Instantiate by name, without editor linking, is it possible?

Unity Engine
1

Hi
all the tutorials that I have seen about using Instantiate, refer to the entity that is created by code with a link between the Prefab and the scrip in the Editor (drag and drop) using a public property Transform at the script.
Is it possible to avoid the editor linking and call the instance directly?

Instantiate("myPrefabName", ...)

I recall seeing something like this days ago but didn’t put much attention, and I can’t find it again, maybe I was wrong!

thanks!

EDIT: also sorry for posting here, can this thread be moved to Script? I can not move it neither delete it.

2

if they are in the resources folder you can load them from there by name

3

thanks by don’t recall how…
some function to look for?

4
5

sorry wrong one. this one

6

What is your rationale for wanting to search for it at runtime?

7

@handsomePATT:
thanks for the reply! sadly it’s not working, maybe something basic I’m missing here:

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class Wall : MonoBehaviour {
    private Transform brick;
    public  Transform thing;
    void Start() {
        brick = (Transform)Resources.Load("Brick"); // this returns NULL, tried also with "Brick.prefab", the file exists in Assets folder
        thing = (Transform)Instantiate(thing, new Vector3(2.5f, 2.6f, -4.4f), Quaternion.identity); // this works if thing is linked in the editor
    }
}

@Jessy:
I want to create my levels dynamically

8

your prefab needs to be in the Resources folder

9

I don’t think that’s enough information. It sounds to me like you just don’t know how to collect references in an easy-to-deal-with way. More code may help; from the above, it’s not obvious why you can’t store what a brick is.

10

Hi Jessy,
first many thanks for taking your time in my question :smile:
Of course I can store references to 2 o 3 different entities (I’m planning this not for bricks but for NPC’s)
the trouble is that this approach is not scalable, I want a programmatic way to create entities at runtime, kind of a NpcFactory

11

almost there, after putting the prefab in the Resource folder:

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class Wall : MonoBehaviour
{
    private GameObject brick;
    public  Transform thing;

    void Start()
    {
        brick = (GameObject)Resources.Load("Brick");
        print(brick);
        brick.transform.position = new Vector3(2.5f, 2.6f, -4.4f);
        thing = (Transform)Instantiate(thing, new Vector3(2.5f, 2.4f, -4.4f), Quaternion.identity);
    }
}

a game object is created, but it is not visible, any ideas?
it must be near the other brick that I created with Instantiate() that is working ok…
thanks!

12

finally! :smile:

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class Wall : MonoBehaviour
{
    private GameObject dynamicBrick;

    void Start()
    {
        dynamicBrick = (GameObject)Instantiate(Resources.Load("Brick"), 
                                              new Vector3(2.5f, 2.6f, -4.4f),
                                              Quaternion.identity);
    }
}

Thanks to all for their tips