How to call GetComponent by name? GetComponents?

Question

Is the only option for using GetComponent() to get more than one component of the same time GetComponents()? For example, if I have several audio files I want to play depending on the scenario, do I have to:

 public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour {
     public AudioSource[] audios;
 
     void Example() {
         audios = GetComponents<AudioSource>();
             
         if (_condition_)
             audios[0].Play();
         else
             audios[3].Play();
     }
 }

If that's the case, I seem to only be receiving the audio file for the first AudioSource component (audios[0]) and none of the others. Does it not pass in order of component in the inspector for the GameObject? Is there no way to call by audio name or something? If not, can someone explain why, as this seems so senseless to me! Thank you very much!

Answer 1

Well, GetComponents will always return an array, but that should not restrict you. You can use a dictionary instead. Instead of using multiple sources, you might want to use one source and multiple clips like so:

 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using UnityEngine;
 using System.Linq;
 
 public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour
 {
     public AudioSource source;
     public List<AudioClip> clips = new List<AudioClip>();
     private Dictionary<string, AudioClip> clipsByName;
 
     void Example()
     {
         source = GetComponent<AudioSource>();
         // Either seek directly from the list
         source.clip = clips.FirstOrDefault(c => c.name == "ClipName");
         // Or use a dictionary
         clipsByName = clips.ToDictionary(c => c.name, c => c);
         AudioClip clip;
         if (clipsByName.TryGetValue("ClipName", out clip))
         {
             source.clip = clip;
         }
     }
 }

Answer 2

Answer by ransomink · Feb 15, 2018 at 01:17 AM

GetComponents() will get all audio source components on the game object attached to this script. If there is only one audio source then it will only have one in the array. They will enter the array in order in the inspector.

By the way, check if the audio source is null before trying to access its fields.

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itchyOwl · Feb 15, 2018 at 08:34 AM 0

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It depends. If the source should not be null, you'll want the exception or a custom warning/error msg from it. If it's allowed that the source is null, then you should make the null check before accessing it. Overmanaging errors can lead to unspotted bugs.

ransomink itchyOwl · Feb 15, 2018 at 03:39 PM 0

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Regardless, they need to check if it's null. Either throw an error when it is or if it can be null, go to the next index in the array. This helps figure out if they have an audio source or why the clip isn't playing...

Bonfire-Boy ransomink · Feb 15, 2018 at 04:35 PM 0

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No, if you want it to throw an exception then you don't need to check that it's null before accessing it.

How to call GetComponent by name? GetComponents?

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