Reminder, this uses the same configuration of the for the version that doesn't use SpeakerImage. Remember to add the DialogText as the first child of the DialogPanel.
DialogPrefab with Image
NextPanelToOpen
The DialogManager script has a public reference variable that can be set in the Inspector allows for the nextPanelToOpen to be populated. After all of the dialog entries has been displayed, the dialogPanel is closed, and then the nextPanelToOpen will be opened. If not populated, no error will occur because the code first checks to see if that variable contains a valid object reference (memory address).
Coroutines
A coroutine is like a function that has the ability to pause execution and return control to Unity but then to continue where it left off on the following frame.
OpenDialogBtn
The OpenDialogBtn public obj-reference variable in the Inspector should be populated if a button will be used to open the dialog. Otherwise, the ShowOnStart checkbox in the Inspector should be selected, it will make the panel visible at the beginning of the scene.
For example, set OpenDialogBtn to a StartDialog Button
The image below shows that the public ConversationList variable: convList has been set in the inspector by selecting the circle-icon to the right of the ConvList item
DialogManager.cs
Below is the full code for the DialogManager.cs. You can paste this code into a script in your project.
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.UI;
/// <summary>
/// Dialog manager. F20
/// Put this script on a panel with canvasGroup,
/// Important: remove SpriteRenderer from Panel
/// required child objects: dialogText, speakerName, nextDialogBtn
/// </summary>
public class DialogManager : MonoBehaviour
{
public CanvasGroup nextPanelToOpenCG; //next panel to open, set in Inspector
public Button openDialogBtn; //Button that will open Dialog
public bool showOnStart = false;
private Button nextBtn;
private CanvasGroup dialogPanelCG;
private Text dialogText, speakerName; //speakerName;
private Image speakerImage;
public ConversationList convList; //attach scriptable object in Inspector
private Queue<ConversationEntry> conversationsQueue = new Queue<ConversationEntry>();
// Use this for initialization
void Start()
{
dialogPanelCG = GetComponent<CanvasGroup>(); //used to show/hide panel
Text[] textChildren = GetComponentsInChildren<Text>();
Image[] imageChildren = GetComponentsInChildren<Image>();
dialogText = textChildren[0];
speakerName = textChildren[2];
if (imageChildren.Length > 4 ) { //means there is a speakerImage
Debug.Log("childImages" + imageChildren.Length);
speakerImage = imageChildren[4]; //fifth child image - in SpeakerPanel
}
nextBtn = GetComponentInChildren<Button>();
nextBtn.onClick.AddListener(GetNextDialog);
if( convList != null)
{
InitializeDialog(); //call once in Start
}
//checkbox that can be set in inspector, if checked, then this is not exected
if (!showOnStart)
{
Utility.HideCG(dialogPanelCG);
if (openDialogBtn != null) //if opening dialog with a Button, Populate OpenDialogButton in the Inspector
{
openDialogBtn.onClick.AddListener(ShowDialogPanel);
}
}
else
{ //if showing on scene load, get first Dialog
Utility.ShowCG(dialogPanelCG);
}
} //end of Start
//Populates the Queue with ConversationEntries
//from the ConvList scriptableObject's Conversation variable.
//Also calls GetNextDialog to populate initial conversation data for first conversation
void InitializeDialog()
{
foreach (ConversationEntry item in convList.Conversation)
{
conversationsQueue.Enqueue(item); //put each string -item in the queue
}
GetNextDialog(); //get first item
} //end method
/// <summary>
/// Opens the dialog.
/// this method is called if there is an
/// openDialog button set in the Inspector
/// otherwise, select checkbox showOnStart
/// </summary>
public void ShowDialogPanel()
{
Utility.ShowCG(dialogPanelCG);
if (openDialogBtn != null){
openDialogBtn.gameObject.SetActive(false);
}
} //end method
/// <summary>
/// Nexts the dialog.
/// Sets UI elements: speakerName, speakerImage, dialogText
/// </summary>
/// <returns><c>true</c>, if dialog there is more dialog, <c>false</c> otherwise.</returns>
public void GetNextDialog()
{
if (conversationsQueue.Count > 0)
{
ConversationEntry item = conversationsQueue.Dequeue();
speakerName.text = item.speakerName;
if (speakerImage != null)
{ //if not using Sprite
speakerImage.sprite = item.speakerImg;
}
StopAllCoroutines();
string curSentence = item.dialogTxt;
StartCoroutine(TypeSentence(curSentence));
}
else //no more conversations
{
Utility.HideCG(dialogPanelCG); // close panel
if (nextPanelToOpenCG != null) //check to see if valid gameObject was set in inspector
{
Utility.ShowCG(nextPanelToOpenCG);
}
}
} //end GetNextDialog method
//this allows single characters to be added to look like typed text
IEnumerator TypeSentence(string sentence)
{
dialogText.text = ""; //clear previous sentance
foreach (char letter in sentence.ToCharArray())
{
dialogText.text += letter;
yield return new WaitForSeconds(0.05f); ;
}
}//end TypeSentence method
//can be executed to pass in a conversationList from some triggering event
public void TriggeredDialog( ConversationList conversation)
{
convList = conversation;
InitializeDialog();
Utility.ShowCG(dialogPanelCG);
//see if there is a next panel to open
GameObject nextPanelGameObj = GameObject.Find(convList.nextPanelName);
if (nextPanelGameObj != null)
{
nextPanelToOpenCG = nextPanelGameObj.GetComponent<CanvasGroup>();
}
Debug.Log("DialogManager, startDialog");
}
} // end class
You have a choice of using the for your project, which does not include a UI image with a sprite to allow display of an image of each conversation entry's speaker. Otherwise, follow steps to create on the subsequent page.
Add the linked script to the DecisionPanel so it will stay closed at the start of the scene, if desired
: We'll use a Unity Coroutine to create Dynamic typing text.
