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Accessing light object in a script on same object

Discussion in 'Scripting' started by unity_aB0ViU4X_pf-Cg, Feb 11, 2019.

  1. unity_aB0ViU4X_pf-Cg

    unity_aB0ViU4X_pf-Cg

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2019
    Posts:
    28
    Hi, I don't post here very often, but I have a question about a side project I am working on. I am creating a traffic light control program with Unity 2018 C#. I created a couple functions to turn the traffic lights on and off. If I include the functions in every script that is attached to a traffic light the functions work properly. If I move the functions off the script and place them in a script by themselves but still on the traffic light I get null reference exception even though I have reference the script.

    The first 2 scripts are the way I want to setup the scripts but can't get them to work.
    Code (CSharp):
    1. using UnityEngine;
    2.  
    3. public class SouthLeftTurnLane : MonoBehaviour
    4. {
    5.     private RandomTraffic randomTraffic;
    6.     private TrafficLightColors color;
    7.     private float timer;
    8.     public int sequence;
    9.  
    10.     // Start is called before the first frame update
    11.     void Start()
    12.     {
    13.         timer = 0;
    14.         randomTraffic = FindObjectOfType<RandomTraffic>();
    15.         color = FindObjectOfType<TrafficLightColors>();
    16.     }
    17.  
    18.     // Update is called once per frame
    19.     void Update()
    20.     {
    21.         if (timer <= 0)
    22.         {
    23.             // Reset timer
    24.             timer = randomTraffic.SouthLeftTurnLight();
    25.             if (timer > 1 && timer < 5)
    26.             {
    27.                 timer = timer + 5;
    28.             }
    29.         }
    30.         Timer();
    31.         if (timer > 5)
    32.         {
    33.             //color.TurnGreenLightOn();
    34.             sequence = 1;
    35.         }
    36.         if (timer > 2 && timer < 5)
    37.         {
    38.             //color.TurnYellowLightOn();
    39.             sequence = 2;
    40.         }
    41.         if (timer < 2)
    42.         {
    43.             //color.TurnRedLightOn();
    44.             sequence = 3;
    45.         }
    46.         Debug.Log(GetSequence());
    47.     }
    48.     void Timer()
    49.     {
    50.         timer -= Time.deltaTime;
    51.     }
    52.  
    53.     public int GetSequence()
    54.     {
    55.         return sequence;
    56.     }
    57. }
    Code (CSharp):
    1. using UnityEngine;
    2.  
    3. public class TrafficLightColors : MonoBehaviour
    4. {
    5.     public Light red;
    6.     public Light yellow;
    7.     public Light green;
    8.  
    9.     public GameObject trafficLight;
    10.  
    11.     private Light redLight;
    12.     private Light yellowLight;
    13.     private Light greenLight;
    14.  
    15.     // Start is called before the first frame update
    16.     void Start()
    17.     {
    18.         redLight = red.GetComponent<Light>();
    19.         yellowLight = yellow.GetComponent<Light>();
    20.         greenLight = green.GetComponent<Light>();
    21.     }
    22.    
    23.     public void TurnGreenLightOn()
    24.     {
    25.         redLight.enabled = false;
    26.         yellowLight.enabled = false;
    27.         greenLight.enabled = true;
    28.     }
    29.     public void TurnYellowLightOn()
    30.     {
    31.         redLight.enabled = false;
    32.         yellowLight.enabled = true;
    33.         greenLight.enabled = false;
    34.     }
    35.  
    36.     public void TurnRedLightOn()
    37.     {
    38.         redLight.enabled = true;
    39.         yellowLight.enabled = false;
    40.         greenLight.enabled = false;
    41.     }
    42. }
    The last script includes the functions instead of putting them in a separate file like I would like, but I have no idea why they work here and not the in the first 2 scripts above. I am just trying to clean up the code and put the functions in a separate file.
    Code (CSharp):
    1. using UnityEngine;
    2.  
    3. public class NorthLeftTurnLane : MonoBehaviour
    4. {
    5.     private RandomTraffic randomTraffic;
    6.    
    7.     public Light redLight;
    8.     public Light yellowLight;
    9.     public Light greenLight;
    10.  
    11.     private Light currentRedLight;
    12.     private Light currentYellowLight;
    13.     private Light currentGreenLight;
    14.  
    15.     private float timer;
    16.     public int sequence;
    17.  
    18.     // Start is called before the first frame update
    19.     void Start()
    20.     {
    21.         timer = 0;
    22.         randomTraffic = FindObjectOfType<RandomTraffic>();
    23.         currentRedLight = redLight.GetComponent<Light>();
    24.         currentYellowLight = yellowLight.GetComponent<Light>();
    25.         currentGreenLight = greenLight.GetComponent<Light>();
    26.     }
    27.  
    28.     // Update is called once per frame
    29.     void Update()
    30.     {
    31.         if (timer <= 0)
    32.         {
    33.             // Reset timer
    34.             timer = randomTraffic.NorthLeftTurnLight();
    35.             if (timer > 1 && timer < 5)
    36.             {
    37.                 timer = timer + 5;
    38.             }
    39.         }
    40.         Timer();
    41.         if (timer > 5)
    42.         {
    43.             GreenLight();
    44.             sequence = 1;
    45.         }
    46.         if (timer > 2 && timer < 5)
    47.         {
    48.             YellowLight();
    49.             sequence = 2;
    50.         }
    51.         if (timer < 2)
    52.         {
    53.             RedLight();
    54.             sequence = 3;
    55.         }
    56.         Debug.Log(GetSequence());
    57.     }
    58.     void Timer()
    59.     {
    60.         timer -= Time.deltaTime;
    61.     }
    62.  
    63.     public int GetSequence()
    64.     {
    65.         return sequence;
    66.     }
    67.  
    68.     void RedLight()
    69.     {
    70.         currentRedLight.enabled = true;
    71.         currentYellowLight.enabled = false;
    72.         currentGreenLight.enabled = false;
    73.     }
    74.     void YellowLight()
    75.     {
    76.         currentRedLight.enabled = false;
    77.         currentYellowLight.enabled = true;
    78.         currentGreenLight.enabled = false;
    79.     }
    80.     void GreenLight()
    81.     {
    82.         currentRedLight.enabled = false;
    83.         currentYellowLight.enabled = false;
    84.         currentGreenLight.enabled = true;
    85.     }
    86. }
    Thanks in advance for any help!
     
