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ABL Reference
Handle Attributes and Methods Reference : NUM-REFERENCES attribute
 

NUM-REFERENCES attribute

The number of references to a buffer, ProDataSet, or temp-table object that is defined as a parameter to which reference-only objects are bound.
Data type: INTEGER
Access: Read-only
Applies to: Buffer object handle, ProDataSet object handle, Temp-table object handle
Use this attribute to determine whether a buffer, ProDataSet, or temp-table object is referenced by another procedure before you delete the defining procedure or the referenced object itself (if it is a dynamic object).
If the buffer, ProDataSet, or temp-table object is not referenced by any other procedure (or other such object), this attribute returns 0. Otherwise, this attribute returns the number of procedures (or other such objects) currently referencing the object.
This attribute applies to objects defined as reference-only parameters, not shared objects.

See also

DEFINE DATASET statement (REFERENCE-ONLY option), DEFINE TEMP-TABLE statement (REFERENCE-ONLY option), DELETE OBJECT statement, DELETE PROCEDURE statement, RUN statement