Collab losing references between existing prefab and new prefab

We are using the standard Unity 5.5.0f3.

We have a consistent problem. If a user creates a new prefab and adds it as a reference on an existing prefab, all other users, when they update, see that new reference as null.

For example I have an existing prefab A with MonoBehaviour MyComponentA. To this component I add "public Transform theOtherThing;" I then create new prefab "OtherThingB" and drag it, in the Project view, to "theOtherThing" field of MyComponentA. It's definitely applied to the prefab, not an instance of the prefab in a scene.
Submit changes.

Another user updates. They get the new prefab OtherThingB, but the theOtherThing field in prefab MyComponentA is null. It should be a reference to OtherThingB.

Is this a known issue or are we doing something wrong? Thanks.

 

Thanks for taking a look @ryanc-unity. We are able to reproduce this pretty regularly.

All scene changes are saved before publish.
The OtherThingB is created by creating a new GameObject in Scene, then dragging it out to the project.
I have reproduced it by downloading it to a new folder on the same computer I committed from.

I will try to set up a light weight example in my personal Collab space.

 

In my collab area I created project PrefabSyncIssuesA. I am _not_ able to reproduce the problem in this simple test. If we can isolate it to a simple reproducible bug I will certainly let you know. Thanks for your time.

 

Hello @pedro_unity,
I have an update - we get this behavior when we edit a prefab within the "Project" view. Specifically when dragging a reference of one component of a prefab onto the object field of another component of the same prefab.
I noticed that this does not trigger a Collab diff, that is the Collab icon remains a green check box.

We can get around this by adding GetComponent in Awake(), or by doing all our Prefab editing in a Scene and then using "Apply" but it is troublesome.

• You wrote: "They get the new prefab OtherThingB, but the theOtherThing field in prefab MyComponentA is null. It should be a reference to OtherThingB." Is that what the other users are seeing or would it be "none (Transform)"

You are correct. it reads "none"

• Was prefab OtherThingB renamed at any point?

No

 

Just coming here to comment on our similar situation for a university student project of six people working in version 5.5.0f3.

As novice game developers we didn't know why we had to spend so much time fixing null reference errors from collaborate (9 week development cycle). We ended up resorting to making as many private references through code as possible to circumvent the problem.

Since you've been able to reproduce the problem and its been a couple months since then I'm glad you guys are on it and we hope you find a solution.

 

Hey, guys.
I'm still having this problem in 2020 with Unity 2019.3.13f1. Any news about how to solve it? I already tried all suggestions I found on Internet... and nothing.

Thanks.