fix: Removes unnecessary dictionary removal guards (#2565)

## What

`Dictionary<K,V>.Remove` and `HashSet<T>.Remove` do not bump the collection's version, so removing an entry during a `foreach` does not invalidate the enumerator. A number of loops were still paying for a `PooledRefQueue`/`PooledRefList` to collect keys and drain them in a second pass. This drops those guards.

## Why it's safe

Verified against .NET 10.0.10 rather than taken on trust, since the documented guarantee covers only `Dictionary<TKey,TValue>.Remove` while several of these call sites are `HashSet<T>` or enumerate `.Keys`/`.Values`:

| Case | Result |
|---|---|
| `Dictionary` foreach + `Remove` | safe, all entries visited |
| `Dictionary.Keys` / `.Values` foreach + `Remove` | safe, all entries visited |
| `HashSet` foreach + `Remove` | safe, all entries visited |
| `Dictionary` foreach + `Remove` **then `Add`** | throws `InvalidOperationException` |

Reflection on `_version` confirms the mechanism: neither `Dictionary.Remove` nor `HashSet.Remove` touches it. Because `Remove` never bumps the version, the `Keys` and `Values` enumerators are just as safe as the dictionary's own, even though only `Dictionary.Remove` documents the behaviour. No entries were skipped in any case.

The `HashSet` half is confirmed by [stephentoub on dotnet/dotnet-api-docs#8177](https://github.com/dotnet/dotnet-api-docs/issues/8177#issuecomment-1167251052): *"Both HashSet and Dictionary have been improved to support removal during enumeration. The docs may just benefit from updating."* The gap is in the documentation, not the runtime.

`Remove` followed by `Add` in the same enumeration still throws. That is the line this PR does not cross.

## Guards removed

`VisibilityList`, `ChampionTitleSystem`, `Channel`, `BombingRun`, `Ruleset`, `PuzzleChest`, `RaceChangeGump`, `StepCache`, `PlayerMurderSystem`, `VirtueSystem`, `ProjectedItem`, `StaminaSystem`, `AIGroupMovement`, `PromotedGuard`, `AutoDenylist`, `LoginAllowlist`, `AntiMacroSystem`, `DetectHidden`.

Both collection kinds are covered: `Dictionary` (including loops over `.Keys` and `.Values`) and `HashSet` (`ProjectedItem._active`, `PlayerMurderSystem._contextTerms`, `StaminaSystem._resetHash`). In `StaminaSystem.ResetTimer` the `Count == queue.Count → Clear()` branch goes away with the queue — it only existed to avoid paying for N individual removes.

Where the collection supports it, `Contains` + `Remove` and `TryGetValue` + `Remove` also collapse into a single lookup (`if (list.Remove(x))`, `if (m_Pending.Remove(ns, out var state))`).

`Utility.Tidy<K,V>` keeps its two branches: when `K` is serializable the value is not inspected, otherwise the value is. Only the serializable side may be cast, so `Dictionary<Mobile, int>` and `Dictionary<Mobile, string>` stay valid.

## Deliberately unchanged

**`BaseCreature.LoyaltyTimer.OnTick`** keeps its deferred-delete queue. Removing from `World.Mobiles` while enumerating it is safe, but `Mobile.Delete()` is not a `Remove` — it runs `OnDelete`/`OnAfterDelete`, the `OnParentDeleted` cascade over the creature's pack, `DropHolding()`, and region and guild callbacks. Anything in that surface that constructs a `Mobile` is an `Add` into the dictionary being enumerated, which does invalidate it. `BaseHire.PayTimer.OnTick` has the same shape and is likewise untouched.

**Spatial-query buffers** — `GuardedRegion.CallGuards`, `Thunderstorm`, `Exorcism`, `LeverPuzzleController`, `BaseCreature.TeleportPets` — are a different hazard. They buffer the result of a range query because the drain moves or harms mobiles, which mutates sectors mid-enumeration.

**Re-entrant drains.** The `_users` sets in `Firebomb` and the explosion, conflagration and confusion-blast potions look like this pattern but are not: the loop collects, `Clear()`s, and only then runs `Target.Cancel` on each, which can re-enter. `AnimalTrainer` enumerates `pm.Stabled` and drains through `RemoveStabled`, which nulls the `Stabled` field once it empties — safe for an in-flight enumerator, which holds the set reference rather than the field, but subtle enough not to be worth inlining on a cold path.

