Mysql_free_result()

[alphacooler]

Is it common practice to use this? I've heard some say it costs more memory invoking the function and others say it should always be done.

 

[sleipnir214]

I think the best opinion on this is the PHP online manual. The entry for mysql_free_result() reads, in part:

mysql_free_result() only needs to be called if you are concerned about how much memory is being used for queries that return large result sets. All associated result memory is automatically freed at the end of the script's execution.

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[alphacooler]

So adding mysql_free_result at the end of the script would be entirely pointless then right? Considering it will stop then regardless.

So instead I would put it right after I finish using the data from the result? Even on large result sets (what is "large" btw?) I don't see how it would help if it is being cleared at the end of the script regardless.

Thanks so very much, as you can tell i'm pretty new to PHP.

 

[sleipnir214]

If your invocation of mysql_free_result() is the last line of your script, yes, it's redundant. If your script invokes the function right after it's done with the data, then it will do some good.

what is "large" btw?

Beats me -- how high is up?.

I know that if you have fetched multiple multigigabyte BLOBs from a database, you have probably fetched a large resultset. Beyond that, it's a term that is relative to your environment.


To be honest, I rarely use mysql_free_result(). As I can recall, the only time I use it is when I have multiple resultsets open at a time.



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