MATLAB Application Program Interface Reference

Allocate dynamic memory using MATLAB's memory manager

integer*4 function mxCalloc(n, size)
integer*4 n, size

Arguments

Number of elements to allocate. This must be a nonnegative number.

size

Number of bytes per element.

Returns

A pointer to the start of the allocated dynamic memory, if successful. If unsuccessful in a stand-alone (nonMEX-file) application, mxCalloc returns 0. If unsuccessful in a MEX-file, the MEX-file terminates and control returns to the MATLAB prompt.

mxCalloc is unsuccessful when there is insufficient free heap space.

Description

The MATLAB memory management facility maintains a list of all memory allocated by mxCalloc (and by the mxCreate calls). The MATLAB memory management facility automatically frees (deallocates) all of a MEX-file's parcels when control returns to the MATLAB prompt.

By default, in a MEX-file, mxCalloc generates nonpersistent mxCalloc data. In other words, the memory management facility automatically deallocates the memory as soon as the MEX-file ends. When you finish using the memory allocated by mxCalloc, call mxFree. mxFree deallocates the memory.

mxCalloc works differently in MEX-files than in stand-alone MATLAB applications. In MEX-files, mxCalloc automatically

Allocates enough contiguous heap space to hold n elements.
Initializes all n elements to 0.
Registers the returned heap space with the MATLAB memory management facility.

In stand-alone MATLAB applications, MATLAB's memory manager is not used.