ObjectPascal
Assigned
Function
Returns true if a reference is not nil System unit
1  function Assigned ( PointerName : Pointer ) : Boolean;
2  function Assigned ( ObjectName   : TObject ) : Boolean;
3  function Assigned ( MethodName   : Method ) : Boolean;
Description
The Assigned function checks to see if a reference is not nil. It returns True if not nil, and False if nil.
 
Use of a Nil reference will result in an exception.
 
The three versions of Assigned allow the function to work on data pointers, object references, and class method references.
 
It is better to use Assigned rather than Nil when referring to methods so as to distinguish from the checking of a nil result of a method.
Related commands
Nil A pointer value that is defined as undetermined
Pointer Defines a general use Pointer to any memory based data
 
Example code : A simple example
var
  myPtr : PChar;

begin
  // Pointer variables are not set to nil by default
  if Assigned(myPtr)
  then WriteLn('myPtr is not nil')
  else WriteLn('myPtr is nil');

  // So we must set them to nil to be sure that they are undefined
  myPtr := Nil;
  if Assigned(myPtr)
  then WriteLn('myPtr is still not nil')
  else WriteLn('myPtr is nil');
end;
Show full unit code
   myPtr is not nil
   myPtr is nil