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Unity enable/disable component script from component on same gameObject

Preamble
I am currently making a game where a player can go from third person view, walking around to transition into a vehicle.
I have thought about using a transmitter/receiver type set up, but I think my way of simplifying it isn't correct.
I am using assets from third parties for controllers that use inputs. My plan was to enable/disable the appropriate script and camera from the object I want to control. I've gotten as far as being able to disable the previous controller and enable the next, though I can't go back to enabling since the script obviously doesn't run anymore.
Question/Request
I'd like to be able to reference the pawn's input component script in a different component script on the same gameobject to then be able to enable/disable the aformentioned component, though the issue is that the input controllers have variable names (Different names depending on the third party on each pawn).
Here's how I have it set up:
I have a PlayerTransmitter that handles the basics of turning things on and off. I tried making this where all of the inputs are being handled, but I don't want to have to change the original controller scripts to look at this script. This is on an empty game object and handles the 'state' of the player, (walking or in which vehicle).
on each pawn gameobject (The walking pawn CleanerPawn and the vehicle TractorPawn), I've added a script called InputReceiver. This was originally intended to pass the inputs from the PlayerTransmitter to the actual controller on the object itself.
Right now, the walking pawn has a component called AdvancedWalkerController (You may know the one I'm talking about) that controls the player walking movement and the vehicle has a component called VehicleController which controls how the vehicle moves and handles.
CleanerPawn
TractorPawn
The two images above show that I am using the same InputReceiver component on both pawns. My plan was to pass in each pawn's input controller (temporarily named CleanerController) and then enable/disable that input controller depending on the PlayerTransmitter 'state'.
The InputReceiver currently looks like this:
public bool isEnabled;
public Component CleanerController;
public void TurnOffControls()
{
isEnabled = false;
}
public void TurnOnControls()
{
isEnabled = true;
}
In each pawn's input controller, I added a line to the Update() function:
enabled = gameObject.GetComponent<InputReceiver>().isEnabled;. Two problems with this; 1. I don't want to change any code in the input scripts (I hope this is possible) and 2. Once it's disabled, it won't read an update to enable itself again.
I was hoping I could just use the reference to the component CleanerController to say CleanerController.enabled = true; or false with that reference being just that one component, though I'm missing something here.
My final thought which I am going to try is to allow/disallow the input controls within each input script depending on my isEnabled boolean. Though again, I would have to change the original scripts to accommodate this.

What speaks against
public Behaviour CleanerController;
and then
CleanerController.enabled = false; // or true accordingly
See
Behaviour
Behaviours are Components that can be enabled or disabled.
Behaviour.enabled
Enabled Behaviours are Updated, disabled Behaviours are not.
or in other words: If a Behaviour is set to enabled = false then it's Update (and similar event methods) is not called anymore.

I would recommend you to have a Controller Script. This named "CameraController" for example and has a Method to switch between the Modes. This would also make it possible to have even more Options. For Example you could use an Enum to define which modes exist:
enum CameraMode {
Player,
Car
}
public SwitchMode(CameraMode mode) {
switch(mode) {
case CameraMode.Player:
TurnOnControls();
break;
case CameraMode.Car:
TurnOffControls();
break;
default:
throw new NotSupportedException();
}
}
You could even go further and create an Interface/Abstract which allows all of this and just has an execute method doing different stuff. In the end you just need that controller which allowes to swtich between the modes and handles the key input.

What do people mean when they talk about serialization in Unity?

I hear people talking about serializing variables among things in their unity projects and quite don't understand it. I see them using
[SerializeField]
and don't know why or what it does.

