Delete

SWF Action
Action Category: 
Variables
Action Details: 
0
Action Identifier: 
58
Action Structure: 
<n.a.>
Action Length: 
0 byte(s)
Action Stack: 
pop 1 (s), pop 2 (o), push 1 (b)
Action Operation: 
s1 := pop();
o2 := pop();  // undefined or _root or _global for global variables
r := delete(s1, o2);
push(r);
Action Flash Version: 
5
See Also: 
Declare Object
Delete All
Set Member
Set Property

Pop one string representing the name of the property to be deleted. Then pop the object from which the property is to be deleted.

In version 5 through 8, it is necessary to Push Data type undefined (0x03)1 before the string as in:

96 04 00 03 00 'a' 00 3A
delete("a");

to delete a global variable.

According to some movies I have looked at, the delete instruction returns some undefined value. In newer versions, though, the value is supposed to be a Boolean telling whether the object was really deleted (i.e. if false, then another reference is still present.)

  • 1. Since player version 9, deleting a dynamic (global) variable requires _root (or _global) instead of undefined.