Create new variable name based on array index

Questions & Answers
1

Hello friends,

I am currently storing a bunch of Vector3 positions in an array. When a user clicks the screen, I am using a Raycast to get the location, sticking it in the array, and then instantiating an object at that location.

I would like to access the properties of those instantiations (ie. their rotations) for other game related calculations. However, my function currently does not create a new variable for each instantiation, so I can’t access the GameObjects.

I was thinking something like this would make sense in my function:

var gameObject[positions.Count] = Instantiate(marker, .., ..);

(actually using a List, hack because of Vector3 array complications). This would hopefully result in something like “gameObject1”, “gameObject2”, etc. How could I append the index number (or count in this case) to the variable name?

Thanks

2

Did you initialize the array of GameObjects? Is it an array?

If it is an constant size array, you should do:

var gameObjects : GameObject[Max_Number_Of_GameObjects];

If it is not constant, you need to use Array or List for the game objects too.

var gameObjects = List.<GameObject>();

And then Add GameObject as you instantiate them

3

Generally, you should make sure a value you initialize (in this case - a GameObject you instantiate), did so successfully.
I’d do something like this:

// Initialize memory
var gameObjects : Array = new Array();
var newGameObject : GameObject = Instantiate(marker, .., ..) as GameObject;
if ( !newGameObject )
   Debug.LogError("Could not initialize a newGameObject!");
else // Now you know a GameObject was actually created
{
   // Add the GameObject to the array
   gameObjects.Add(newGameObject);
   // Output the position of the last GameObject added (Coount - 1)
   Debug.Log("Position of GameObject: " + (gameObjects[gameObjects.Count-1] as GameObject).transform.position);
}
4

Have you got an “else” there?
Don’t insert the reference if it is null - that’s why I put an else before doing the “Add” to the array.

Do you know coroutines?
You can have all this code inside a coroutine and wait a frame before checking for the object initialization.

For instance:

function CallingFunction()
{
  StartCoroutine("AddMarker");
}

function AddMarker()
{
   var tempObj : GameObject = Instantiate(marker, selected.point, transform.rotation) as GameObject;

   yield;

   if(!tempObj)
   {
      print("failed to instantiate tempobj");
   }
   else
   {
     gameObjects.Add(tempObj); 
     print(gameObjects.Count);
   }
}