Can you check a boolean in a coroutine?

Questions & Answers
1

I have one object checking for a coroutine in Update to return true, in which case it will detach itself from its parent.

But to me, it seems like a waste to be checking every single frame, as I don’t expect the boolean to change that frequently. Is it possible to check in a coroutine? Or would it even matter? Is this even a noticeable impact in overhead?

My specific script is pretty simple:

public EnemyDeath enemyDeath;

void Start () {

		enemyDeath = GameObject.FindGameObjectWithTag("Enemy").GetComponent<EnemyDeath>();

}

void Update(){

		if(enemyDeath.enemyDead){

			transform.parent = null;
		}
2

Instead of constant checking you could use a delegate.

In the EnemyDeath script add:

public System.Action OnDeath;

And then in the same script, at the point where you set the enemyDead to true add:

If(OnDeath != null) // make sure something is assigned
{
   OnDeath();
}

Then in the script you shown in start:

 GameObject.FindGameObjectWithTag("Enemy").GetComponent<EnemyDeath>().OnDeath += OnEnemyDeath;

And in the same script as a method:

private void OnEnemyDeath()
{
   transform.parent = null;
   GameObject.FindGameObjectWithTag("Enemy").GetComponent<EnemyDeath>().OnDeath -= OnEnemyDeath;
}

This is a bit more typing, but gives you the knowledge about state change without constant checks, while still not forcing the EnemyDeath to know about other scripts.

3

One way to do this is properties.

private bool _enemyDead;
public bool enemyDead {
    get {
        return _enemyDead;
    }
    set {
        // Take action here
        _enemyDead = value;
    }
}