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Instantiate Prefab in memory?
Is it possible to create a prefab (basically a GameObject) at runtime, purely in memory?
Basically I can do:
GameObject someObject = (GameObject) Resources.Load("somePrefab");
This will create a someObject gameobject in memory - without placing it in the scene - allowing it to be instantiated. But when I do:
GameObject anotherObject = new GameObject(...);
It will automatically place it this gameobject into the scene. I want it to exist only in memory so I can create copies from this "prefab" by using Instantiate.
Is this possible?
That's exactly what GameObject someObject = (GameObject) Resources.Load("somePrefab"); does. You get a reference to the GameObject in the project view and it doesn't appear in the scene - it exists purely in memory and you can instantiate copies of it at will. Or did I understand the question wrong?
GameObject memoryObject = Resources.Load("Prefab") as GameObject;
GameObject objectInScene = Instantiate(memoryObject) as GameObject;
What I'm trying to do is load a prefab, make a few copies of it (in memory) with adjusted meshes (changed by script) and THEN create gameobjects in the scene based on these copies.
Aside from the latter, the original prefabs nor its modified copies should exist in the scene.
Answer by DavidZendle · Apr 24, 2015 at 02:29 PM
I'm not sure whether Unity is set up to do what you describe. However, why not just instantiate a GameObject that is not active, then make copies of that object and activate them on the fly?
That's what I ended up doing IIRC, combined with hiding that GameObject in the Hierarchy list.
I'll mark this asnwer as correct.
Answer by l3fty · May 04, 2014 at 04:42 PM
This might be what you're looking for, though some of it seems to be pro only:
https://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/Manual/LoadingResourcesatRuntime.html
Is this to speed up the first instantiation of a prefab by the way? I've noticed delays on first time instantiation before myself.