  2. Magiichan

    Magiichan

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2014
    Posts:
    403
    Which script causes the NULL reference exception, and on what line number?

    What you're doing here doesn't make much sense.
    Code (CSharp):
    1.  
    2.     // TrafficLightColors
    3.     public Light red;
    4.     public Light yellow;
    5.     public Light green;
    6.     public GameObject trafficLight;
    7.     private Light redLight;
    8.     private Light yellowLight;
    9.     private Light greenLight;
    10.     // Start is called before the first frame update
    11.     void Start()
    12.     {
    13.         redLight = red.GetComponent<Light>();
    14.         yellowLight = yellow.GetComponent<Light>();
    15.         greenLight = green.GetComponent<Light>();
    16.     }
    You can completely remove the Start function, since you've already assigned the lights in the inspector!
     
  3. unity_aB0ViU4X_pf-Cg

    unity_aB0ViU4X_pf-Cg

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2019
    Posts:
    28
    I see what I was doing wrong and removed the start and private variables and can access the public variables already assigned in the inspector. I found out I have been programming around a much bigger issue that has to do with the prefab lights that I am using that I made in the unity editor. I have to work on or redesign my prefab before I can go any further. I will post a thread in the prefabs section if I can't get this figured out. Thanks for the scripting help though!
     
    Magiichan likes this.