ReferenceError: StructRNA of type Object has been removed between modal and execute

Question

I want to create locator and move it with my mouse, and eventually correct its position with floatProperty. But I get error in execute : ReferenceError: StructRNA of type Object has been removed What did I miss ? (Blender 2.8)

import bpy
from bpy.props import IntProperty, FloatProperty

class ModalOperator(bpy.types.Operator):
    """Move an object with the mouse, example"""
    bl_idname = "object.modal_operator"
    bl_label = "Simple Modal Operator"
    bl_options = {"REGISTER","UNDO"}

    x_translation = FloatProperty()

    def execute(self, context):
        print (self.locator.name)
        self.locator.location.x += self.x_translation
        return {'FINISHED'}

    def modal(self, context, event):
        if event.type == 'MOUSEMOVE':
            self.x_translation = (self.first_mouse_x - event.mouse_x) * 0.01
            context.object.location.x = self.first_value + self.x_translation

        elif event.type == 'LEFTMOUSE':
            return {'FINISHED'}

        elif event.type in {'RIGHTMOUSE', 'ESC'}:
            context.object.location.x = self.first_value
            return {'CANCELLED'}

        return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}

    def invoke(self, context, event):
        bpy.ops.object.empty_add(type='ARROWS')
        context.active_object.name = "locator_start"
        self.locator = context.active_object
        print (self.locator.name)
        if context.object:
            self.first_mouse_x = event.mouse_x
            self.first_value = context.object.location.x

            context.window_manager.modal_handler_add(self)
            return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}
        else:
            self.report({'WARNING'}, "No active object, could not finish")
            return {'CANCELLED'}


def register():
    bpy.utils.register_class(ModalOperator)


def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_class(ModalOperator)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

Answer 1

Solution was provided on blenderartist by tricotou: https://blenderartists.org/t/referenceerror-structrna-of-type-object-has-been-removed-between-modal-and-execute/1186026

import bpy
from bpy.props import IntProperty, FloatProperty

def get_locator():
    bpy.ops.object.empty_add(type='ARROWS')
    bpy.context.active_object.name = "locator_start"
    locator = bpy.context.active_object
    return locator

class ModalOperator(bpy.types.Operator):
    """Move an object with the mouse, example"""
    bl_idname = "object.modal_operator"
    bl_label = "Simple Modal Operator"
    bl_options = {"REGISTER","UNDO"}

    x_translation = FloatProperty()
    loc = {}
    def execute(self, context):
        locator = get_locator()
        locator.location.x += self.first_value + self.x_translation
        return {'FINISHED'}

    def modal(self, context, event):
        if event.type == 'MOUSEMOVE':
            self.x_translation = (self.first_mouse_x - event.mouse_x) * 0.01
            context.object.location.x = self.first_value + self.x_translation

        elif event.type == 'LEFTMOUSE':
            return {'FINISHED'}

        elif event.type in {'RIGHTMOUSE', 'ESC'}:
            context.object.location.x = self.first_value
            return {'CANCELLED'}

        return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}

    def invoke(self, context, event):
        self.locator = get_locator()
        self.first_mouse_x = event.mouse_x
        self.first_value = context.object.location.x
        context.window_manager.modal_handler_add(self)
        return {'RUNNING_MODAL'}

def register():
    bpy.utils.register_class(ModalOperator)


def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_class(ModalOperator)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

The class ModalOperator runs a 1st time with invoke and modal, creates the locator, then finished. When we modify properties in panel, an undo is performed on what modal did (no more locator here), then execute is launched. So we have to recreate it in execute. (thanks to rjg for the precision)