Find Child not finding child I can see in get_children()

[tyson_nw]

Godot Version

v4.2.2.stable.official [15073afe3]

Question

I am trying to find a child of a node. I am using find_child(name) but it is returning null.

If I run print (button_parent.get_children()) I get

[Expertise-Apprentice:<Button#36138124852>, Description:<Label#36188456503>, Dropdown:<OptionButton#36222010937>, Equipment:<Label#37044094553>, Coin:<Label#37077648986>]

But when I immediately run print (button_parent.find_child("Dropdown")) I get

<Object#null>

I can see a child in the list with the name Dropdown. But when I try and find it I get nothing.

Am I missing a step?

[javier.8]

That’s odd…
I tested it and it works fine for me. I put together a control, a button and an option button.

Then a ready function:

And it works fine…

I mean, those buttons seem to be fixed. Wouldn’t it be better to have a reference already set up instead of searching by name every time you need them?

Like this:

@onready var dropdown = $Control/Dropdown

[tyson_nw]

I would but the children are generated by code, not manually added to the scene in the editor. That may be the source of the problem.

[javier.8]

Oh… in that case maybe the third parameter is the reason:

If you dynamically create them, I’m not sure if it’s owned or not. Try calling:

print (button_parent.find_child("Dropdown", true, false))

Alternatively, you can use get_node instead of find_child, it’s more widely used.

[wyattbiker]

@tyson_nw

find_child(name)

Node find_child ( String pattern, bool recursive=true, bool owned=true ) const
Finds the first descendant of this node whose name matches

Try this:

for i in button_parent.get_children():
	print(i.name)

[javier.8]

Yes, that is the reason.
If you dynamically create them, they’re not “owned” by the parent node.
Here’s an example, I created a new button and added it to the control.

get_children gives me the new button.
find_child doesn’t return the button
find_child with third parameter=false returns the button
get_node returns the button

I’d recommend you use get_node instead of find_child.

[javier.8]

Alternatively, if you REALLY want to use find_child, you need to also set the parent as owner (in my case, the control node) for it to work.
See the console, now all calls return the button.