## Verification

`dotnet build` clean with 0 warnings; 810 Server and 684 UOContent tests pass.

Projects/Server/Utilities/Utility.cs

@@ -1050,28 +1050,16 @@ public static partial class Utility
             return;
         }
 
-        using var queue = PooledRefQueue<K>.Create();
         foreach (var (key, value) in dictionary)
         {
-            if (serializableKey)
+            var deleted = serializableKey
-            {
+                ? ((ISerializable)key).Deleted
-                if (key == null || ((ISerializable)key).Deleted)
+                : value == null || ((ISerializable)value).Deleted;
-                {
-                    queue.Enqueue(key);
-                }
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                if (value == null || ((ISerializable)value).Deleted)
-                {
-                    queue.Enqueue(key);
-                }
-            }
-        }
 
-        while (queue.Count > 0)
+            if (deleted)
-        {
+            {
-            dictionary.Remove(queue.Dequeue());
+                dictionary.Remove(key);
+            }
         }
 
         dictionary.TrimExcess();

Projects/UOContent/Commands/VisibilityList.cs

@@ -103,9 +103,8 @@ namespace Server.Commands
                     {
                         var list = pm.VisibilityList;
 
-                        if (list.Contains(targ))
+                        if (list.Remove(targ))
                         {
-                            list.Remove(targ);
                             pm.SendMessage($"{targ.Name} has been removed from your visibility list.");
                         }
                         else

Projects/UOContent/Engines/CannedEvil/ChampionTitleSystem.cs

@@ -167,20 +167,13 @@ public class ChampionTitleSystem : GenericPersistence
                 return;
             }
 
-            using var queue = PooledRefQueue<Mobile>.Create();
-
             foreach (var context in _championTitleContexts.Values)
             {
                 if (!context.CheckAtrophy())
                 {
-                    queue.Enqueue(context.Player);
+                    _championTitleContexts.Remove(context.Player);
                 }
             }
-
-            while (queue.Count > 0)
-            {
-                _championTitleContexts.Remove((PlayerMobile)queue.Dequeue());
-            }
         }
     }
 }

Projects/UOContent/Engines/Chat/Channel.cs

@@ -146,15 +146,8 @@ namespace Server.Engines.Chat
                 m_Users.Remove(user);
                 user.CurrentChannel = null;
 
-                if (m_Moderators.Contains(user))
+                m_Moderators.Remove(user);
-                {
+                m_Voices.Remove(user);
-                    m_Moderators.Remove(user);
-                }
-
-                if (m_Voices.Contains(user))
-                {
-                    m_Voices.Remove(user);
-                }
 
                 SendCommand(ChatCommand.RemoveUserFromChannel, user, user.Username);
                 ChatSystem.SendCommandTo(user.Mobile, ChatCommand.LeaveChannel);
@@ -183,10 +176,7 @@ namespace Server.Engines.Chat
 
         public void RemoveBan(ChatUser user)
         {
-            if (m_Banned.Contains(user))
+            m_Banned.Remove(user);
-            {
-                m_Banned.Remove(user);
-            }
         }
 
         public void Kick(ChatUser user, ChatUser moderator = null)

Projects/UOContent/Engines/ConPVP/Games/BombingRun.cs

@@ -716,10 +716,7 @@ public partial class BRBomb : Item
 
             m.Target = new BombTarget(this, m);
 
-            if (m_Helpers.Contains(m))
+            m_Helpers.Remove(m);
-            {
-                m_Helpers.Remove(m);
-            }
 
             if (m_Helpers.Count > 0)
             {

Projects/UOContent/Engines/ConPVP/Ruleset.cs

@@ -56,12 +56,11 @@ namespace Server.Engines.ConPVP
 
         public void RemoveFlavor(Ruleset flavor)
         {
-            if (!Flavors.Contains(flavor))
+            if (!Flavors.Remove(flavor))
             {
                 return;
             }
 
-            Flavors.Remove(flavor);
             Options.And(flavor.Options.Not());
             flavor.Options.Not();
         }

Projects/UOContent/Engines/Khaldun/PuzzleChest.cs

@@ -550,21 +550,14 @@ namespace Server.Items
                 return;
             }
 