I looked up the definition of data serialization: Serialization is the process of converting the state information of an object into a form that can be stored or transmitted.
During serialization, objects write their current state to temporary or persistent storage. Later, the object can be recreated by reading or deserializing the state of the object from the store.
Objects are created as the program runs, and then reclaimed when unreachable, with a short lifespan. But what if we want to store the contents of the object permanently?
Convert it into a sequence of bytes and save it on a storage medium. Then serialization is required. [SerializeField] is to force Unity to serialize a private field. This is an internal Unity serialization function. Sometimes we need to Serialize a private or protected attribute. In this case, the [SerializeField] attribute can be used.
The above is some information I found, I hope it is correct and can bring you some help

Say, you have a field _speed and you want to set it using inspector. It means we want it to be serialized - stored somewhere in a human-readable and flexible format(e.g. xml), not directly in code. So when you edit fields in inspector, you edit the serialized data. During compilation, it's being deserialized and assigned to a field. This is how serialization/desearialization works. It is used to store non-static or just big amounts of data. In case of Unity it is used to show you everything in inspector. Transform has position and scale variables serialized and you can edit them.
In Unity there are two common ways to make fields assignable in inspector: using public fields or using [SerializedField] attribute for private ones.
Making fields public just to edit them with inspector is bad practice. If you can edit field in inspector, it means every other component can too, which is insecure. There is no good architecture that allows such things. If you want other components to edit the field, make it a property or make a set method. If you just need to assign fields by hand, don't use public fields. Avoid them.
When you use the [SerializeField] attribute, you create a private field that is accessible to this component only and you can assign it in inspector at the same time. If you need other components to read it, you can make a public property without set (public float Speed => _speed;).
This all is not an obligatory usage. Just good practice.

Any values set in the Unity inspector for any public fields or private/protected fields that use the attribute [SerializeField] are saved with the current scene file.
If you open up a Unity.scene file you will find a hierarchy of data that matches the scene hierarchy along with lists of what script or component classes are attached to that game object and what the field values of those classes/components should be.
When loading a level in Unity, the scene file is deserialized meaning that a program walks the data structure creating game objects. It then creates component and script class instances attached to those components and initializes them with the serialized data in the scene file. After that you end up with a level more or less the same as it was when saved in the unity editor.
In addition to your own Monobehaviour scripts having this ability, all the default unity components work this way. Transform uses serialized Vector3s for position, rotation and scale. MeshFilter components serialize a reference to a mesh asset and the MeshRenderer component references Materials that are used by the GPU to draw the mesh etc etc.
In short, serialisation is a process by which computers transform data so that it can be written to a file (or sent across a network via a protocol stream) and then later transformed back into the original set of objects it was to begin with (or as close as matters).

Unity Photon - How to sync player stats/info

I'm trying to create a co-operative first person multiplayer game and I think I've misunderstood how Photon and RPC is supposed to work.
I have a working first person multiplayer project where player avatars can see each other and move around as the player avatars have a photon view photon transform view.
As part of the player controller script (handles player movement only for local player), which is attached to the player avatar prefab, I have an attribute:
public PlayerCharacterInfo myCharacter;
which contains all of the player's info and stats including name, level, currentHP, maxHP, etc which is added to the player avatar's PlayerController as it the player enters the room and their avatar is instantiated.
When I join a multiplayer room, each player can only see their own stats. For example, in the editor when running the game, only the values of the local editor player avatar are shown on the Player Controller myCharacter.
I can see that the other player avatars have an instantiated myCharacter on them but no values are shown.
At this point, I figure I just need to have an RPC function like this in my player controller that just reassigns the myCharacter to itself so it can be broadcasted to all:
[PunRPC]
void RPC_AddCharacter(PlayerCharacterInfo paramCharacter)
{
myCharacter = paramCharacter;
}
in void Start():
if(PV.IsMine)
{
PV.RPC("RPC_AddCharacter", RpcTarget.All, myCharacter);
}
But this does not let me see the myCharacter values for non-local player avatars.
My goal is to first show the name of the player avatar that you're looking at via a raycast, but I cannot even get this data to sync.
Have I got the right idea here, but I'm executing it wrong?
Or is this just not how Photon works?
Do I need to instead have each player's PlayerCharacterInfo stored in the room controller for each player or something like that?

You want to use Custom Properties.
Photon's Custom Properties consist of a key-values Hashtable which you
can fill on demand. The values are synced and cached on the clients,
so you don't have to fetch them before use. Changes are pushed to the
others by SetCustomProperties().
How is this useful? Typically, rooms and players have some attributes
that are not related to a GameObject: The current map or the color of
a player's character (think: 2d jump and run). Those can be sent via
Object Synchronization or RPC, but it is often more convenient to use
Custom Properties.

