.TH REF 9.SH NAMERef, incref, decref \- reference counts.SH SYNOPSIS.ta \w'\fLchar* 'u.PP.Bint	incref(Ref *r).PP.Bint	decref(Ref *r).SH DESCRIPTIONA.B Refstructure holds a reference count for a data structure:.IP.EXtypedef structstruct Ref{    Lock;    long ref;} Ref;.EE.PPThe reference count proper is found in.BR ref ;the.B Lockprevents concurrent updates(see.IR lock (9))..PP.I Increfatomically increments the reference count.IR r ,and returns the new count..PP.I Decrefatomically decrements the reference count.IR r ,and returns the new count..SH EXAMPLESRelease a structure containing a.B Refon last use..IP.EXif(decref(s) == 0)	free(s);.EE.SH SOURCE.B /sys/src/9/port/chan.c.SH DIAGNOSTICS.I Decrefwill.IR panic (9)if the count goes negative,revealing a reference counting bug.