How can I make this code more readable?

Every now and then I have a group of code that has one very slight difference such as an incremental number (hit1/hit2/hit3) and it ends up taking up a lot of space. It doesn't look great and isn't very readable. How can I shorten these groups of code down and make them look prettier?

Here is an example:

Code (CSharp):

1.        
2.         Debug.DrawRay(groundedRay1.transform.position, Vector2.down * 0.1f, Color.green);
3.         RaycastHit2D hit1 = Physics2D.Raycast(groundedRay1.transform.position, -Vector2.up, 0.1f);
4.         Debug.DrawRay(groundedRay2.transform.position, Vector2.down * 0.1f, Color.green);
5.         RaycastHit2D hit2 = Physics2D.Raycast(groundedRay2.transform.position, -Vector2.up, 0.1f);
6.         Debug.DrawRay(groundedRay3.transform.position, Vector2.down * 0.1f, Color.green);
7.         RaycastHit2D hit3 = Physics2D.Raycast(groundedRay3.transform.position, -Vector2.up, 0.1f);
8.  
9.         if (hit1.collider != null) {
10.             if (hit1.collider.gameObject.layer == 8) { //If touching the 'Ground' layer.
11.                 grounded1 = true;
12.             }
13.             else {
14.                 grounded1 = false;
15.             }
16.         }
17.         else {
18.             grounded1 = false;
19.         }
20.  
21.         if (hit2.collider != null) {
22.             if (hit2.collider.gameObject.layer == 8) { //If touching the 'Ground' layer.
23.                 grounded2 = true;
24.             }
25.             else {
26.                 grounded2 = false;
27.             }
28.         }
29.         else {
30.             grounded2 = false;
31.         }
32.  
33.         if (hit3.collider != null) {
34.             if (hit3.collider.gameObject.layer == 8) { //If touching the 'Ground' layer.
35.                 grounded3 = true;
36.             }
37.             else {
38.                 grounded3 = false;
39.             }
40.         }
41.         else {
42.             grounded3 = false;
43.         }
44.  

 

You can use Arrays to store these. You can simply iterate like so:

Code (CSharp):

1. for (int i = 0; i < objectCount; i++)
2. {
3.     if (hit[i].collider != null) {
4.     if (hit[i].collider.gameObject.layer == 8) { //If touching the 'Ground' layer.
5.         grounded[i] = true;
6.     }
7.     else {
8.         grounded[i] = false;
9.     }
10.     }
11.     else {
12.         grounded[i] = false;
13.     }
14. }

Often it makes sense to store things in a struct or class instead of using multiple arrays:

Code (CSharp):

1. public class MyObject
2. {
3.     public bool grounded;
4.     public Transform hit;
5. }
6. [SerializeField] MyObject[] myobjects;
7. for (int i = 0; i < myobjects.Length; i++)
8. {
9.     var obj = myobjects[i];
10.     if (obj.hit.collider != null) {
11.     if (obj.hit.collider.gameObject.layer == 8) { //If touching the 'Ground' layer.
12.         obj.grounded = true;
13.     }
14.     else {
15.         obj.grounded = false;
16.     }
17.     }
18.     else {
19.         obj.grounded = false;
20.     }
21. }

 

Ofcourse, not sure why I did not think of that. Thank you very much

 

Or if it is too specific to be an array, you can just turn it into a method, which in this case takes in a position and returns a bool. Turns it into something very short. It's up to your own taste whether you find that last line readable or not. You can easily expand that back into an if statement.

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. grounded1 = MyRaycastMethod(groundedRay1.transform.position);
3. grounded2 = MyRaycastMethod(groundedRay2.transform.position);
4. grounded3 = MyRaycastMethod(groundedRay3.transform.position);
5.  
6. private bool MyRaycastMethod(Vector3 position, float distance = 0.1f, int layer = 8)
7. {
8.   Debug.DrawRay(position, Vector2.down * distance, Color.green);
9.   RaycastHit2D hit = Physics2D.Raycast(position, Vector2.down, distance);
10.   return (hit.collider != null) && (hit.collider.gameObject.layer == layer);
11. }
12.  

 

Suggest replacing the magic number "8" with a constant, more readable and if you're ground layer every needs to change or much easier to update/find

Code (CSharp):

1.     if (obj.hit.collider.gameObject.layer == groundLayer) { //If touching the 'Ground' layer.

 

Right, there is much stuff that can be done, if you combine all 3 suggestions i guess you are fine

 

I have just tried changing the code to:

Code (CSharp):

1. if (hit1.collider.gameObject.layer == groundLayer)

and setting the LayerMask to the Ground layer in the Editor but it doesn't seem to work.

I tried doing groundLayer.value too but that wouldn't work either.

 

You should use the layer in the Raycast method. Then the ray will only be checked against colliders in that layer which is faster. As you don't do anything then you also need no RaycastHit object as you only check if you hit something in that layer.
You can also use LayerMask instead of int, this is more convenient if you expose it in the Inspector somewhere.

Code (CSharp):

1. private bool MyRaycastMethod(Vector3 position, float distance, LayerMask layer)
2. {
3.     Debug.DrawRay(position, Vector2.down * distance, Color.green);
4.  
5.     var ray = new Ray(position, Vector2.down);
6.     return Physics.Raycast(ray, distance, layer);
7. }