How to Safely Call Unity API Functions from Another Thread?

Safely Accessing Unity's API from Non-Main Threads

Unity's API is not thread-safe; directly calling its functions from a background thread will result in errors. This article presents a robust solution for safely invoking Unity API functions from other threads.

Why Traditional Methods Fail:

Simple approaches like using boolean flags for main thread notification are inherently unsafe and lack the precision to target specific functions. Coroutines, while useful for many tasks, are unsuitable for operations like socket management, often leading to application freezes.

A Thread-Safe Solution:

This solution utilizes a thread-safe queue to manage actions intended for the main thread. This ensures controlled and safe execution of Unity API calls.

Implementation (UnityThread Class):

A UnityThread class manages the queuing and execution of actions on the main thread. A static instance ensures easy access throughout the application.

Invoking from Background Threads:

The UnityThread class provides methods for executing actions within different Unity update cycles:

• UnityThread.ExecuteInUpdate(Action action)
• UnityThread.ExecuteInLateUpdate(Action action)
• UnityThread.ExecuteInFixedUpdate(Action action)
• UnityThread.ExecuteCoroutine(IEnumerator action)

Usage Example:

1. Initialize the UnityThread: UnityThread.Initialize();
2. Invoke a function on the main thread: UnityThread.ExecuteInUpdate(() => { /* Your Unity API call here */ });
3. Optionally disable LateUpdate and FixedUpdate execution if not needed.

Advantages:

• Thread Safety: Guarantees safe execution of Unity API calls.
• Targeted Function Calls: Allows precise control over which function is invoked from a background thread.
• Performance Optimization: Avoids unnecessary overhead by allowing selective disabling of LateUpdate and FixedUpdate execution.

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