Base class for reference-counted objects.
Base class for any object that keeps a reference count. [Resource] and many other helper objects inherit this class. Unlike other [Object] types, [RefCounted]s keep an internal reference counter so that they are automatically released when no longer in use, and only then. [RefCounted]s therefore do not need to be freed manually with [method Object.free]. [RefCounted] instances caught in a cyclic reference will [b]not[/b] be freed automatically. For example, if a node holds a reference to instance [code]A[/code], which directly or indirectly holds a reference back to [code]A[/code], [code]A[/code]'s reference count will be 2. Destruction of the node will leave [code]A[/code] dangling with a reference count of 1, and there will be a memory leak. To prevent this, one of the references in the cycle can be made weak with [method @GlobalScope.weakref]. In the vast majority of use cases, instantiating and using [RefCounted]-derived types is all you need to do. The methods provided in this class are only for advanced users, and can cause issues if misused. [b]Note:[/b] In C#, reference-counted objects will not be freed instantly after they are no longer in use. Instead, garbage collection will run periodically and will free reference-counted objects that are no longer in use. This means that unused ones will remain in memory for a while before being removed.
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Returns the current reference count.
Initializes the internal reference counter. Use this only if you really know what you are doing. Returns whether the initialization was successful.
Increments the internal reference counter. Use this only if you really know what you are doing. Returns [code]true[/code] if the increment was successful, [code]false[/code] otherwise.
Decrements the internal reference counter. Use this only if you really know what you are doing. Returns [code]true[/code] if the object should be freed after the decrement, [code]false[/code] otherwise.