Corona SDK 'nil value' issue - lua

Question

I am making a shooter game using the corona sdk...
My problem is that i am trying to delete an object(that is part of an array)when it leaves the screen.. when i do, i get an error that says 'trying to compare nil value to variable' which refers to a simple move function for every object in the array. Here is relevant parts of code:
function addAlien()
listeners('add')
end
function listeners(action)
if(action == 'add') then
Runtime:addEventListener('enterFrame',update)
enemyTimer = timer.performWithDelay(800,addEnemy,0)
else
Runtime:removeEventListener('enterFrame',update)
timer.cancel(enemyTimer)
end
end
function addEnemy(e)
enemy = display.newImage('drone.png')
enemy.x = 500
enemy.y = math.floor(math.random()*300)
enemy:scale(-0.1,0.1)
enemy.speed = math.random(2,6)
enemies.insert(enemies,enemy)
enemy.enterFrame = moveEnemy
Runtime:addEventListener('enterFrame',enemy)
end
function moveEnemy(self,event)
--if self.x < 100 then
---self:removeSelf()
--self = nil
--removeSelf()
--else
self.x = self.x-self.speed
--end
end
function update(e)
if(enemies.numChildren ~= 0)then
for i = 1,enemies.numChildren do
if(enemies[i] ~= nil)then
--enemies[i].x = enemies[i].x-3
if(enemies[i].x<100)then
--enemies:remove(enemies[i])
--display.remove(enemies[i])
--enemies[i] = nil
end
end
end
end
end
I have commented out the parts that give me errors.
Any help would be appreciated,
thanks

Answer 1

You might want to try and put the delete code in it's own function and then use a timer to remove it so that the function where you are currently deleting the object can return and you're not deleting yourself.
Another option would be to make it temporarily invisible and then loop through the table periodically and remove anything outside of the move handler.

Answer 2

You have a problem with the following code:
function listeners(action)
if(action == 'add') then
Runtime:addEventListener('enterFrame',update)
enemyTimer = timer.performWithDelay(800,addEnemy,0)
else
Runtime:removeEventListener('enterFrame',update)
timer.cancel(enemyTimer)
end
end
You only want to Runtime:addEventListener('enterFrame', update) once. If you do it everytime you add an enemy things will go wrong. The problem is your code runs again and again after the objects have been removed already.

Answer 3

hmmm. did you use the scene template? if so, you should only put the :removeself () and = nil values in the scene destroy section at the bottom. you also dont need the second removeself that is not attached to an object as that is probably the nil issue.
to summarize.
1-put all remove self () and = nil at the destroy section of scene template and use object.isVisible = false instead.
2-the nil error is most likely coming from the removeself() statement with no object. so change it to moveenemy:removeself ()

Answer 4

if my understanding is right this is how i would do it without using runtime
and using timer instead. ask away if you have question
local scrWidth = display.actualContentWidth
local scrHeight = display.actualContentHeight
local enemy = {} --this will hold your aliens
function addEnemy()
enemy[#enemy + 1] = display.newImage("drone.png")
enemy[#enemy].x = 500
enemy[#enemy].y = math.floor(math.random()*300)
enemy[#enemy]:scale(-0.1,0.1)
enemy[#enemy].speed = math.random(2,6)
end
local function update()
addEnemy()
--this will move the enemy to the left from right
for i=1,#enemy,1 do
enemy[i].x = enemy[i].x - enemy[i].speed
end
--the below codes will destroy each enemy that is out side the screen on the left
local function destroyWhenOutside()
for i=1,#enemy,1 do
if enemy[i].x < 0 - enemy[i].width then
enemy[i]:removeSelf()
enemy[i] = nil
elseif enemy[i].y < 0 - enemy[i].height then
enemy[i]:removeSelf()
enemy[i] = nil
end
end
end
destroyWhenOutside()
end
--this will loop the update every 1/1000 seconds
local timerUpdate = timer.performWithDelay(1,update,-1)
.