Solved somewhat! I removed my RPC call that was trying to to sync my custom PlayerCharacterInfo object and instead made a call and new string 'myCharacterName' in PlayerController to hold just the player's name.
The new RPC call takes the local player's myCharacter.characterName (from PlayerCharacterInfo) and sets the myCharacterName and syncs to all.
This works and my editor player can see the myCharacterName of other players! However I was no closer to syncing my entire myCharacter class.
Now that I had the right idea about how this works, I was able to research a bit more and found that Photon can't sync custom classes normally, but you could serialize your class to be able to send it:
https://doc.photonengine.com/en-us/realtime/current/reference/serialization-in-photon
However reading this made me realize that I probably don't need to sync my entire player data (it contains not only health and status, but inventory, equipment, quest, etc info) and that I'm probably better off just syncing separate data types in separate calls.
This thread helped too:
https://forum.photonengine.com/discussion/880/custom-class-object-sent-over-rpc

TrailRenderer.colorGradient "Print current specs in order to replicate in code"

After reading the API info here:
https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/TrailRenderer-colorGradient.html
I am wondering if I can "tune in" my trail renderer in the normal unity interface, print those complicated code parameters, then use that code in my script to change color on triggers, etc.
To clarify, how do I get the information here presented in code:
[]
I guess I am approaching this from a CSS background. Is there a Unity colorgradient version of this website:
https://www.colorzilla.com/gradient-editor/
Can I make the script print the characteristics of the trail renderer (for the purpose of replicating it elsewhere in my code)?
1
Much appreciate the help!

I'm still not 100% sure if I understood the question but I'll give it a shot.
As I understand you want to have a component on every trigger object where you can define different gradient settings for each.
And I assume by Unity interface you mean the Inspector.
So something like e.g.
public class GradientSetter : MonoBehaviour
{
public GradientColorKey[] colorKeys;
public GradientAlphaKey[] alphaKeys;
}
Put this on the trigger object(s) and adjust the settings via the Inspector. At beginning they should be empty arrays so to add elements just enter the wanted element count in the size property of both arrays.
And wherever you have the Collision implemented on your TrailRenderer object
void OnTriggerEnter(Collider other)
{
var gradientSetter = other.GetComponent<GradientSetter>();
if(!gradientSetter) return;
gradient.SetKeys(gradientSetter.colorKeys, gradientSetter.alphaKeys);
...
}
I'm assuming GradientColorKey and GradientAlphaKey are Serializable. If you implement this but they don't show up in the Inspector let me know, then you'll have to make a wrapper class for them. (I can't test it right now)
Note: Typed on smartphone so no warranty but I hope the idea gets clear

Unity Stitching meshes together

I've been thinking on this for a few days and have tried a few different things and have googled quite a bit. Iv specifically looked at this thread alot
http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/stitch-multiple-body-parts-into-one-character.16485/
But im confused, and not sure if this 100% what i wanted.
Im just trying to add a new mesh to an already existing gameobject with its own mesh. That runs off the same bone structure or animator, the object being added has the required bones of the position its being pasted at.
https://gyazo.com/19778b3c73ef9a749c8cc338f7e49d79
Thats the object im trying to add onto my player. I tried taking the mesh directly off of it and then linking it to the same bone structure as the player being animated
When the object is created and imported with fuse/mixamo it adds the object as separate mesh objects on a parent player
https://gyazo.com/55ce7442dc186756da4ff149ac3543e5
So if i was to disable the armor mesh id be left with this
https://gyazo.com/09ffd7c7721f46e6980f895a1a873749
But i tried importing my character without the armor on it. Then i opened the character with the player and armor in blender and deleted the player and left the bone structure and the armor and then saved that as a separate fbx and imported that into unity and am pasting the new armor fbx on the original player in an attempt for it too animate the same was it originally was from the mixmo object. But it doesnt, cant even get it to import in Tpose. And when i configure it myself it wont save the configuration and just keeps going back to where it was.
I suppose i should.... only have the bones required on the armor. Then do some type of game logic to figure out what bones are the same name on the armor object as is being added to the player and replacing the player bones with the bone of the armor? But i feel like if i wanted to do it this way, then i need the player split into pieces so that it knows what parts to replace of the player. Or is there a way i can keep the player together and just make the armor follow the bones of the player, i guess would be the easiest thing to do
Im pretty sure the link i posted is pretty much waht i want. I guess i just dont understand it fully and wanted someone to help me better understand it

