Question

In this question I would like to find out if and how this is possible. This technique would seem extremely bad practice but it seems that the API (UnityEditor) that I am using, is doing something like this and I am just curious.

If there are multiple references to the same object, is it possible to instantiate a new object into the same memory slot so that all previous references point to the new object?

I figured out that the only feasible way to do so is by using unmanaged C++. Essentially the following is happening:

// Original prefab
GameObject prefab = x;
prefab.tag = "Untagged";

// A copy of the original prefab
GameObject prefabCopy = PrefabUtility.InstantiatePrefab(prefab) as GameObject;
prefabCopy.tag = "EditorOnly";  // Change from initial value "Untagged"

Debug.Log(prefab.tag);     // "Untagged"   - expected
Debug.Log(prefabCopy.tag); // "EditorOnly" - expected

// Replace contents of prefab file with `prefabCopy`
PrefabUtility.ReplacePrefab(prefabCopy, prefab);

// Destroy the copy
DestroyImmediate(prefabCopy);

Debug.Log(prefab.tag);     // "EditorOnly"   - whoa?

Some how prefab is now pointing to a different object?

Note: Bear in mind that Unity is built on top of the Mono flavour of .NET

Answer 1

Since an object state is defined by field values, you can copy memory, containing field values, from one object to another, effectively “replacing” it:

public static void Replace<T>(T x, T y)
    where T : class
{
    // replaces 'x' with 'y'
    if(x == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("x");
    if(y == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("y");

    var size = Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(T));
    var ptr = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(size);
    Marshal.StructureToPtr(y, ptr, false);
    Marshal.PtrToStructure(ptr, x);
    Marshal.FreeHGlobal(ptr);
}

Note that this code requires [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)] (or LayoutKind.Explicit) attribute defined for a class.