Why can't I get the transform from an instantiated object?

Questions & Answers
1

I’m instantiating an object (a signpost) and then trying to use its transform position as a base for defining where a textmesh is spawned.
Thusly:

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class spawntestscript : MonoBehaviour {
	
	public Transform objectToSpawn ; //the prefab we're spawning
	//public GameObject spawnedSign ; //just so we can see it in the inspector
	public Transform newTextMesh ; //To define the text mesh for the 3D sign
	
	
	
	// Use this for initialization
	void Start () {
	
		
		GameObject spawnedSign = Instantiate (objectToSpawn, transform.position, transform.rotation) as GameObject; //spawn the sign
		
		Vector3 startPosition = spawnedSign.transform.position; //get the sign's position and set it as a variable
		
		//Vector3 startPosition = spawnedSign.GetComponent<Transform>().position; //alternate method, same result
		
				
		startPosition.x += 38; //move the start position
		
		startPosition.y -=30; 
				
		//via the instantiate method
		//We need to establish a start point and then += it after each block
		
		GameObject text3d = Instantiate (newTextMesh, startPosition, Quaternion.Euler(0,0,0)) as GameObject;  //create a text mesh at the adjusted start position
		
		
	}
	
	// Update is called once per frame
	void Update () {
	
	}
}

Yet what I’m getting is “NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object spawntestscript.Start () (at Assets/Scripts/spawntestscript.cs:18)”

I’m convinced it’s something simple and fundamental, but I’ve been searching for solutions for hours now and I’m coming up blank. Help?

2

The object you try to instantiate is not a GameOject (objectToSpawn is declared as Transform), and since that the as operator returns null. So, spawnedSign is also null. I usually prefer to use direct cast over the as, because when something goes wrong it doesn’t silently return null but immediately throws InvalidCastException.

Solution:

Transform spawnedSign = (Transform)Instantiate(objectToSpawn, transform.position, transform.rotation);