UNet ClientRpc issue

Unity Engine
,
1

Hi,
I’m trying to register my prefabs dynamically on a ClientRpc function, but for some reason clients that join don’t receive the command. Also the Host’s Client aspect doesn’t show it (though I think that is a known issue)

In my Online scene I have a scene object that has my own test script and a Network Identity (I have set that to all possible combinations in my tests)

My script looks like:

using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Networking;

class NetTest : NetworkBehaviour {
   
    void Start () {
        DontDestroyOnLoad(gameObject);
    }

    public override void OnStartServer () {
        if (isServer) {
            Debug.LogError("Server started");
            // Instantiate on server
            GameObject prefab = GameObject.Instantiate(Resources.Load("Prefabs/Buildings/Scraper2")) as GameObject;
            // Register prefab on clients
            RpcReg("Prefabs/Buildings/Scraper2");
            // Register on server needed?
            ClientScene.RegisterPrefab(prefab);
            // Actually send spawn to clients
            NetworkServer.Spawn(prefab);
        }
    }
   
    [ClientRpc]
    void RpcReg (string prefabPath) {
        Debug.LogError("registering:"+prefabPath);
        ClientScene.RegisterPrefab(Resources.Load(prefabPath) as GameObject);
    }
}
[code]

I just don't understand why the RPC isn't called?

Thanks for any help
Martin
2

the server does not need to register prefabs.
the clientRpc is called when the server starts… the client is not connected yet, so it does not receive it.

3

Thanks for the info.

Shouldn’t later client connections receive it? Or throw an error if the call is made too early?

I think I mistook “OnStartServer” to be the equivalent of “When the server is ready”. Which brings me to my next question: What should I use? There seems to be no NetworkBehaviour method that handles the “readiness” of the server?

I’ve tried OnClientStart, OnStartLocalPlayer and OnStartAuthority.

Old methods no longer get triggered (as I expected, really).

Do I really need to set a timer (bleh) or register a handler just to detect that its okay to send RPCs?

4

I’ve used a handler now, triggered on Ready (The docs page for Handlers is out of date btw - uses old version of MsgType vars)

Good news: The RPC triggers for the Host-Client.

Bad news: Clients that join don’t receive the RPC. Is there a way to mark ClientRPCs as Buffered?

Edit: I guess also I don’t see why Registering and Spawning are not integrated. Can’t spawn without Register. Registering only useful for spawning?

5

For further test I added the RegisterPrefab call to the Start of the script.

What I see on the client when I join the server is this…

Failed to spawn server object, assetId=387512f7cd028489b25b8ce526cff7 (server telling client to spawn the item)

[… a few more debug logs…]

Registering prefab ‘Scraper2’ as asset:387512f7cd028489b25b8ce526cff7 (from my new Start() RefgisterPrefab() call)

So I actually don’t see how RegisterPrefab is ever useful? If you can’t guarantee it gets called on a script before a spawn is called over the network?

If you are meant to use it via ClientRrc then it would have to be buffered before the Spawn() call - which I can’t seem to get to work.

Edit: After some more testing I have the RegisterPrefab in the Awake() method. But the RegisterHandler doens’t work while in there, so I moved that back into the Start() method.

That seems to work, it still doesn’t enable me to actually do what I wanted, my question about “can we call buffered clientrpcs and can we guarantee they arrive before Spawn calls” remains valid.

Highlighted to bypass waffling :slight_smile:

6

Further attempts:

SyncVar Hook:
Added a [SyncVar(hook=blah)] to a list of “registerTheseAssets” list.
Hope: Sync request for spawner is sent before spawn events, update registers everything in list
Reality: Hook methods need to receive the updated item, but I can’t find right signature. List, string, string[ ] all fail when using associated types. Fail.

SyncVar Handler:
Removed the “hook=” and tried to add a handler for MsgType.UpdateVars but it won’t allow me to override that (I guess it uses that for the “hook=” stuff) Fail.

Manually Request List
OnClientConnect → Ask Server for List → Server RPCs list to all clients → Register locally on reciept.
Spawn is called before OnClientConnect, so it is already too late to register the assets. Fail.