#vulnerable code 
                             private static Object[] coerceToNewLength(PDataType baseType, Object[] elements, int maxLength) {
        Object[] resizedElements = new Object[elements.length];
        for (int i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) {
            int length = baseType.getMaxLength(elements[i]);
            if (length == maxLength) {
                resizedElements[i] = elements[i];
            } else {
                resizedElements[i] = baseType.pad(elements[i],maxLength);
            }
        }
        return resizedElements;
	} 
                            #location 4 
                            #vulnerability type NULL_DEREFERENCE
#fixed code
                             private static Object[] coerceToNewLength(PDataType baseType, Object[] elements, int maxLength) {
        Object[] resizedElements = new Object[elements.length];
        for (int i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) {
            Integer length = baseType.getMaxLength(elements[i]);
            if (length != null) {
                if (length == maxLength) {
                    resizedElements[i] = elements[i];
                } else {
                    resizedElements[i] = baseType.pad(elements[i], maxLength);
                }
            } else {
                resizedElements[i] = baseType.pad(elements[i], maxLength);
            }
        }
        return resizedElements;
	}