Why does it break the script if I declare it in Awake()?

[Polygonwrong]

Hello, I’m really enjoying the course so far and I’ve got some problems with the first part of Realm Rush. any help is appreciated

Why does it break the script if i put it on the Awake() when I’m doing exactly like the course? I’ve attached it to the text object in my prefab,

it just plays out
NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
CoordinateLabler.DisplayCoordinates () (at Assets/Scripts/CoordinateLabler.cs:33)
CoordinateLabler.Awake () (at Assets/Scripts/CoordinateLabler.cs:15)

When I remove it from awake it just works fine (except for when i go into play mode, then it does not retain the coordinates). it just makes me scratch my head. am I missing something obvious? From what I’ve read its because the object is NULL but why is it working in the lecture?

ok so now its just broken

[bixarrio]

It breaks because label is null. You have not set label to anything. coordinates is never null because you initialise it immediately (and because it’s a struct which can never be null), so this code never executes

if (coordinates == null)
{
    label = GetComponent<TextMeshPro>();
}

Just check if the label is null instead

if (label == null)
{
    label = GetComponent<TextMeshPro>();
}

[Polygonwrong]

Thanks for the reply it would have taken me quite some time to realize my mistake, this worked. I sat and pulled out a few hairs yesterday. I wonder why it works in the lecture is it an older version of Unity you think?

[bixarrio]

It works in the lecture because Gary sets the label in Awake(), which you didn’t do.

[Polygonwrong]

im fairly certain i did before i started to noodle around with the null statements but yeah it could just have been that something else was wrong in the editor when i had it there. but anyways, thanks for your time and help