Can't get a node as a varibable on an object spawned during runtime

Help
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1

Godot Version

4.3

Question

I have a player node, and a dropped_item node. I need to be able to call a function in the player node from a dropped_item. It works when the item is placed in the scene initially, but when it’s spawned during runtime, it cannot connect to the player node.
===========================| Item code

extends CharacterBody2D
var item_id = -2
var mouse_on_item = false
#var player_character: CharacterBody2D
@onready var player_character = $"../PlayerCharacter"
#@onready var player_character = get_tree().get_root().get_node("../PlayerCharacter")
#func _ready() -> void:
	#var player_character = %PlayerCharacter

func _process(delta: float) -> void:
	#var player_character = get_parent().get_node("PlayerCharacter")
	if not is_on_floor():
		velocity += get_gravity() * delta
	if get_global_mouse_position().x <= global_position.x + 32 and get_global_mouse_position().x >= global_position.x - 32 and get_global_mouse_position().y <= global_position.y + 32 and get_global_mouse_position().y >= global_position.y - 32:
		mouse_on_item = true
	if mouse_on_item and Input.is_action_pressed("pick_up"):
		player_character.replace_weapon(item_id)
	move_and_slide()

====================================| The error
E 0:00:13:0499 dropped_item.gd:5 @ _ready(): Node not found: “…/PlayerCharacter” (relative to “/root/DroppedItem”).
<C++ Error> Method/function failed. Returning: nullptr
<C++ Source> scene/main/node.cpp:1792 @ get_node()
dropped_item.gd:5 @ _ready()
=======================================| The scene tree
image
=======================================| The code for spawning item during runtime

func drop_weapon(item_id: int) -> void:
	var instance = dropped_item.instantiate()
	instance.global_position = global_position
	instance.velocity.y = -350
	instance.item_id = item_id
	#instance.player_character = $"."
	main.add_child.call_deferred(instance)

=========================|
The commented lines of code are solutions that I tried, and they failed.

2

Try calling the player like this:

@onready var player_character = get_node("/root/level_test/PlayerCharacter")  # Adjust the path based on your scene structure, assuming you'll change the name of "level_test".
1 Like
3

Thanks, it works now, but is there a solution to make it work for any scene where there’s a player, and not write a different path for each one?

4

Yep, you can use:

@onready var character = find_child("Main character", true)

Make sure you don’t forget that true, because it allows find_child() to search recursively through all nodes and their children, not just the children of the root.

5

gives an error. (i just copied the line and fixed the variable name cuz it’s “player_character”)
image

6

I’d need the code to be honest, as It works for me. And I tested it before sending you my example.

7

well, all the code there is that is relevant to this part of the project is in the question part. if i just replace the line that didn’t work with that solution, it breaks for some reason. maybe something about the structure, then?

8

still can’t find a way to get the player regardless of scene. now i also need it for enemies to work though, not only items.

edit: solved it. i spawned items too high in the tree, somehow. still don’t understand much about it, but at least i made it work.