Breaking a prefab connection

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Is there a way to break a prefab connection through the editor? If I delete the prefab, the instance of it turns red and seems to want the underlying prefab restored. As it is, the only option seems to be to first delete one of the instance's components (or add one), which causes the editor to warn you that you're losing the connection. Then it's safe to delete the prefab.

Is there a more straightforward way to do this?

Answer 1

Best Answer

Answer by SGage · Mar 01, 2012 at 09:31 PM

Are you looking for "GameObject>Break Prefab Instance" in the menu?

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62316e · Jul 30, 2015 at 09:54 AM 6

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Does not work as expected in 5.1. After breaking prefab connection you still can Apply changes to original.

Robotic_Soul 62316e · Mar 25, 2018 at 09:11 AM 0

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Still this way in 2017.3.1f1 :(

bobmoff · Aug 25, 2015 at 02:59 PM 3

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Ye, these feature would be greate if it acctually would break it. But the it doesnt. The connection is still there and the apply button is available.

Trisibo · Jul 23, 2016 at 10:10 PM 5

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If you want to completely break the prefab connection (so the prefab buttons are gone), create a new prefab with the object, delete that prefab, and then use the "GameObject -> Break Prefab Instance".

aaronfranke · Jun 21, 2019 at 09:29 PM 5

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Note: For Unity 2019, you need to use the "Unpack Prefab" option ins$$anonymous$$d.

zurekk · May 14, 2020 at 04:26 PM 2

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For Unity 2020, right click the game object and select "Prefab -> Unpack"

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Answer 2

Answer by ricardo_arango · Mar 09, 2012 at 12:23 AM

You can use the PrefabUtility.DisconnectPrefabInstance function to do that:

http://unity3d.com/support/documentation/ScriptReference/PrefabUtility.DisconnectPrefabInstance.html

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Answer 3

Answer by andeeee · Feb 09, 2010 at 05:03 PM

EDIT This answer is obsolete as of Unity 3.5, see accepted answer.

It's not a direct command, but if you modify the object derived from the prefab, you will be asked if you want to break the connection. You could make a small, reversible change, agree to break the prefab connection and then reverse the change. Then, if you delete the prefab, the object is no longer strictly an instance.

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Ehren · Feb 09, 2010 at 06:09 PM 0

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Thanks, andeeee. I was aware of this option, but was wondering if there were another that was more straightforward. Sounds like this is it.

yoyo · Jan 27, 2011 at 07:07 PM 0

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You could create an editor script for a menu item that adds a component to the instance and then removes it again. This ought to break the prefab connection (haven't tested ...).

rafefx · May 02, 2011 at 06:00 AM 0

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You should be able to make an empty game object a child to break the prefab and then delete it.

caroparo · May 15, 2011 at 07:52 AM 0

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If the GameObject is already in PrefabType.$$anonymous$$issingPrefabInstance state, i.e. text reddened in the Hierarchy view, the only thing one can do to fix it (whiten it again) seems to be: 1. Create a new empty prefab, and replace it with the GameObject. 2. $$anonymous$$odify the GameObject to disconnect it from the linked prefab. 3. $$anonymous$$odify the GameObject back to how it was. 4. Delete the prefab created in step 1.

These can be done in an editor script, but it's just quite wrong isn't it?

Answer 4

Answer by Rod-Green · Oct 26, 2011 at 09:10 PM

This works - I've tried it. However be warned that it will active gameObjects and their children. So what I did was store the list of active values for the whole hierarchy and then reapply the active values on the clone

 string name = prefabedGO.name;
 Transform parent = prefabedGO.transform.parent;
 prefabedGO.transform.parent = null; // unparent the GO so that world transforms are preserved
 GameObject unprefabedGO = (GameObject)Object.Instantiate(prefabedGO); // clears prefab link
 unprefabedGO.name = prefabedGO.name;
 unprefabedGO.active = prefabedGO.active;
 DestroyImmediate(prefabedGO); // or this could just hide the old one .active = false;
 unprefabedGO.transform.parent = parent;

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Answer 5

Hrmmm. This is still a troublesome thing. Here's my ping to the question and a hopefully a clarification of the pain this brings. And perhaps a start on how to fix it. Imagine this... I made some an awesome prefab (pappy) that has lots of handy and complicated children (kiddos). I then copy a kiddo and paste it as a child to my new collection (newHotness). Now I am secretly screwed (trouble to silently appear later).

So I have:

 pappy   (a prefab)
   kiddo1
   kiddo2
   koddo3

and

 newHotness
   kiddo2
   newKid

I create a prefab out of newHotness (cause I'm like that).

Later I'm working on newHotness and I notice that I need to Apply my edits to the newHotness prefab. Sadly, I had kiddo2 selected and it applies my edits to kiddo2 back to the pappy prefab!

Whaaaaaat?!@#?!@?

I finally figure out that the prefab connection (like a sort of plague-like infection) has come along for the ride. kiddo2 never forgets who pappy was. Let's call it the "eternal inappropriate connection." What I desire more than root beer itself is a script that will let me remove the "eternal inappropriate connection" so that kiddo2 can go live his own new life as a member of the newHotness prefab. Anyone know some magic? Ultimately we need a new button next to Select, Revet, Apply, called "Unlink." For now, we make a specialized script:

 [MenuItem("GameObject/Unlink Prefab")]
 static void UnlinkPrefab() 
 {
     foreach( GameObject g in Selection.gameObjects )
     {
         UmmmmmmLikeBreakThatPrefabLinkSomehow( g );
     }
 }

Anybody have a guess for what UmmmmmmLikeBreakThatPrefabLinkSomehow() should be? -Ken =]

Breaking a prefab connection

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