#GetComponent
frail urchin
i jsut have this script?
cedar warren
Ok. You said "then it errors". What is the error?
frail urchin
when i move the ParticleSystem ps = ObjectToFind.GetComponent<ParticleSystem>(); it errors
outside void u
cedar warren
where did you move it?
frail urchin
start
balmy shoal
when i move the ```ParticleSystem ps = ObjectToFind.GetComponent<ParticleSystem>...
Local variables can't be accessed across methods
ps is a local variable in this case.
balmy shoal
make it a member variable
cedar warren
private int field;
private void MyMethod()
{
int localVariable = 0;
}
wut
cedar warren
There are a few ways to reference the component.
Either it is a private field, and GetComponent is used in Awake(), which runs before anything else
Or a [SerializeField] private field, that is exposed in the inspector. (like public)
For that, we use void Reset() instead of Awake()
More is explained here:
https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/MonoBehaviour.html
frail urchin
I don't understand
cedar warren
Which part?
frail urchin
first one
cedar warren
copy it and paste it here
frail urchin
frail urchin
ooh
cedar warren
is it working out for you? @frail urchin
frail urchin
no
cedar warren
If you explain the issue we'll help you
frail urchin
- I have no idea what u meant. 2. I tried a new thingy and it still do the same. 3. Im about to recode the whole script. 4. Im about to give up.
cedar warren
Well, after we gave instructions, we expected to hear how it went, or the next question on your mind 😅 No need to give up.
We'll make this one simple.
Delete everything inside the class brackets
frail urchin
ok
cedar warren
Then write [SerializeField] private ParticleSystem ps;
private variables are only accessible to that particular instance (copy) of the script.
a MonoBehaviour script can be placed on multiple objects, and behave independently
[SerializeField] exposes the private variable to the inspector
exactly like public does, except public variables are also accessible from other scripts
Now make a private void Reset() method
inside it, place the following code:
frail urchin
Am i doign it wirhgt?
cedar warren
It needs the curly-brackets to have a body
private void Reset()
{
}
inside it
ps = GameObject.Find("name").GetComponent<ParticleSystem>();
Make sure the name is right
Then Save the script
frail urchin
done
cedar warren
The script is already on the object yes?
frail urchin
yea
cedar warren
right-click the script component top pane
select Reset
cedar warren
Not sure I understand. Could you rephrase that?
cedar warren
The one with the script, or with the ParticleSystem?
frail urchin
cedar warren
is the script attached to that particle system?
frail urchin
no Main
cedar warren
ok
frail urchin
oke sorry fr interupting
cedar warren
no problem
frail urchin
right-click the script component top pane
select **Reset**
done
frail urchin
nope i didnt see
cedar warren
Are you doing this on the prefab or in the scene?
frail urchin
prefab
cedar warren
Ok. Drag the object with the Particle System into the field
frail urchin
Scene?
cedar warren
Yes!
I just tested myself to make sure I wasn't missing anything.
You need to have the prefab opened, not just selected from Project Assets
So, two things:
cedar warren
Assets can be added to scenes. That creates an instance of that asset (or prefab).
So first you configure the prefab, and then you add it to the scene, and it should work out of the box, or with little extra work
in our case
You don't need GameObject.Find
because transform.GetChild(0)
or transform.Find("childname")
would do the work for less resources.
frail urchin
aaah
cedar warren
Either way. You don't need to use void Reset() if you are comfortable with drag-n-dropping your serialized references.
It's just useful for default values, and GameObject.Find() won't work in a build anyway, which is why I only use it in void Reset (which is editor-only and stripped from build).
frail urchin
so i delete it and only have ps = GameObject.Find("Main").GetComponent<ParticleSystem>(); ?
cedar warren
so i delete it and only have ```ps = GameObject.Find("Main").GetComponent<Partic...
uh, what did you delete?
cedar warren
kk
frail urchin
don't mind what i say lol
cedar warren
np
just change GameObjet.Find("whatever")
with transform.GetChild(0).
If you add more child objects, just make sure the particle system remains the first child (visually) so it is always index 0
frail urchin
so ps = transform.GetChild(0) ?
cedar warren
- get component
frail urchin
cedar warren
does that return an error?
frail urchin
nope
cedar warren
kk good
cedar warren
Ah okay. I want to explain the other approach. You can read it later.
Have a nice day o/
frail urchin
u too
cedar warren
Having the reference serialized like this, before runtime, is the most efficient.
Prefabs can store references to themselves, but obviously not to anything in a scene, until you have a copy of a prefab inside a scene, and then you can reference an object there.
The other way is running that same code inside void Awake(), which will run before anything else in MonoBehaviour.
https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/MonoBehaviour.html
If the reference is to a different object, you need to wait until all the other objects have actually awoken, so those references must be fetched in Start()
cedar warren
@frail urchin Hope this wasn't too much :)
Will be closing the thread by tonight or tomorrow morning.
cedar warren
Alright 👍