GetComponents/InParent/InChildren list overload not documented

GetComponents and GetComponentsInChildren and GetComponentsInParent have these overloads available:

Code (csharp):

1. public void GetComponentsInParent<T>(bool includeInactive, List<T> results);
2. public void GetComponentsInChildren<T>(bool includeInactive, List<T> result);
3. public void GetComponents<T>(List<T> results);
4.  
5. //also this one, for when you hate writing good code:
6. public void GetComponents(Type type, List<Component> results);

None of these methods are mentioned anywhere in the docs.

Doing a quick check, it seems like the methods clear the provided list, and then put the results in it. It seems like this is meant as a gc-free alternative to GetComponents (yay!). Using a List<T> instead of an array with an int return that defines the count of elements also makes this a much better solution to the gc problem than eg. Physics.RaycastAll and NavMeshPath.GetCornersNonAlloc!

It'd be nice to have clear docs on what the method does, though!

 

It seems like it is not on the documentation yet.

One of these overloads is really helpful to me!
It makes the code much cleaner.

not very clean:
myScriptList= new List<MyScript>(GetComponents<MyScript>());

much cleaner:
GetComponents<MyScript>(myScriptList);

 

I believe this is still yet to be done...

 

Still not documented... would be nice to have confirmation that this clears the list before adding components.

 

Haha.. was wondering the same thing. Happy 2020 XD

 

4 years...

 

The Component version of the docs does not have it.
The GameObject version does.

But it does not say the list is cleared. Which seems a waste. Not sure why i would want to use the list version if its cleared. If i want to collect a bunch of components into a single list i still have to append them to another list.

I would expected i would of been able to do this.
goA.GetComponentsInChildren<Renderer>(true, _TmpRenderers);
goB.GetComponentsInChildren<Renderer>(true, _TmpRenderers);

 

@daxiongmao Funny you mention that -- I needed to accumulate a bunch of components like that -- so having it NOT be cleared (and mentioning this in the docs) would be super helpful for our sanity and the computer's performance.

 

I came here because I was trying to figure out if the List gets cleared. Docs still missing.

 

Okay I don't mean to be rude, but it is 2021.

Will this ever get documented?
(and an extra overload?)

Pretty please? <3

 

Same thing for me. It seems the list is cleared, so unfortunately there isn't much use.

 

It get's cleared (which I do not like). Would be nice if the list will not be cleared.We overcome that with 2 internal lists now, however, this is a bit hacky!

 

It gets cleared because Unity think we are too stupid to clear it ourselves. It'd be nice if Unity had some faith in us.

 

Bump? Docs are still missing...

 

6 years...

 

The eternal counter continues to rise. Still no documentation or fix for the list clearing.

 

I mean, that's roughly the rate the docs get fixes. It would probably go faster if instead of actual docs all we wanted was silly sports car analogies.

 

YES!

Thanks for all your effort @duck, this makes me very happy to see

 

Great job!

The docs are well-written now, and will help future users a bunch!