Using group.length after removing an element yields a null reference due to not updating the internal value

[Jarrio]

• Flixel version: 4.2.0
• OpenFL version: 3.6.1
• Lime version: 2.9.1
• Affected targets: All of them

---

Code snippet reproducing the issue:

import flixel.FlxSprite;
import flixel.FlxG;
import flixel.FlxState;
import flixel.group.FlxSpriteGroup;

class TestState extends FlxState {
    public var group:FlxSpriteGroup = new FlxSpriteGroup();
    override public function create():Void {
        super.create();

        for (i in 0...10) {
            group.add(new FlxSprite(i * 10, 10));            
        }

        add(group);
        group.remove(group.members[0], true);

        
        for (i in 0...group.length) {
            trace(group.members[i].x);
        }
        
    }
}

---

Observed behavior:
Error is on the final trace
Expected behavior:
The group.length value should match the new group.members.length value
Temporary fix is to just use the group.members.length value

[Gama11]

Nice catch. Looks like there originally used to be a length-- there, but it went missing between these two commits:

2ddde96#diff-0a33dc2c18b9746c9928ecafde442aa2L344
e353f07#diff-0a33dc2c18b9746c9928ecafde442aa2R343

[MSGhero]

#1887 though?

[Gama11]

That's not really the same thing. That PR would've made it so that length is always decreased in remove(), even with Splice = false.

[MSGhero]

I meant more that you said you were wary of changing it bc people relied on the current behavior, and it's a breaking change.

But it's more correct now so...

[Gama11]

Ah. I mean, this really just restores the original / "correct" behavior. We couldn't fix any bugs if we always fear somebody relies on the buggy behavior. :)

That PR you linked went in a different direction / changed the behavior, it wasn't a bugfix.