Another Question on Accessing Scripts from a Separate Object

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Hi all -

I apologize for posting a new question on this subject, because I can see very clearly that it is a much-discussed issue on the forum. The decentralized nature of scripting makes it a little hard to follow these answers, though. @Unified2000 suggested I start a thread to clarify this point, also.

Here's the deal: I want to load an array of about 100 sound effects that are accessed randomly by instantiated prefabs. With the generous help of this forum, I managed to do this - but only by loading the samples in the prefab code. This slowed things down considerably, since each one of 100 objects was separately loading the sound effects library. (More on that can be seen here: https://answers.unity.com/questions/1511796/instantiating-multiple-sounds-attached-to-multiple.html?childToView=1512076#answer-1512076)

Now, I'm a little lost. My first move was to create a new GameObject called "cliparray" and write a script for the Start function that did the array loading, essentially just this:

 public Object[] clips;
 void Start()
 {
     clips = Resources.LoadAll("Heat", typeof(AudioClip));
 }

This should theoretically load all of the soundfiles from the "Heat" folder. I'm not sure when and where, though. Does this object need to be imported into the game? Is there a way to access this array from my separate Prefab script? I am still a bit confused about the naming conventions in GetComponent(s), but I'm assuming the answer is somewhere in that region. Thanks for the help, everyone.

Answer 1

Instead of a Singleton which produces crappy code, I would go for a ScriptableObject acting like a database. It has multiple advantages:

It is an asset, not a component you attach to a GameObject → You can easily use it accross your scenes without wondering
You don't have to call the Resources.Load which is a function that is not recommended by Unity itself → No loading time at startup, prevent the increase of the startup time and the length of builds

 [CreateAssetMenu()]
 public class AudioClipsDatabase : ScriptableObject
 {
      [SerializeField]
      private AudioClip[] clips;
 
      public AudioClip GetByName( string name )
      {
          for( int i = 0 ; i < clips.Length ; ++i )
              if( string.Equals( name, clips[i].name ) return clips[i] ;
         return null ;
      } 
 
      public AudioClip GetRandomClip()
      {
          return ( clips.Length > 0 ) ? return clips[Random.Range(0, clips.Length)] : null ;
      }    
 }

Once you have created the AudioClipsDatabase.cs file, click on the Create button of the Project tab and then AudioClipsDatabase. You will have an asset in which you can drag & drop all your AudioClips (you had previously put in a folder outside any Resources folder).

Then, in your components, when you need to access one of the AudioClips managed by your database, just do this :

 [SerializeField]
 private AudioClipsDatabase audioClipsDatabase ; // Drag & drop the database ScriptableObject created in your assets

 [SerializeField]
 private AudioSource audioSource; // Drag & drop the audio source component

 public void SwitchAudioClip()
 {
     audioSource.clip = audioClipsDatabase.GetRandomClip() ;
     audioSource.Play() ;
 }

Answer 2

Answer by ShadyProductions · May 30, 2018 at 07:21 AM

The easiest solution would be to make a class with a static instance to it so you can access it in all your scripts without even needing to put it inside your scene. This is called a singleton.

 public class SoundLibrary
 {
     // Singleton setup for non monobehaviour
     private static SoundLibrary _instance;
     public static SoundLibrary Instance
     {
         get { return _instance ?? (_instance = new SoundLibrary()); }
     }
 
     private Object[] clips;
     public Object[] GetSounds()
     {
         if (clips != null) return clips;
         clips = Resources.LoadAll("Heat", typeof(AudioClip));
         return clips;
     }
 }

Now you can use it any of your scripts following: SoundLibrary.Instance.GetSounds(); and it will return your clips; once called it will keep the sounds in cache so it doesn't need to get them again each call.

Note: that a singleton is setup differently based on if your class is derived from monobehaviour or not.

This is the monobehaviour singleton way of setting it up:

 private static SomeClass _instance;
 public static SomeClass Instance { get { return _instance; } }

 private void Awake()
 {
     if (_instance != null && _instance != this)
     {
         Destroy(this.gameObject);
     }
     else 
     {
         _instance = this;
     }
 }

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pankocrust · May 30, 2018 at 08:57 AM 0

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Thank you for the help. The first script works great, right out of the gate. I just wanted to ask about the monobehaviour singleton: If I'm using a monobehavior script attached to a prefab - I should use the second code in some manner?

Essentially, this is the script I'm using on the prefab (implementing the first example)..and it works, but I'm curious if I'm missing something:
using System.Collections; using System.Collections.Generic; using UnityEngine;

 public class deleter : $$anonymous$$onoBehaviour
 {
     public GameObject prefab;
     private AudioSource audioSource;
     public Object[] clips;
     private AudioClip playedclip;
     int index;
 
     void Start()
     {
         clips = SoundLibrary.Instance.GetSounds();
         audioSource = gameObject.GetComponent<AudioSource>();
         audioSource.pitch = Random.Range(0.9f, 1.25f);
         index = Random.Range(0, 100);
         playedclip = ((AudioClip)clips[index]);
         audioSource.clip = playedclip;
         audioSource.Play();
 
     }
 
 
 }

ShadyProductions pankocrust · May 30, 2018 at 10:44 AM 0

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The second code is only if you want a singleton usage in a monobehaviour, say you have a class Game$$anonymous$$anager : $$anonymous$$onoBehaviour, You put it on an empty gameobject in your scene, and there should and can only be one of these scripts in your scene, then you can use this monobehaviour singleton, to be able to access this singleton from other monobehaviours without having to get GameObject.Find(blabla).GetComponent<yourscript>(); but directly through the className.Instance

However, it's not always recommended to use singletons unless you specifically have to.

The example you gave looks fine.

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