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refs

NAME​

refs - return the number of references to a data structure

SYNOPSIS​

int refs( mixed data );

DESCRIPTION​

The number of references to 'data' will be returned by refs().  This is
useful for deciding whether or not to make a copy of a  data  structure
before returning it.

NOTES​

A structure held by a single variable reports 1; a higher count you
cannot account for often means the structure references itself -- see
has_cycle(3) and the "Reference Loops" concepts page.

SEE ALSO​

children(3), inherit_list(3), deep_inherit_list(3), objects(3),
has_cycle(3), find_cycles(3), break_cycles(3), find_orphaned_cycles(3)