How to store an array of prefabs together with configuration parameters

Question

I have attached the following script to a number of weapon prefabs:

public class WeaponScript : MonoBehaviour {

    public enum Direction {Right, Straight, Left};
    public Direction weaponDir;        

    void Start () {
        prepareDirection (weaponDir);
    }

    void prepareDirection(Direction dir)    {
        if (dir == Direction.Straight)  {
            transform.localEulerAngles = new Vector3 (0, 0, 0);

        }

        else if(dir == Direction.Left)  {
            transform.localEulerAngles = new Vector3 (0, 0, -30);
        }

        else if(dir == Direction.Right) {
            transform.localEulerAngles = new Vector3 (0, 0, 30);

        }
    }
}

I also added the following script to an empty game object SetupWeapon:

public class SetupWeaponsScript : MonoBehaviour {

    public GameObject[] weaponPrefabs; 
    public GameObject[] weapons;

    void Start ()
    {   
        weapons = new GameObject[weaponPrefabs.Length];

        for (int i = 0; i < weaponPrefabs.Length; i++)
        {
            weapons[i] = Instantiate(weaponPrefabs[i]) as GameObject;
        }

    }
}

When I select my SetupWeapon object, I am able to populate the weaponPrefabs array with the weapon prefabs I want to use, but I can't directly alter their parameters in that same inspector view. I want to be able to override the direction of each weapon prefab in the list, rather than use the value that's stored on the prefab itself.

How can I create the weaponsSetupScript in such a way that I can set the direction enum for each weapon entry at the same time that I set select the prefab in the editor? I believe it might have something to do with inheritance, just not too sure how to go about it though.

Answer 1

If you want a tuple - a type that contains your two pieces of data together in a package - then just define one. ;)

public class SetupWeaponsScript {

    // Here's our tuple combining a weapon prefab and a direction.
    [System.Serializable]
    public struct DirectedWeapon {
        public WeaponScript weapon;
        public WeaponScript.Direction direction;
    }

    // The prefabs array is now this tuple type.
    public DirectedWeapon[] weaponPrefabs;
    public WeaponScript[] weapons;

    void Start ()
    {   
        weapons = new WeaponScript[weaponPrefabs.Length]; 

        for (int i = 0; i < weaponPrefabs.Length; i++)
        {
            // Using typed Instantiate to save a GetComponent call.
            weapons[i] = Instantiate<WeaponScript>(weaponPrefabs[i].weapon);
            weapons[i].weaponDir = weaponPrefabs[i].direction;
        }        
    }    
}

In the Inspector it looks like this, so you can populate the prefab and direction side-by-side: