Format for connecting a signal from a node instanced as a scene

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1

Godot Version

Godot Version 4.4.1

Question

Hi, I have a question about what I should do when trying to connect signals via code. Let’s say I have Node A in my main scene. Then Node B in another scene. I load Node B in and have a signal in its script that I want to emit to a function in A.

Is using get_node(“../NodeA”) the thing to do here in order to begin connecting the signal? Then use signal.connect(node_a.function).

signal example

var node_a = get_node("../NodeA")

example.connect(node_a.function)

I’m curious because I want to keep things loosely coupled, though it seems when instancing an node I need to use get_node to connect the signal. I wanted to confirm if this is the correct way to do things.

2

I would use a signal bus instead.

3

Generally speaking you should avoid parent paths i.e. ../ this also tightly couples your code to a specific scene tree path and only to one node.

If you load node b then you can give it values and assign connections after instantiation, rather than within the node b to the outside.

var new_node_b = NodeB.instantiate()
new_node_b.example.connect(node_a.function)

But this if you have any specific questions that might prove more useful than talking theoretically.

4

Connection should be made from the instantiating code that’s hierarchically above both nodes, not from the instantiated node.

5

Thanks for your answer. I see what you mean. I took an example from GDQuest’s best practices with node signals. Let’s say I have two trees.

- Main
- Level
- Player
- Health
- UILayer
- User Interface
- Health Bar

When the player’s health changes a signal will be emitted to the health bar in the user interface to show the change visually.

To connect the signal, would I maybe do it in a script in the “Main” node or maybe make another node that’s above the Level and UILayer nodes with the purpose of connecting signals?

6

I would put the UILayer inside the player, setting health would be a function that calls down into the UI

7

Thanks. In case the UI is in another scene, I found an example this site suggests down in step 2. Thanks everyone for your help.