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Unity Engine

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Unity Engine

GetComponentInChildren

This is the non-generic version of this method.
Read time 4 minutesLast updated 6 days ago

Definition

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

GetComponentInChildren(Type, bool)

This is the non-generic version of this method.
public Component GetComponentInChildren(Type type, bool includeInactive)

Parameters

type

Type
The type of Component to retrieve.

includeInactive

bool
Whether to include inactive child GameObjects in the search.

Returns

Type

Description

ComponentA component of the matching type, if found.

Remarks

This version of 
GetComponentInChildren
is not as efficient as the Generic version (above), so you should only use it if necessary.
using UnityEngine;public class GetComponentInChildrenExample : MonoBehaviour{     // Disable the spring on the first HingeJoint component found on the referenced GameObject or any of its children    public GameObject objectToCheck;    void Start()    {        HingeJoint hinge = gameObject.GetComponentInChildren(typeof(HingeJoint)) as HingeJoint;        if (hinge != null)        {            hinge.useSpring = false;        }        else        {            // Try again, looking for inactive GameObjects            HingeJoint hingeInactive = gameObject.GetComponentInChildren(typeof(HingeJoint), true) as HingeJoint;            if (hingeInactive != null)            {                hingeInactive.useSpring = false;            }        }    }}
Additional Resources: Component, GameObject.GetComponents

GetComponentInChildren(Type)

This is the non-generic version of this method.
public Component GetComponentInChildren(Type type)

Parameters

type

Type
The type of Component to retrieve.

Returns

Type

Description

ComponentA component of the matching type, if found.

Remarks

This version of 
GetComponentInChildren
is not as efficient as the Generic version (above), so you should only use it if necessary.
using UnityEngine;public class GetComponentInChildrenExample : MonoBehaviour{     // Disable the spring on the first HingeJoint component found on the referenced GameObject or any of its children    public GameObject objectToCheck;    void Start()    {        HingeJoint hinge = gameObject.GetComponentInChildren(typeof(HingeJoint)) as HingeJoint;        if (hinge != null)        {            hinge.useSpring = false;        }        else        {            // Try again, looking for inactive GameObjects            HingeJoint hingeInactive = gameObject.GetComponentInChildren(typeof(HingeJoint), true) as HingeJoint;            if (hingeInactive != null)            {                hingeInactive.useSpring = false;            }        }    }}
Additional Resources: Component, GameObject.GetComponents

GetComponentInChildren<T>(bool)

Retrieves a reference to a component of type T on the specified GameObject, or any child of the GameObject.
public T GetComponentInChildren<T>(bool includeInactive)

Parameters

includeInactive

bool
Whether to include inactive child GameObjects in the search.

Returns

Type

Description

TA Component of the matching type 
T
, otherwise 
null
if no matching Component is found.

Remarks

This method checks the GameObject on which it is called first, then recurses downwards through all child GameObjects using a depth-first search, until it finds a matching Component of the specified type 
T
.
Only active child GameObjects are included in the search, unless you call the method with the 
includeInactive
parameter set to 
true
, in which case inactive child GameObjects are also included. The GameObject on which the method is called is always searched regardless of this parameter.
The typical usage for this method is to call it on a reference to a different GameObject than the one your script is on. For example:
myResults = otherGameObject.GetComponentInChildren<ComponentType>()
However, if you're writing code inside a MonoBehaviour class, you can omit the preceding GameObject reference to perform the search on the same GameObject your script is attached to, and its children. In this instance, you're actually calling Component.GetComponentInChildren because the script itself is a type of component, but the result is the same as if you'd referenced the GameObject itself. For example:
myResults = GetComponentInChildren<ComponentType>()
GetComponentInChildren
returns only the first matching component found, and components are not checked in a defined order. If there are multiple components of the specified type and you need to find a specific one, you should use Component.GetComponentsInChildren and check the list of components returned to identify the one you want.
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 
GetComponentInChildren
on that reference.
Note: If the type you request is a derivative of MonoBehaviour and the associated script can't be loaded then this function will return 
null
for that component.
The following example gets a reference to a hinge joint component on the referenced GameObject, or any of its children, and if found, sets a property on that hinge joint component.
using UnityEngine;public class GetComponentInChildrenExample : MonoBehaviour{    // Disable the spring on the first HingeJoint component found on the referenced GameObject or any of its children    public GameObject objectToCheck;    void Start()    {        HingeJoint hinge = objectToCheck.GetComponentInChildren<HingeJoint>();        if (hinge != null)        {            hinge.useSpring = false;        }        else        {            // Try again, looking for inactive GameObjects            HingeJoint hingeInactive = objectToCheck.GetComponentInChildren<HingeJoint>(true);            if (hingeInactive != null)            {                hingeInactive.useSpring = false;            }        }    }}
Additional Resources: Component, GameObject.GetComponents