Additional Topics > External Development Guide > Remote Procedure Calls > Client Variables

# Client Variables

The IDL RPC client API uses the same data structure as IDL to represent a variable, namely an IDL_VARIABLE structure. By not using a unique data structure to represent a variable, the IDL RPC client API can follow a format that is similar to the API of Callable IDL.

When a variable is created by the IDL RPC client API (when a variable is returned from the IDL_RPCGetMainVariable function, for example) dynamic memory is allocated for the variable and for its value. These dynamic variables are similar to temporary variables which are used in IDL.

The IDL RPC client API provides routines to create, manipulate and delete dynamic or IDL RPC client temporary variables. These API routines follow the same format as the Callable IDL API and most have the same calling sequence.

When a client dynamic or temporary variable is no longer needed by the IDL RPC client program, use the IDL_RPCDeltmp() function to delete or free up the memory associated with the variable. Failure to delete a client temporary variable could result a memory “leak” in the client program.