CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#unity-game-engine
Yunnan
Yunnan

Reputation: 79

Get Component to the Script vs Instance of the Script itself

In order to get variable(s), function(s) in another class, I have known 2 ways of doing this. First, is to use Get Component to the Script that we want to get the variable(s), function(s) into. Second, is to use Instance of the Script itself.

So I have made the following code:

First case: Get Component to the Script itself

public class Manager : MonoBehaviour 
{
    private AnotherManager _anotherManager;

    private void Awake()
    {
        _anotherManager = GameObject.Find("Managers").GetComponent<AnotherManager>();
    }

    private void Start()
    {
        _anotherManager.myIntVariable = 10;

        _anotherManager.MyFunction();
    }
}

public class AnotherManager : MonoBehaviour 
{
    public int myIntVariable;

    public void MyFunction()
    {

    }
}

Second case: Use Instance of the Script itself

public class Manager : MonoBehaviour 
{
    private void Start()
    {
        AnotherManager.instance.myIntVariable = 10;

        AnotherManager.instance.MyFunction();
    }
}

public class AnotherManager : MonoBehaviour 
{
    public static AnotherManager instance;

    public int myIntVariable;

    private void Awake()
    {
        instance = this;
    }

    public void MyFunction()
    {

    }
}

My question is: Is there any difference between those cases? In terms of good practice of coding for programmer or performance or it is just a matter of programmer's perspective or whatever else?

Thanks

Upvotes: 2

Views: 3870

Answers (1)

Formic
Formic

Reputation: 650

The second example is the what is known as the Singleton Pattern and should be used very sparingly.

I try to never use the first approach either where you find the gameobject and hope it exists.

You can expose a field for the Unity Inspector so that you can wire it up the same as you can expose any other variable

public AnotherManager AnotherManager;

Alternatively, if you hate using public all over the place like that, like me, you can also indicate to Unity that you wish to expose this variable in the inspector with the SerializeField attribute

[SerializeField]
private AnotherManager anotherManager;

With both of these methods, you can then drag an an object that has the AnotherManager component attached into the field in the inspector.

If instantiated objects need access to this, you will need to wire it up when it is instantiated.

If you need help attaching it in unity I can attach some screenshots.

Upvotes: 3

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