Question by velv · May 23, 2012 at 07:00 PM · array window clone

Placing parallel window objects into a building

hi, i have a building (which is generated randomly in the area) in which i'm trying to place on its facade a few windows (for example: 4 windows in an horizontal row).

Here's my code: function Start () {

  var oHouse = GameObject.CreatePrimitive(PrimitiveType.Cube);
  var oWindow = GameObject.CreatePrimitive(PrimitiveType.Cube);
  var minX: float;
  var maxX: float;
  var minZ: float; 
  var maxZ: float;
 
 minX = -100;
 maxX = 100;
 minZ = -100;
 maxZ = 100;
 
  var RandX = Random.Range(minX,maxX);
  var RandZ = Random.Range(minZ,maxZ);
  
 
 oHouse.transform.localScale.x = 7.0;
 oHouse.transform.localScale.y = 12.0;
 oHouse.transform.localScale.z = 7.0;
 
 oHouse.transform.position = Vector3(RandX,0,RandZ);
 
 
 oWindow.transform.localScale.x =1.1;
 oWindow.transform.localScale.y = 1.116753;
 oWindow.transform.localScale.z = 1.0;
 
 var wind_X = RandX + 2.82102;
 var wind_Z = RandZ + 3.014586;
 var Y = 5.118503;
 oWindow.transform.position = Vector3(wind_X, Y,wind_Z);
 
 oWindow.transform.renderer.material.color = Color.clear;

 oHouse.transform.parent = GameObject.Find("oWindow").transform;    
 
 var aTopWindows = new Array();
 var i: int;
 var nPosX: float;
 nPosX = wind_X - 2.1;
 
 for(i=0; i<=3; i++){
     if(oWindow != null) {//if the object oWindow exists 
         var cloneTopWindows = Instantiate(oWindow, Vector3(nPosX,Y,wind_Z), Quaternion.identity); //make 3 more clones of the oWindow object and place them near to it
         //aTopWindows.Push(cloneTopWind);
         //aTopWindows[i] = cloneTopWind;
         aTopWindows.Add(cloneTopWindows);
         nPosX-=2.1;
         //return aTopWindows[i];
         
     }
 }
 }

I want your comments about the way i'm using the Array, and why i can't see the (rest 3) window clones on the building's facade, after i instatiate the gameObject and add it in the array?

If you do have a better approach on that issue, please i'm all ears :) . Thanks in advance.

PS: plus i get the exception: "NullReferenceException House2.Start () (at Assets/House2.js:45)", and shows me the line: oHouse.transform.parent = GameObject.Find("oWindow").transform;

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hijinxbassist · May 24, 2012 at 03:44 AM 0

The reason you get a null is because you are searching the scene for something called oWindow, ins$$anonymous$$d you should just say

 oHouse.transform.parent = oWindow.transform;

since oWindow is right there in this script. Btw, if you look at the object in the scene view you will notice the name will be "Cube" since you did not manually rename it(but that doesnt matter anyway). So you can see the first window even though it is clear? have you checked in the scene view to see if the other windows are created, possibly all in the same place or in some obscure location.

hijinxbassist · May 24, 2012 at 04:01 AM 0

Also, i see you are creating variables in start that dont need to be vars, like $$anonymous$$ and max(since you dont use them again..also you can declare their values in the same line as the declaration.

 var nPosX: float;
 nPosX = wind_X - 2.1;

can be written as

 var nPosX:float=wind_X-2.1;

velv · May 24, 2012 at 10:28 AM 0

You quite right,hijinxbassist , about your 1st comment. Now i see the clone windows in parallel. I tried to set my vars $$anonymous$$, max outside the function Start(), but i get the exception: "ArgumentException: Range can only be called from the main thread. Constructors and field initializers will be executed from the loading thread when loading a scene. Don't use this function in the constructor or field initializers, ins$$anonymous$$d move initialization code to the Awake or Start function. House2..ctor () (at Assets/House2.js:11) " for the Random method. So i have to use it inside the method.

Also there is another problem co$$anonymous$$g out, the parent-child relationship between oHouse object and oWindow objects does not work. If i move the building the windows remain at the same position, not following the parent (oHouse). Plus, when the 1st (clone) window object appears, it appears with a parent clone of the oHouse object but the rest appear as a unique object. There is something wrong inside the for loop. Here are some changes:

for(i=0; i<=2; i++){ if(oWindow != null) {//if the object oWindow exists var cloneTopWindows = Instantiate(oWindow, Vector3(nPosX,wind_Y,wind_Z), Quaternion.identity); //make 2 more clones of the oWindow object and place them near to it aTopWindows.Add(cloneTopWindows); nPosX-=1.9; oHouse.transform.parent =cloneTopWindows.transform; } }

Have you got any idea? And again, thank you for making me moving another step forward with this.

hijinxbassist · May 24, 2012 at 05:58 PM 0

The parent child relationship is backward. I wasnt sure if thats what you wanted or not. It should be

 oWindow.transform.parent=oHouse.transform;

Basically oWindows parent is the house, so you can move the window independently but if you move the house the windows come with. Im pretty sure thats why the one window created another instance of the house, since house was a child of oWindow.

For $$anonymous$$ and max, i was saying to get rid of them completely since you use them only once and they are just int s.

 RandX=Random.Range(-100,100);
 RandZ=Random.Range(-100,100);

velv · May 24, 2012 at 10:52 PM 0

excellent! Thank you so much for your help. +1

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Placing parallel window objects into a building

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