Menu UI links keep “looking correct” but don’t actually work
Hi, I’m running into a confusing issue with UI linking.
I have a Subtitles menu set up with elements linked to Unity UI objects (SpeakerNameText, DialogueBodyText, SpeakerPortrait). In the Menu Manager inspector, each field shows the correct object, and if I click on the “circle” selector, it highlights the right object in the Hierarchy.
But sometimes during play, subtitles don’t show up. The strange part is: if I drag the exact same object from the Hierarchy back into the field (re-assign it), suddenly everything works again — without changing anything else.
So visually, the references look correct, and the Constant IDs are there, but Adventure Creator seems to lose the actual link until I re-assign it.
Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a known cause (scene switching, prefab editing, Constant ID mismatch…?) or a recommended workflow to avoid it?
- Unity 2022.3
- Adventure Creator v1.84.2
Thanks in advance!
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Comments
Is the UI in the scene, or a prefab?
Do you get any related messages in the Console, and - though there shouldn't be - are there any objects in the UI's Hierarchy that share the same Constant ID value?
Yes, I am not using Prehab. The UI is located within the Scene.
There are no objects sharing the same constant ID value within the UI hierarchy.
When editing or manipulating the UI, the constant IDs seem to disappear or change, causing AC to lose track of them.
I like AC. Since I'm in Japan, there's a time difference, so my response might be delayed. Thank you for answering. I hope AC becomes more popular in Japan too.
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Additional note
I’m currently using Unity in Scene. Since I’m still new to Unity, I set it up this way for now, but if this issue doesn’t occur with Unity in Prefab, I can switch to that (I was planning to move to Prefabs eventually anyway).
No error messages appear in the Console. As far as I can see, there are no objects in the UI hierarchy that share the same Constant ID. However, I did duplicate some objects that had Constant ID components before. Their numbers looked unique, so I assumed it was fine — but could that still cause problems?
AC should update the IDs of duplicates as they get made - the only objects to watch out for are inside the UI Object - not the rest of the scene.
I can't tell the cause from these details alone, but I would recommend using Unity UI Prefab mode as a matter of best practice anyway. The "In Scene" option is intended for one-off Menus that exist in a given point in 3D space, such as a computer terminal.
Try switching over to prefab mode - make the UI a prefab, switch the Source, and re-link the Canvas and elements - and we'll see how things are then.
Wow, thank you so much for the incredibly fast reply, Chris!
That makes perfect sense. Your explanation that the "In Scene" option is really intended for specific in-world objects like a computer terminal clarifies the design philosophy for me completely. I'll get right to work on converting my UI to a prefab as you've recommended; it definitely sounds like the most robust and proper way to handle it.
On a more personal note, I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude. As I've been exploring the forums to learn, I'm constantly amazed by your presence here. Seeing you respond so quickly and helpfully—often from what must be very early in your morning—to so many different people is just incredible.
It's clear you're not just supporting a product, but actively nurturing a whole community of creators. For newcomers like me, that level of dedication is not only immensely helpful but also really inspiring. It's a huge part of what makes Adventure Creator such a fantastic tool to learn and build with.
Thanks again for everything you do. I truly appreciate it!