-            using var toDelete = PooledRefQueue<Mobile>.Create();
-
             foreach (var (key, value) in _guesses)
             {
                 if (Core.Now - value.When > CleanupTime)
                 {
-                    toDelete.Enqueue(key);
+                    _guesses.Remove(key);
                 }
             }
 
-            while (toDelete.Count > 0)
-            {
-                _guesses.Remove(toDelete.Dequeue());
-            }
-
             if (_guesses.Count == 0)
             {
                 _guesses = null;

Projects/UOContent/Engines/ML Quests/Gumps/RaceChangeGump.cs

@@ -116,10 +116,9 @@ namespace Server.Engines.MLQuests.Gumps
 
         private static void CloseCurrent(NetState ns)
         {
-            if (m_Pending.TryGetValue(ns, out var state))
+            if (m_Pending.Remove(ns, out var state))
             {
                 state._timeoutToken.Cancel();
-                m_Pending.Remove(ns);
             }
 
             ns.SendCloseRaceChanger();

Projects/UOContent/Engines/Pathing/Cache/StepCache.cs

@@ -727,20 +727,14 @@ public sealed class StepCache
         var window = MissPromotionWindowMs;
         var beforeCount = _chunkMissTracker.Count;
 
-        using var toRemove = PooledRefQueue<long>.Create();
         foreach (var kvp in _chunkMissTracker)
         {
             if (now - kvp.Value.LastMissTickStamp > window)
             {
-                toRemove.Enqueue(kvp.Key);
+                _chunkMissTracker.Remove(kvp.Key);
             }
         }
 
-        while (toRemove.Count > 0)
-        {
-            _chunkMissTracker.Remove(toRemove.Dequeue());
-        }
-
         if (_chunkMissTracker.Count == beforeCount)
         {
             _chunkMissTracker.Clear();

Projects/UOContent/Engines/Player Murder System/PlayerMurderSystem.cs

@@ -403,27 +403,20 @@ public class PlayerMurderSystem : GenericPersistence
                 return;
             }
 
-            using var queue = PooledRefQueue<Mobile>.Create();
-
             foreach (var context in _contextTerms)
             {
                 context.DecayKills();
                 if (!context.CheckStart())
                 {
-                    queue.Enqueue(context.Player);
+                    var pm = context.Player;
-                }
+                    if (_murderContexts.TryGetValue(pm, out var ctx))
-            }
-
-            while (queue.Count > 0)
-            {
-                var pm = (PlayerMobile)queue.Dequeue();
-                if (_murderContexts.TryGetValue(pm, out var ctx))
-                {
-                    if (ctx.CanRemove())
                     {
-                        _murderContexts.Remove(pm);
+                        if (ctx.CanRemove())
+                        {
+                            _murderContexts.Remove(pm);
+                        }
+                        _contextTerms.Remove(ctx);
                     }
-                    _contextTerms.Remove(ctx);
                 }
             }
         }

Projects/UOContent/Engines/Virtues/VirtueSystem.cs

@@ -372,8 +372,6 @@ public class VirtueSystem : GenericPersistence
                 return;
             }
 
-            using var queue = PooledRefQueue<Mobile>.Create();
-
             // This is not particularly efficient. If it gets too slow, then use a different architecture.
             foreach (var (player, virtues) in _playerVirtues)
             {
@@ -381,14 +379,9 @@ public class VirtueSystem : GenericPersistence
 
                 if (!virtues.IsUsed())
                 {
-                    queue.Enqueue(player);
+                    _playerVirtues.Remove(player);
                 }
             }
-
-            while (queue.Count > 0)
-            {
-                _playerVirtues.Remove((PlayerMobile)queue.Dequeue());
-            }
         }
 
         ~VirtueTimer()

Projects/UOContent/Items/Misc/ProjectedItem.cs

@@ -126,20 +126,14 @@ public partial class ProjectedItem : Item
 
     private static void OnTick()
     {
-        using var queue = PooledRefQueue<Item>.Create();
         foreach (var item in _active)
         {
             if (!item.SendEffect())
             {
-                queue.Enqueue(item);
+                _active.Remove(item);
             }
         }
 
-        while (queue.Count > 0)
-        {
-            _active.Remove(queue.Dequeue() as ProjectedItem);
-        }
-
         if (_active.Count == 0)
         {
             _timer?.Stop();

