global set in initialization never freed

Global set in initialization and never freed (global-set-in-initialization-never-freed)

A unit's initialization sets its own global variable to a new object (G:= TFoo.Create), and no source that names the variable frees it. The object lives to process exit and shows in every leak report, which hides the leaks that matter. ON by default in lint-all and lint-project.

Running it

drag-lint lint-all --db <project.sqlite> --rule global-set-in-initialization-never-freed
drag-lint lint-project --db <project.sqlite> --rule global-set-in-initialization-never-freed

It needs an index that has resolved references to sections (1.44 or later).

What it reports

One hint per variable, at the assignment. The assignment is in the section, or in a routine of the same unit that the section calls.

What stays silent

• Any unit that names the variable and frees it: G.Free, G.Destroy, G.DisposeOf, G.Release, FreeAndNil(G) or any Free...(G). The check is on the text, so a free in a comment also silences it.
• G.FreeOnTerminate, and a variable handed to Add, AddObject, Insert, Push, Enqueue or a Register... call: something else owns it.
• A constructor with an owner argument: a first argument that is an identifier other than nil, True or False.
• An interface-typed variable, and a type not proven to be a class: a record has a Create too, such as TRegEx. The project index and the platform library answer; with no library loaded only project classes and a short list of common RTL classes count.
• A factory call: only .Create proves a new object.
• A variable of another unit.