[Bug]: "Regression" in `ReferenceToIndex` after #1323

[jensewe]

Prerequisites

• I have checked that my issue doesn't exist yet in the issue tracker

Operating System and Version

WSL Ubuntu 22.04

Game / AppID and Version

L4D2 (550) version 2.2.4.3

SourceMod Version

1.13.0.7199

Metamod:Source Version

No response

Version Verification

• I have updated SourceMod to the latest version and the issue persists
• I have updated SourceMod to the latest snapshot and the issue persists
• I have updated Metamod:Source to the latest snapshot and the issue persists

Updated SourceMod Version

No response

Updated Metamod:Source Version

No response

Description

Similar to #2260.

Some functions rely on ReferenceToIndex to retrieve client indices, and thus an error per a client during connection.

Steps to Reproduce

#include <sourcemod>

public void OnClientConnected(int client)
{
    int ref = EntRefToEntIndex(client);
    PrintToServer("OnClientConnected %d -> %X", client, ref);
}

Relevant Log Output

OnClientConnected 1 -> FFFFFFFF

[ambaca]

Use this on entity "index"
https://sm.alliedmods.net/new-api/halflife/EntIndexToEntRef

However, if you are handling client "indexes", please use these instead
https://sm.alliedmods.net/new-api/clients/GetClientUserId
https://sm.alliedmods.net/new-api/clients/GetClientOfUserId

[jensewe]

Use this on entity "index" https://sm.alliedmods.net/new-api/halflife/EntIndexToEntRef

However, if you are handling client "indexes", please use these instead
https://sm.alliedmods.net/new-api/clients/GetClientUserId
https://sm.alliedmods.net/new-api/clients/GetClientOfUserId

Thanks, but I was referring to some uses like:

sourcemod/core/logic/smn_banning.cpp

Lines 249 to 261 in 87653bf

	static cell_t BanClient(IPluginContext *pContext, const cell_t *params)
	{
	const char *kick_message;
	char *ban_reason, *ban_cmd;
	int client, ban_flags, ban_source, ban_time;
	client = gamehelpers->ReferenceToIndex(params[1]);
	IGamePlayer *pPlayer = playerhelpers->GetGamePlayer(client);
	if (!pPlayer || !pPlayer->IsConnected())
	{
	return pContext->ThrowNativeError("Client index %d is invalid", client);
	}

Calling this on a connecting client should throw an error.

[psychonic]

I'm torn on this. It shouldn't work. Client aren't attached to an entity that early, and thus also can't possibly have a valid entity reference that points to them. However, I think it probably does make more sense for us to just re-relax this check rather than trying to hunt down each usage of it to adjust accordingly since plugins also rely on this.