Projects/UOContent/Misc/StaminaSystem.cs

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using ModernUO.CodeGeneratedEvents;
-using Server.Collections;
 using Server.Logging;
 using Server.Mobiles;
 using Server.Spells.Ninjitsu;
@@ -60,22 +59,16 @@ public static class StaminaSystem
         EventSink.Logout += Logout;
 
         // Credit idle time
-        using var queue = PooledRefQueue<IHasSteps>.Create();
         foreach (var m in _stepsTaken.Keys)
         {
-            // We cannot remove since we are iterating.
+            // Keeps the ref valid for the check below.
             ref var stepsTaken = ref RegenSteps(m, out var exists, removeOnInvalidation: false);
 
             if (exists && stepsTaken.Steps <= 0)
             {
-                queue.Enqueue(m);
+                _stepsTaken.Remove(m);
             }
         }
-
-        while (queue.Count > 0)
-        {
-            _stepsTaken.Remove(queue.Dequeue());
-        }
     }
 
     [OnEvent(nameof(PlayerMobile.PlayerDeletedEvent))]
@@ -325,7 +318,7 @@ public static class StaminaSystem
     {
         var from = e.Mobile;
         var running = (e.Direction & Direction.Running) != 0;
-        
+
         if (CannotWalkWhenFatigued && from.Stam <= 0)
         {
             from.SendLocalizedMessage(500110); // You are too fatigued to move.
@@ -481,27 +474,13 @@ public static class StaminaSystem
 
             if (_resetHash.Count > 0)
             {
-                using var queue = PooledRefQueue<IHasSteps>.Create();
-
                 ref var stepsTaken = ref Unsafe.NullRef<StepsTaken>();
                 foreach (var m in _resetHash)
                 {
                     stepsTaken = ref GetStepsTaken(m, out var exists);
                     if (!exists || Core.Now >= stepsTaken.IdleStartTime + ResetDuration)
                     {
-                        queue.Enqueue(m);
+                        _resetHash.Remove(m);
-                    }
-                }
-
-                if (_resetHash.Count == queue.Count)
-                {
-                    _resetHash.Clear();
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    while (queue.Count > 0)
-                    {
-                        _resetHash.Remove(queue.Dequeue());
                     }
                 }
             }

Projects/UOContent/Mobiles/AI/BaseAI/AIGroupMovement.cs

@@ -27,20 +27,13 @@ public abstract partial class BaseAI
 
     private static void CleanupReservedPositions()
     {
-        using var toRemove = PooledRefQueue<BaseCreature>.Create();
-
         foreach (var (m, p) in _reservedPositions)
         {
             if (m?.Deleted != false || m.GetDistanceToSqrt(p) < 1)
             {
-                toRemove.Enqueue(m);
+                _reservedPositions.Remove(m);
             }
         }
-
-        while (toRemove.Count > 0)
-        {
-            _reservedPositions.Remove(toRemove.Dequeue());
-        }
     }
 
     private bool UseGroupMovement(Mobile target) =>

Projects/UOContent/Network/AutoDenylist/AutoDenylist.cs

@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Net;
 using System.Threading;
-using Server.Collections;
 using Server.Logging;
 using Server.Network.Bans;
 
@@ -134,22 +133,18 @@ public static class AutoDenylist
             return;
         }
 
-        using var lapsed = new PooledRefList<UInt128>(16);
+        var lapsed = 0;
 
         foreach (var (address, expires) in _held)
         {
             if (expires - nowTicks <= 0)
             {
-                lapsed.Add(address);
+                _held.Remove(address);
+                lapsed++;
             }
         }
 
-        for (var i = 0; i < lapsed.Count; i++)
+        if (lapsed > 0)
-        {
-            _held.Remove(lapsed[i]);
-        }
-
-        if (lapsed.Count > 0)
         {
             _warnedFull = false;
         }

Projects/UOContent/Network/Blocklist/PromotedGuard.cs

@@ -39,17 +39,13 @@ public sealed class PromotedGuard
         {
             return;
         }
-        using var dead = Collections.PooledRefQueue<UInt128>.Create();
+
         foreach (var (ip, exp) in _expiry)
         {
             if (exp - nowTicks <= 0)
             {
-                dead.Enqueue(ip);
+                _expiry.Remove(ip);
             }
         }
-        while (dead.Count > 0)
-        {
-            _expiry.Remove(dead.Dequeue());
-        }
     }
 }