Ok so, this post is not going to be explaining how the code works but how to get the code TOOOOO work. Masterprompt explains the code well enough here. If you want to understand how the code works follow that link.
Anyways, onto what to do to go about merging 2 objects together to make one object that runs off the animation of the base object.
Example uses could be
Creating a person limb from limb.
Add armor too a base player
The meat and bones of how i get this too work without having a graphic artist to create my assets for me is using fuse and mixamo. I highly suggest these programs. You can still easily get this too work without those programs, but i will be explaining how to do it as if you are using it.
Ok so, download Adobe fuse and create your base player. (preferably naked)
Now save that player as whatever you would like (I used Main_Player_Naked)
Upload this player to mixamo for auto rigging, after downloading the model from mixamo import him into unity. (At this point im assuming you know how to set the model up as a humanoid in unity)
Now that your player is created and imported into unity go ahead and animate him or do whatever you want with him. Whatever you do to him will work fine with the new armor/hair/beard whatever you are adding to your player.
Ok, now time to create the armor we are going to add. Go ahead and reopen your naked player in fuse and recreate him with the new asset you want him to have (Dont change any body shape sizes, just add the new object). (Don't worry we're not switching the whole model out, this is just so we don't have to rig the new asset by ourselves) Now that you have the new asset looking nice, go ahead and follow the first steps of creating the naked played. So save your newly created character and import to mixamo for auto-rigging. Now download and import the new player into unity. Delete all the objects off the player except the new asset (Which is on a separate mesh that the naked player that's under the object)
Now we are going to use the code from Masterprompts post
I've rewritten it, so here's my new code
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
public class CreatePlayer : MonoBehaviour
{
public GameObject objPlayer;
public GameObject objLimb;
public GameObject objAdded;
// Use this for initialization
void Start()
{
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update()
{
if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.H))
AddLimb(objLimb, objPlayer);
if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.J))
Destroy(objAdded);
}
//
void AddLimb(GameObject BonedObj, GameObject RootObj)
{
var BonedObjects = BonedObj.gameObject.GetComponentsInChildren<SkinnedMeshRenderer>();
foreach (SkinnedMeshRenderer SkinnedRenderer in BonedObjects)
{
ProcessBonedObject(SkinnedRenderer, RootObj);
}
}
private void ProcessBonedObject(SkinnedMeshRenderer ThisRenderer, GameObject RootObj)
{
/* Create the SubObject */
var NewObj = new GameObject(ThisRenderer.gameObject.name);
NewObj.transform.parent = RootObj.transform;
/* Add the renderer */
NewObj.AddComponent<SkinnedMeshRenderer>();
var NewRenderer = NewObj.GetComponent<SkinnedMeshRenderer>();
/* Assemble Bone Structure */
var MyBones = new Transform[ThisRenderer.bones.Length];
for (var i = 0; i < ThisRenderer.bones.Length; i++)
MyBones[i] = FindChildByName(ThisRenderer.bones[i].name, RootObj.transform);
/* Assemble Renderer */
NewRenderer.bones = MyBones;
NewRenderer.sharedMesh = ThisRenderer.sharedMesh;
NewRenderer.materials = ThisRenderer.materials;
objAdded = NewObj;
}
private Transform FindChildByName(string ThisName,Transform ThisGObj)
{
Transform ReturnObj;
if( ThisGObj.name==ThisName )
return ThisGObj.transform;
foreach (Transform child in ThisGObj)
{
ReturnObj = FindChildByName( ThisName, child );
if( ReturnObj )
return ReturnObj;
}
return null;
}
}
This was very quickly thrown together. I suggest making it nicer.
But just add the naked player too objPlayer and the asset to add to objLimb.
Run your game and pushing 'H' creates the asset and 'J' deletes it.