attachEvent & ie6

I’m just looking into js performance around events.
I was surprised that this code that I used everywhere was degrading in IE6 so badly with memory leaks.


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Event delegation</title>
<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/prototype/1.6.0.2/prototype.js"></script>
<!-- <script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.5.1/jquery.min.js"></script> -->
<script>
if (typeof console == 'undefined') {
	var timers = {};
	window.console = {
		time: function(name) {
			timers[name] = new Date();
		},
		timeEnd: function(name) {
			var now = new Date();
			var dif = now - timers[name];
			alert(dif);
		}
	}
}

function JRaddEvent( obj, type, fn ) {
    obj['e'+type+fn] = fn;
    obj[type+fn] = function(){obj['e'+type+fn]( window.event );}
    obj.attachEvent( 'on'+type, obj[type+fn] );
}
function JRremoveEvent( obj, type, fn ) {
    obj.detachEvent( 'on'+type, obj[type+fn] );
    obj[type+fn] = null;
}

function DEaddEvent(element, type, handler) {
  // assign each event handler a unique ID
  if (!handler.$$guid) handler.$$guid = DEaddEvent.guid++;
  // create a hash table of event types for the element
  if (!element.events) element.events = {};
  // create a hash table of event handlers for each element/event pair
  var handlers = element.events[type];
  if (!handlers) {
    handlers = element.events[type] = {};
    // store the existing event handler (if there is one)
    if (element["on" + type]) {
      handlers[0] = element["on" + type];
    }
  }
  // store the event handler in the hash table
  handlers[handler.$$guid] = handler;
  // assign a global event handler to do all the work
  element["on" + type] = handleEvent;
};
// a counter used to create unique IDs
DEaddEvent.guid = 1;

function DEremoveEvent(element, type, handler) {
  // delete the event handler from the hash table
  if (element.events && element.events[type]) {
    delete element.events[type][handler.$$guid];
  }
};


function handleEvent(event) {
  // grab the event object (IE uses a global event object)
  event = event || window.event;
  // get a reference to the hash table of event handlers
  var handlers = this.events[event.type];
  // execute each event handler
  for (var i in handlers) {
    this.$$handleEvent = handlers[i];
    this.$$handleEvent(event);
  }
};



var Core = {};
Core.addEventListener = function(target, type, listener) {
	if (Core._findListener(target, type, listener) != -1) return;
	var listener2 = function() {
	  var event = window.event;
	  if (Function.prototype.call) {
		listener.call(target, event);
	  }
	  else {
		target._currentListener = listener;
		target._currentListener(event)
		target._currentListener = null;
	  }
	};
	target.attachEvent("on" + type, listener2);
	var listenerRecord = {
		target: target,
		type: type,
		listener: listener,
		listener2: listener2
	};
	var targetDocument = target.document || target;
	var targetWindow = targetDocument.parentWindow;
	var listenerId = "l" + Core._listenerCounter++;
	if (!targetWindow._allListeners) targetWindow._allListeners = {};
	targetWindow._allListeners[listenerId] = listenerRecord;
	if (!target._listeners) target._listeners = [];
	target._listeners[target._listeners.length] = listenerId;
	if (!targetWindow._unloadListenerAdded) {
		targetWindow._unloadListenerAdded = true;
		targetWindow.attachEvent("onunload", Core._removeAllListeners);
	}
};

Core.removeEventListener = function(target, type, listener) {
	var listenerIndex = Core._findListener(target, type, listener);
	if (listenerIndex == -1) return;
	var targetDocument = target.document || target;
	var targetWindow = targetDocument.parentWindow;
	var listenerId = target._listeners[listenerIndex];
	var listenerRecord = targetWindow._allListeners[listenerId];
	target.detachEvent("on" + type, listenerRecord.listener2);
	target._listeners.splice(listenerIndex, 1);
	delete targetWindow._allListeners[listenerId];
};

Core._findListener = function(target, type, listener) {
	var listeners = target._listeners;
	if (!listeners) return -1;
	var targetDocument = target.document || target;
	var targetWindow = targetDocument.parentWindow;
	for (var i = listeners.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
		var listenerId = listeners[i];
		var listenerRecord = targetWindow._allListeners[listenerId];
		if (listenerRecord.type == type && listenerRecord.listener == listener)   {
			return i;
		}
	}
	return -1;
};
Core._removeAllListeners = function(){
	var targetWindow = this;
	for (id in targetWindow._allListeners) {
		var listenerRecord = targetWindow._allListeners[id];
		listenerRecord.target.detachEvent("on" + listenerRecord.type, listenerRecord.listener2);
		delete targetWindow._allListeners[id];
	}
};

Core._listenerCounter = 0;

window.onload = function() {
	console.time('select / iterate / attach - 500');
	var emptyFn = function(){ alert('a'); };
	
	// jQuery
	//$('p').click(emptyFn); // small memory leak
	// Prototype
	var els = $$('p');
	els.each(function(el) {
		Core.addEventListener(el, 'click', emptyFn);  // Medium memory leak
		//Core.removeEventListener(el, 'click', emptyFn);
		//DEaddEvent(el, 'click', emptyFn);  // Medium memory leak
		//DEremoveEvent(el, 'click', emptyFn) ;// Fixes memory leak
		//JRaddEvent(el, 'click', emptyFn);  // Small memory leak
		//JRremoveEvent(el, 'click', emptyFn);  // Doesn't fix memory leak
		//el.observe('click', emptyFn);  // Big memory leak
		//el.stopObserving('click', emptyFn); // Fixes Big memory leak
		//el.attachEvent('onclick', emptyFn); // small memory leak
		//el.detachEvent('onclick', emptyFn); // Fixes small memory leak
	});
	console.timeEnd('select / iterate / attach - 500');
}

</script>
</head>
<body>
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<table>

<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
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<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
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<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>

<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
<tr><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td><td>a</td></tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>

I tested Prototype, jQuery, John Resig’s addEvent, Dean Edwards addEvent and Sitepoint’s Core.js.
They all cause memory leaks if you don’t detach the events Except sitepoint’s core library, because it detaches all on unload.

Do you detach all the events you register?

So why don’t the major libraries do this? Edit: MooTools does this. And prototype 1.7

PPK wrote about it in 05 with the solution:
QuirksBlog: <code>addEvent()</code> considered harmful