Unity - issue with AudioClip array

Question

I'm trying to make an audio player in Unity. I first created a ResourceManager, that has a AudioClip[] array.

public class ResourceManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    public AudioSource audioSrc;
    public AudioClip[] clips;
    private int trackNum = 0;
    
    public void Awake()
    {
        audioSrc = GetComponent<AudioSource>();
        audioSrc.Stop();

    ...omitted...
        
    public void LoadClip()
    {
        audioSrc.clip = clips[trackNum];

    }
}

So that they appear in the Clips drag-and-drop box.

However, I want to make the AudioClip array static in ResourceManager static, so other scripts (e.g. PlayPause.cs can access clips statically (via function calls). But the problem is once I make clips static, the drag-and-drop for disappears.

Is there a way to fix that? Or are there some better design patterns? Thanks.

Answer 1

You can e.g. simply do

public class ResourceManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    ...

    // This is the one in the Inspector
    // Usually I keep the Inspector private and only provide public access 
    // where needed via properties 
    [SerializeField] private AudioClip[] clips;

    // This will be set in Awake to the ones from the Inspector
    // readonly for others, only this class can assign it
    public static AudioClip[] Clips { get; private set; }
    
    public void Awake()
    {
        Clips = clips;

        ...
    }
}

---

The alternative suggested is make the ResourceManager a so called singleton like e.g.

public class ResourceManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Here you store your own instance reference  
    // and provide public readonly access
    public static ResourceManager Instance { get; private set; }

    [SerializeField] private AudioClip[] clips;

    public AudioClip[] Clips => clips;

    ...
    
    public void Awake()
    {
        // Make sure only one instance exists at a time
        if(Instance && Instance != this)
        {
            Destroy(gameObject);
            return;
        }

        _instance = this;

        // optional: Don't destroy this instance when the scene is switched
        // Careful: Make sure this applies also to the AudioSource instance!
        // For now I assume it is either attached to this object or a child
        // if not simply do the same DontDestroyOnLoad on it as well
        DontDestroyOnLoad (this.gameObject);         

        ...
    }
        
    public void LoadClip()
    {
        audioSrc.clip = clips[trackNum];
    }
}

And then access everywhere ReaourcesManager.Instance.Clips

---

Or a built-in alternative to the singleton is using FindObjectOfType so any other script in the Scene can actually simply access

FindObjectOfType<ResourcesManager>().clips

without you having to change anything at all ;)

Except as said I would make it

[SerializeField] private AudioClip[] clips;

public IReadonlyList<AudioClip> Clips => clips;

depending a bit of course what exactly you want to do with the clips but this way the array can not be altered by any other script