Projects/UOContent/Network/LoginAllowlist/LoginAllowlist.cs

@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ using System.IO;
 using System.Net;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
-using Server.Collections;
 using Server.Logging;
 using Server.Network.Bans;
 
@@ -230,13 +229,15 @@ public static class LoginAllowlist
         var stamps = new long[_allowed.Count];
         var count = 0;
 
-        using var expired = new PooledRefList<UInt128>(16);
+        var dropped = 0;
 
         foreach (var (address, stamp) in _allowed)
         {
             if (stamp < cutoff)
             {
-                expired.Add(address);
+                _allowed.Remove(address);
+                _strikes.Remove(address);
+                dropped++;
                 continue;
             }
 
@@ -245,19 +246,12 @@ public static class LoginAllowlist
             count++;
         }
 
-        for (var i = 0; i < expired.Count; i++)
-        {
-            _allowed.Remove(expired[i]);
-            _strikes.Remove(expired[i]);
-        }
-
         PruneStaleStrikes(nowUnix);
 
         _dirty = false;
 
         var path = _path;
         var total = count;
-        var dropped = expired.Count;
 
         _ = Task.Run(() => Write(path, addresses, stamps, total, dropped));
     }
@@ -270,20 +264,13 @@ public static class LoginAllowlist
             return;
         }
 
-        using var stale = new PooledRefList<UInt128>(16);
-
         foreach (var (address, strike) in _strikes)
         {
             if (nowUnix - strike.WindowStart > _strikeWindowSeconds)
             {
-                stale.Add(address);
+                _strikes.Remove(address);
             }
         }
-
-        for (var i = 0; i < stale.Count; i++)
-        {
-            _strikes.Remove(stale[i]);
-        }
     }
 
     private static void Write(string path, UInt128[] addresses, long[] stamps, int count, int dropped)

Projects/UOContent/Skills/AntiMacroSystem.cs

@@ -120,23 +120,17 @@ public static class AntiMacroSystem
 
         var now = Core.Now;
 
-        using var toRemove = PooledRefQueue<Mobile>.Create();
         foreach (var (m, antiMacro) in _antiMacroTable)
         {
             if (antiMacro._lastExpiration <= now)
             {
-                toRemove.Enqueue(m);
+                _antiMacroTable.Remove(m);
             }
             else
             {
                 antiMacro.CleanExpired();
             }
         }
-
-        while (toRemove.Count > 0)
-        {
-            _antiMacroTable.Remove(toRemove.Dequeue());
-        }
     }
 
     [OnEvent(nameof(PlayerMobile.PlayerLoginEvent))]
@@ -259,20 +253,13 @@ public static class AntiMacroSystem
         {
             var now = Core.Now;
 
-            using var toRemove = PooledRefQueue<(Skill, object)>.Create();
-
             foreach (var (key, countAndTimeStamp) in _antiMacroTracking)
             {
                 if (countAndTimeStamp._count <= 0 || countAndTimeStamp._expiration <= now)
                 {
-                    toRemove.Enqueue(key);
+                    _antiMacroTracking.Remove(key);
                 }
             }
-
-            while (toRemove.Count > 0)
-            {
-                _antiMacroTracking.Remove(toRemove.Dequeue());
-            }
         }
     }
 

Projects/UOContent/Skills/DetectHidden.cs

@@ -39,20 +39,13 @@ public static class DetectHidden
     // Clean up old debounce entries to prevent memory bloat
     private static void CleanupDebounceCache(long now)
     {
-        using var entriesToRemove = PooledRefQueue<(Mobile, Mobile)>.Create();
-
         foreach (var entry in PassiveDetectDebounce)
         {
             if (now - entry.Value > DebounceExpiryMs)
             {
-                entriesToRemove.Enqueue(entry.Key);
+                PassiveDetectDebounce.Remove(entry.Key);
             }
         }
-
-        while (entriesToRemove.Count > 0)
-        {
-            PassiveDetectDebounce.Remove(entriesToRemove.Dequeue());
-        }
     }
 
     // For testing: clear the debounce cache to prevent cross-test contamination