[JIRA] (BIT-1159) count/port comparisons silently fail when part of a record

Is the original code actually supposed to work?

Yeah, I'm afraid it is ... That has indeed been a legitimate shortcut
since Bro's early versions. However, I wouldn't veto removing it; it
does indeed make some code parts quite a bit more complex, and I don't
think it's a crucial feature to have and rarely used anyways.

I don’t actually like shorthand either and would be fine removing it. I always forget that it’s even possible to do that.

.Seth