Register and Select

Asset References is built around quick registration and a compact, type-filtered selector.

Inspector add button

Select a project asset and click Add Asset Reference in the Inspector header. The popup lets you confirm the generated ID and optional metadata before the entry is written.

Project context menus

Use these Project-window menu paths:

Asset References > Add Reference
Asset References > Bulk Generate References

Single-asset creation opens the naming popup. Bulk generation opens a preview and does not write entries until the operation is confirmed.

Selector dropdown

Supported Game Creator properties expose an Asset References/Asset Reference source. The selector filters by expected type, so an AudioClip property lists AudioClip entries rather than every registered asset.

Search and tag filters live in the popup while the normal inspector field remains compact.

Manual ID

Use Manual ID when a field should resolve a literal Reference ID or a dynamic Game Creator string property. This supports script-driven or variable-driven workflows where the database entry cannot be chosen statically.

Database-selected IDs remain string-backed so namespace-like IDs and slash segments are preserved. Dynamic Manual ID values are valid runtime inputs, but usage scanning cannot treat their resolved value as a statically renameable database ID.

Asset Reference variables

For a selector whose ID changes at runtime:

1. Create a Local Name Variables component or Global Name Variables asset.
2. Add an Asset Reference variable.
3. Select its initial Reference ID.
4. Update it with Set Local Asset Reference or Set Global Asset Reference.
5. Choose the variable-backed Asset Reference source where the asset is needed.

The variable stores an ID, not a loaded Unity object. See Properties and Variables for the integration boundary.