine also decrements the Object's RefCount attribute by one. If this attribute reaches zero (which happens when the last pointer to the Object is annulled), then the Object is deleted.

Invocation:
CALL AST_ANNUL( THIS, STATUS )
Arguments:
THIS = INTEGER (Given and Returned)
The Object pointer to be annulled. A null pointer value (AST__NULL) is always returned.
STATUS = INTEGER (Given and Returned)
The global status.
Class Applicability:
Object
This routine applies to all Objects.
Notes:
  • This routine attempts to execute even if STATUS is set to an error value on entry, although no further error report will be made if it subsequently fails under these circumstances. In particular, it will fail if the pointer suppled is not valid, but this will only be reported if the error status is clear on entry.


next up previous 264
Next: AST_AXANGLE - Returns the angle from an axis, to a line through two points
Up: AST Routine Descriptions
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AST A Library for Handling World Coordinate Systems in Astronomy
Starlink User Note 210
R.F. Warren-Smith & D.S. Berry
24th May 2011
E-mail:ussc@star.rl.ac.uk

Copyright (C) 2009 Science \& Technology Facilities Council