Unloading assets to clear memory?

[Ninjadoodle]

Hi guys

 

I'm cleaning up my game for devices ( using Cocoon JS ) and loading my levels dynamically ( level by level ), not to overload the device.

 

This works nicely until about 2/3 of the game, when I get a 'Memory Warning' on both Android and iOS.

 

I'm assuming that the graphics loaded each level are stacking up, and the phone is only releasing what it needs when the memory gets full.

 

Is there a way I can 'Unload' the assets, in the same way I load them, when they are no longer needed?

 

I'm worried this might cause crashes on weaker devices.

 

Thank you in advance for any help!

[enpu]

Hey!

 

I have added game.clearAssets(); method that will clear whole texture cache.

 

I will soon add another method, that you can use to destroy specific texture.

[enpu]

Maybe i should add that also into game.Loader and setScene function as parameter, something like this:

game.system.setScene('Level2', true); // this will clear texture cache, when changing scene

What do you think?

[Ninjadoodle]

Hi @enpu

 

I think that would be a really good idea, as you have a choice whether to clear it or not. 

 

In my case, once I finish a level, 99% of the time those graphics are not used again

 

Thank you!!

[enpu]

Ok just pushed some changes, the syntax is now this:

game.removeAsset('logo.png'); // Remove sprite from memorygame.removeAsset('sprites.json'); // Remove sprite sheet from memorygame.removeAssets(); // Remove all assets from memorygame.system.setScene('Game', true); // Change scene and remove all assets from memory

[Ninjadoodle]

Hi @enpu

 

This is awesome! Just one question ... if I'm using the loader instead of game.system.setScene, can a similar syntax be used ?

 

// Load next level assets here

 

var loader = new game.Loader('Level1');

 

loader.start();

[enpu]

I think this should work:

var loader = new game.Loader('Level1');game.removeAssets();loader.start();

Let me know how it works

[Stephan]

This is really a GREAT feature enpu!   Thanx for adding it so quickly. This will come in very handily in several big projects that I will be working on.

 

Is it possible already to clear the sound cache in a similar way? 

[Ninjadoodle]

Hi @enpu

 

I've just been testing this and there is one problem ...

 

If you removeAsset, the engine doesn't seem to let you add the same asset at a later stage.

 

For example if I load a levels assets, then unload them after leaving, then try to load the assets again upon entering, I get an error

[Phempt]

Maybe i should add that also into game.Loader and setScene function as parameter, something like this:

game.system.setScene('Level2', true); // this will clear texture cache, when changing scene

What do you think?

 

I really like this idea!

[enpu]

@Ninjadoodle you are right, will fix that asap!

[enpu]

Should be now fixed!

 

Little change to the code order:

// Remove all assetsgame.removeAssets();// Add new assetsgame.addAsset('sprite.png');var loader = new game.Loader('Level1');loader.start();

[Ninjadoodle]

Hi @enpu

 

I'm not sure what's causing this, but reloading assets that have been removed before, makes CocoonJS crash (no error, the app just quits).

 

It now works on desktop/browser, but not in Cocoon.

 

Thank you for working on this!!

[enpu]

Ok i think i have fixed the issue, can you test again

[Ninjadoodle]

Hi @enpu

 

Awesome! It works perfectly now and no 'memory warning' as far as I can tell

 

Thank you heaps for adding this awesome feature!