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Unity Engine


GetComponentsInChildren

The non-generic version of this method.
Read time 4 minutesLast updated 4 days ago

Definition

  • Type: Method
  • Namespace: UnityEngine
  • Assembly: UnityEngine.CoreModule

GetComponentsInChildren(Type, bool)

The non-generic version of this method.
public Component[] GetComponentsInChildren(Type t, bool includeInactive)

Parameters

The type of component to search for.

includeInactive

Whether to include inactive child GameObjects in the search.

Returns

Type

Description

Component[]An array of all found components matching the specified type.

Remarks

This version of GetComponentsInChildren is not as efficient as the Generic version (above), so you should only use it if necessary.

GetComponentsInChildren<T>(bool)

Gets references to all components of type
T
on the same GameObject as the component specified, and any child of the GameObject, including those that are inactive.
public T[] GetComponentsInChildren<T>(bool includeInactive)

Parameters

includeInactive

Whether to include inactive child GameObjects in the search.

Returns

Type

Description

<T>[]An array containing all matching components of type
T
.

Remarks

Checks the GameObject on which it is called first, then recurses downwards through all child GameObjects using a depth-first search, and finds all matching components of the type
T
specified.
Set the
includeInactive
parameter to
true
, to include inactive child GameObjects. The GameObject on which the method is called is always searched regardless of this parameter.

GetComponentsInChildren<T>(bool, List<T>)

A variation of the GetComponentsInChildren method which allows you to supply your own List to be filled with results, and includes inactive child GameObjects.
public void GetComponentsInChildren<T>(bool includeInactive, List<T> result)

Parameters

includeInactive

Whether to include inactive child GameObjects in the search.

result

Remarks

This allows you to avoid allocating new List objects for each call to the method. The list you supply is resized to match the number of results found, and any existing values in the list are overwritten.

GetComponentsInChildren<T>()

Gets references to all components of type
T
on the same GameObject as the component specified, and any child of the GameObject.
public T[] GetComponentsInChildren<T>()

Returns

Type

Description

<T>[]An array containing all matching components of type
T
.

Remarks

The typical usage for this method is to call it from a MonoBehaviour script (which itself is a type of component), to find references to other Components or MonoBehaviours attached to the same GameObject as that script, or its child GameObjects. In this case you can call the method with no preceding object specified. For example:
myResults = GetComponentsInChildren<ComponentType>()
You can also call this method on a reference to different component, which might be attached to a different GameObject. In this case, the GameObject to which that component is attached, and its children, are searched. For example:
myResults = otherComponent.GetComponentsInChildren<ComponentType>()
This method checks the GameObject on which it is called first, then recurses downwards through all child GameObjects using a depth-first search, and finds all matching components of the type
T
specified.
To find components attached to other GameObjects, you need a reference to that other GameObject (or any component attached to that GameObject). You can then call
GetComponentsInChildren
on that reference.
The following example gets a reference to all hinge joint components on the same GameObject as the script, or any of its children, and if found, sets a property on those components.
using UnityEngine;public class GetComponentsInChildrenExample : MonoBehaviour{ public Component[] hingeJoints; void Start() { hingeJoints = GetComponentsInChildren<HingeJoint>(); foreach (HingeJoint joint in hingeJoints) joint.useSpring = false; }}
Note: If the type you request is a derivative of MonoBehaviour and the associated script can't be loaded then this method returns
null
for that component.
Additional Resources: Component and GameObject class reference pages for the other variations of the
GetComponent
family of methods.

GetComponentsInChildren<T>(List<T>)

A variation of the GetComponentsInChildren method which allows you to supply your own List to be filled with results.
public void GetComponentsInChildren<T>(List<T> results)

Parameters

results

A list to use for the returned results.

Remarks

This allows you to avoid allocating new List objects for each call to the method. The list you supply is resized to match the number of results found, and any existing values in the list are overwritten.