attempt to index field 'Entity' error help

[Froogle_]

[b]Objective: [/b]I'm trying to destroy my sent when it has lived for 30 seconds but I don't get what is wrong with my code.
[b]Error: [/b]Timer Error: entities/sent_raketti/init.lua:23: attempt to index field 'Entity' (a nil value)

[b]Code: [/b] (I commented line 23) [lua]function ENT:Initialize()

self.Entity:SetModel( "models/items/ar2_grenade.mdl" )
self.Entity:PhysicsInit( SOLID_VPHYSICS ) -- Make us work with physics,
self.Entity:SetMoveType( MOVETYPE_VPHYSICS ) -- after all, gmod is a physics
self.Entity:SetSolid( SOLID_VPHYSICS )

local phys = self.Entity:GetPhysicsObject()
if (phys:IsValid()) then
phys:Wake()
end

self.Entity:SpawnTrail()

timer.Simple(30, function()
if (self.Entity:IsValid()) then --THIS IS LINE 23
local parent = self.Entity:GetParent()

if ( parent:IsValid() ) then
parent:Remove()
end

self.Entity:Explode(self.Entity)
self.Entity:Remove()
end
end)

end[/lua]

[b]Notes: [/b] The code that's inside timer works fine in my PhysicsCollide function. I wanted to make sure it's removed after 30 seconds by making that timer but it's giving that error after 30 seconds.

[Entoros]

Try saying:

if self.Entity and self.Entity:IsValid() then

You can't call IsValid on an entity that doesn't exist sometimes (which is weird).

[Froogle_]

Thanks! That worked.

[MegaJohnny]

As a side-note, you can do ValidEntity(some_entity) which is functionally the same as writing Entoros' check. I'm not saying you [i]should[/i] use ValidEntity, I'm just putting another option forward.

[CapsAdmin]

And in scripted entities self is the same as self.Entity

[Gbps]

[QUOTE=MegaJohnny;19441824]As a side-note, you can do ValidEntity(some_entity) which is functionally the same as writing Entoros' check. I'm not saying you [i]should[/i] use ValidEntity, I'm just putting another option forward.[/QUOTE]

It's better to do ValidEntity == false with variables that change from nil to entities to other types of variables.

[Froogle_]

I'm bumping this because I have new, somewhat similar problem.

[b]Objective: [/b]I'm trying to explode and remove my entity after 30 seconds.
[b]Error: [/b]The entity doesn't explode after 30 seconds, it just gets removed.
Same code works fine on my PhysicsCollide function and it actually explodes and removes itself.
[b]Code: [/b]

This works perfectly.
[lua]
function ENT:PhysicsCollide( data, physobj )

if (data.HitEntity:GetClass() == "sent_raketti") then return end

local parent = self.Entity:GetParent()

if ( parent:IsValid() ) then
parent:Remove()
end

self.Entity:Explode(self.Entity)
self.Entity:Remove()

end
[/lua]

This works except it doesn't explode like it should, just gets removed :( (Part of my ENT:Initialize function)
[lua]
timer.Simple(30, function()
if (self.Entity and self.Entity:IsValid()) then
local parent = self.Entity:GetParent()

if ( parent:IsValid() ) then
parent:Remove()
end

self.Entity:Explode(self.Entity)
self.Entity:Remove()
end
end)
[/lua]

My ENT:Explode function:
[lua]
function ENT:Explode( ent )

local splode = ents.Create("env_explosion")

splode:SetPos( ent:GetPos() )

splode:SetOwner( self.Owner )
splode:Spawn()
splode:SetKeyValue( "iMagnitude", "110" )
splode:Fire( "Explode", 0, 0 )
--splode:EmitSound( "weapon_AWP.Single", 400, 400 )

splode:Remove()

end
[/lua]

[Lily]

that happens probbably becuse you are doing splode:Remove(). the PhysicsCollide function seems to call before anything is drawn, timers are a bit late, use a timer to remove it

[MegaJohnny]

I think the problem may be with your timer code. I don't think you can put things like self.Entity and expect that to work.

Try making the function have an argument, and pass the SENT as the argument via your timer.Simple.
[lua]
timer.Simple(30, function(xent)
if (xent and xent:IsValid()) then
local parent = xent:GetParent()

if ( parent:IsValid() ) then
parent:Remove()
end

xent:Explode(xent)
xent:Remove()
end
end, self.Entity)
[/lua]

[editline]08:19PM[/editline]

[QUOTE=Tobba;19449107]that happens probbably becuse you are doing splode:Remove(). the PhysicsCollide function seems to call before anything is drawn, timers are a bit late, use a timer to remove it[/QUOTE]
Seems unlikely - he did say his ENT:Explode worked fine when it was called in PhysicsCollide.

[DarKSunrise]

Instead of creating an env_explosion, you should use [b][url=wiki.garrysmod.com/?title=Util.BlastDamage]Util.BlastDamage [img]http://wiki.garrysmod.com/favicon.ico[/img][/url][/b].

[Froogle_]

[QUOTE=Tobba;19449107]that happens probbably becuse you are doing splode:Remove(). the PhysicsCollide function seems to call before anything is drawn, timers are a bit late, use a timer to remove it[/QUOTE]

Thanks! That seemed to be the problem. It works now.