Help with get_node in multiple scripts returning null

[StUnTmAkEr]

Godot Version

4.2.1

Question

I am building a simple clicker card game. Currently I am able to get certain things to work by setting everything in an autoload singleton class. My issue is when I start trying to get_node in other scripts that are set on the root nodes of different scenes outside of the main game scene. I am using the “instantiate child scene” button to add the other scenes into the main game as I have seen in many tutorials. Currently the issue I am running into is when I am trying to get the node in the UI scene that I am running.

In the following code, during the ready function, it cannot set the text because it is returning a null value. I was running into the same issue in another location and just added a path with the get_node all the way back to the root node.

class_name CardUI
extends CanvasLayer

@onready var unlock_card_space_button: Button = get_node("UnlockCardSpace")


func _ready() -> void:
	unlock_card_space_button.text = "Card\nSpace\n0/4\nCost: $100"


func unlock_card_space() -> void:
	print("made it")

Is there something I am missing when trying to run the get_node? I have tried multiple different combinations of the get_parent, get_child, and get_node. All ending up returning null. Like I said before I can run it out of a autoload class but as soon as I add the same code with the path to the root it returns null.

When I view the remote while the game is in a breakpoint I see the autoloads that I am doing are siblings of the main game scene. Is there a different way to point to nodes because of that issue?

Fair warning I am still new to Godot and learning through tutorials and reading the documentation. I know its all part of the learning process just need some help bouncing ideas. Thanks!

[StUnTmAkEr]

Update to this. I am able to update the text to the button during the _ready function. But it errors out when running the unlock_card_space when trying to update the text.

class_name CardUI
extends CanvasLayer

@onready var unlock_card_space_button: Button = $/root/Game/UI/UnlockCardSpace
var card_space_unlocks = 0
var card_space_cost = 100


func _ready() -> void:
	unlock_card_space_button.text = "Card\nSpace\n0/4\nCost: $100"


func unlock_card_space() -> void:
	if card_space_unlocks < 4 and Deck.total_money > card_space_cost:
		Deck.total_money = Deck.total_money - card_space_cost
		card_space_unlocks += 1
		card_space_cost = card_space_cost * 1.10
		unlock_card_space_button.text = "Card\nSpace" + str(card_space_unlocks) + "\n/4\nCost: $" + str(card_space_cost)

[StUnTmAkEr]

I believe the error at this point is how the function unlock_card_space() is being called. I have a UI scene that has the Button pressed signal being used the call the unlock card space. Is there something inside the CardUI script I need to add to make sure that signal is being processed correctly?

[Monday]

For future reference: get_node() expects a node path, not just the name of the node. You can use find_child() if you want to find a node by it’s name.
You can also drag&drop the node into the code while holding CTRL to create a reference variable to it.

What’s the error message you’re getting in unlock_card_space()?

[StUnTmAkEr]

The error I am getting now is:

Invalid set index ‘text’ (on base: ‘Nil’) with value of type ‘String’.

I am pretty sure it has something to do with how the function itself is being called at this point. I can create a break in the code and it find the Button node to update the text with the _ready function. But once the button is pressed it gets set to null so it is no longer able to see the Button node.

[Monday]

Yeah that shouldn’t happen based on this code you shared. If it works in _ready() then it should work after that too.
The variable should keep the reference to the button, unless you have something like unlock_card_space_button = "something_else" somewhere in your code, or you delete the button node itself.

[StUnTmAkEr]

You’re right. Everything is working… I just had the code in the wrong UI script. I have a card UI and game UI. just overlooked it. Have to be better about my naming apparently. Thanks for the help!