Add a script to a GameObject via script at runtime?

Question

I have a number of prefabs that are not very different aside from the scripts attached to them. I was wondering if there was a way to use AddComponent or something similar to add scripts to a newly-Instatiated GameObject using a variable to identify the script. I couldn't find this in the documentation and experimented with strings named after the script or feeding a script into the function unsuccessfully.

So, in brief, what I'm looking for is something like:

 void CreateObjectWithScript(string scriptName){
 GameObject go = (GameObject)Instantiate(new GameObject, new Vector3(), Quaternion.identity);
 go.AddComponent<scriptName>();
 }

This way, rather than creating a script and a prefab for each such object, I can just create one generic prefab and attach scripts to them at runtime, deriving any changes needed out of the script.

However, the above code gives me the error: "'scriptName' is a variable but is used like a type"

I tried also using "go.AddComponent(scriptName.GetType());" , but in implementation, naming a script would give the error: "'ScriptToBeAdded' is a type, which is not valid in the given context."

Following that, I have also attempted:

     private void Start() {
         CreateObjectWithScript(ScriptToBeAdded);
     }
 
     void CreateObjectWithScript (Type type){
          GameObject go = (GameObject)Instantiate(new GameObject(), new Vector3(), Quaternion.identity);
          go.AddComponent(type);
      }

This gave the same "'ScriptToBeAdded' is a type, which is not valid in the given context." error as before.

Answer 1

Best Answer

Answer by Antoids · Apr 07, 2018 at 08:52 AM

Solved it myself after messing with it for a bit. The following code will achieve the desired effect:

 public GameObject prefab;
 
     private void Start() {
         CreateObjectWithScript(prefab, typeof(ScriptToBeAdded));
     }
 
     void CreateObjectWithScript (GameObject prefabName, Type type){
          GameObject go = (GameObject)Instantiate(prefabName, new Vector3(), Quaternion.identity);
          go.AddComponent(type);
      }

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TreyH · Apr 07, 2018 at 02:30 PM 0

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There's a more natural way to pass Type arguments to functions, btw:

 void CreateObjectWithScript<T> (GameObject prefabName){
     GameObject go = (GameObject)Instantiate(prefabName, new Vector3(), Quaternion.identity);
     go.AddComponent<T>();
  }

Add a script to a GameObject via script at runtime?

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