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NF:winbase.GlobalFree

GlobalFree function (winbase.h)

Frees the specified global memory object and invalidates its handle.

GlobalFree

GlobalFree function

_win32_globalfree

base.globalfree

winbase/GlobalFree

base\globalfree.htm

base

5fe910ac-f857-45ca-9c0f-4f9ba3c5e61b

12/05/2018

GlobalFree, GlobalFree function, _win32_globalfree, base.globalfree, winbase/GlobalFree

winbase.h

Windows.h

Windows

Windows XP [desktop apps \| UWP apps]

Windows Server 2003 [desktop apps \| UWP apps]

Kernel32.lib

Kernel32.dll

Windows

19H1

GlobalFree

winbase/GlobalFree

c++

APIRef

kbSyntax

DllExport

Kernel32.dll

API-MS-Win-Core-Heap-Obsolete-l1-1-0.dll

kernel32legacy.dll

API-MS-Win-DownLevel-Kernel32-l2-1-0.dll

API-MS-Win-Core-misc-l1-1-0.dll

KernelBase.dll

MinKernelBase.dll

API-Ms-Win-Core-Heap-L2-1-0.dll

GlobalFree

GlobalFree function

-description

Frees the specified global memory object and invalidates its handle.

Note The global functions have greater overhead and provide fewer features than other memory management functions. New applications should use the heap functions unless documentation states that a global function should be used. For more information, see Global and Local Functions.

-parameters

-param hMem [in]

A handle to the global memory object. This handle is returned by either the GlobalAlloc or GlobalReAlloc function. It is not safe to free memory allocated with LocalAlloc.

-returns

If the function succeeds, the return value is NULL.

If the function fails, the return value is equal to a handle to the global memory object. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

-remarks

If the process examines or modifies the memory after it has been freed, heap corruption may occur or an access violation exception (EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION) may be generated.

The GlobalFree function will free a locked memory object. A locked memory object has a lock count greater than zero. The GlobalLock function locks a global memory object and increments the lock count by one. The GlobalUnlock function unlocks it and decrements the lock count by one. To get the lock count of a global memory object, use the GlobalFlags function.

If an application is running under a debug version of the system, GlobalFree will issue a message that tells you that a locked object is being freed. If you are debugging the application, GlobalFree will enter a breakpoint just before freeing a locked object. This allows you to verify the intended behavior, then continue execution.