How can I hide a GameObject without active=false?

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As far as I know, there are two ways to hide a GameObject.

The most popular way is GameObject.SetActive(false); But this method will disable all functions of it, and that is not my option.

Second way that I didn't successfully make it worked is GameObject.renderer.enable = false; Because I always got error message said : "MissingComponentException: There is no 'Renderer' attached to the "island01" game object, but a script is trying to access it." when I assign false to it. I don't understand why. There is a renderer object in GameObject indeed. Why I always got this error message?

I just want hide GameObject without set active property false. I believe that renderer.enable should be the answer, but I just can't assign value to it. Anybody knows the way?

Answer 1

Best Answer

Answer by Eric5h5 · Mar 05, 2013 at 01:56 AM

GetComponent<Renderer>().enabled = false is correct. If Unity tells you that there's no renderer attached to that object, then you can be 100% sure that there is no renderer attached to that object. Most likely the renderer is on a child.

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naive231 · Mar 05, 2013 at 02:35 AM 1

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I think my description lost some important conditions. I assign renderer.enable property on a GameObject that contain a NGUI's UISprite object only. So I tried parent object and child object both, and all them gave me the same error message. My thought is maybe both of them do not have renderer component indeed. Finally I set UISprite's enable property to false, and it works as expected. So, is it an answer? XD

Eric5h5 · Mar 05, 2013 at 02:41 AM 0

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Yes, in that case the error was because there was no renderer component at all. :)

Answer 2

Answer by illustir · Oct 21, 2015 at 02:30 PM

I found fiddling with the renderer to be not foolproof across 2D/3D.

My solution which looks to be fairly solid is to set the scale to [0] (and in the normal case to work with a scale that is [1]).

 // Hide button
 GameObject.Find ("ShareButton").transform.localScale = new Vector3(0, 0, 0);

 // Show button
 GameObject.Find ("ShareButton").transform.localScale = new Vector3(1, 1, 1);

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engri · Sep 21, 2016 at 10:20 AM 0

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thanks. This is the solution i need.

vikiridi · Jun 27, 2018 at 03:37 AM 0

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GENIUS! Absolutely GENIUS! I love this solution! Just what I wanted!!! How did I not think of this myself....

Nixtheworld · Aug 11, 2019 at 11:50 PM 0

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This is brilliant! Thank you soooo much.

fafase · Aug 12, 2019 at 06:19 AM 0

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One side effect, object is not visible but is likely to be kept in the rendering process. Not sure if Unity discard when scale is 0 (doubtful). Moving out would result in object being out of camera frustum so not rendered.

Answer 3

Answer by RowanG1 · Mar 01, 2018 at 09:48 AM

Temporarily moving the object to behind the camera might be a solution.

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How can I hide a GameObject without active=false?

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