Legacy Documentation: Version 5.2
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Physics.Raycast

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public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);

Parameters

origin The starting point of the ray in world coordinates.
direction The direction of the ray.
maxDistance The max distance the rayhit is allowed to be from the start of the ray.
layerMask A Layer mask that is used to selectively ignore colliders when casting a ray.
queryTriggerInteraction Specifies whether this query should hit Triggers.

Returns

bool True when the ray intersects any collider, otherwise false.

Description

Casts a ray against all colliders in the scene.

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour { void Update() { Vector3 fwd = transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward); if (Physics.Raycast(transform.position, fwd, 10)) { print("There is something in front of the object!"); } } }

Notes: Raycasts will not detect colliders for which the raycast origin is inside the collider.
If you move colliders from scripting or by animation, there needs to be at least one FixedUpdate executed so that the physics library can update its data structures, before a Raycast will hit the collider at its new position.


public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Vector3 origin, Vector3 direction, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);

Parameters

origin The starting point of the ray in world coordinates.
direction The direction of the ray.
hitInfo If true is returned, hitInfo will contain more information about where the collider was hit (See Also: RaycastHit).
maxDistance The max distance the rayhit is allowed to be from the start of the ray.
layerMask A Layer mask that is used to selectively ignore colliders when casting a ray.
queryTriggerInteraction Specifies whether this query should hit Triggers.

Returns

bool True when the ray intersects any collider, otherwise false.

Description

Casts a ray against all colliders in the scene and returns detailed information on what was hit.

RaycastHit hit;
float distanceToGround = 0;

if (Physics.Raycast(transform.position, -Vector3.up, out hit)) { distanceToGround = hit.distance; }

Another example:

RaycastHit hit;
float distanceToGround = 0;

if (Physics.Raycast(transform.position, -Vector3.up, out hit, 100.0F)) { distanceToGround = hit.distance; }

public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);

Parameters

ray The starting point and direction of the ray.
maxDistance The max distance the rayhit is allowed to be from the start of the ray.
layerMask A Layer mask that is used to selectively ignore colliders when casting a ray.
queryTriggerInteraction Specifies whether this query should hit Triggers.

Returns

bool True when the ray intersects any collider, otherwise false.

Description

Same as above using ray.origin and ray.direction instead of origin and direction.

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour { void Update() { Ray ray = Camera.main.ScreenPointToRay(Input.mousePosition); if (Physics.Raycast(ray, 100)) { print("Hit something"); } } }

public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);
public static bool Raycast(Ray ray, out RaycastHit hitInfo, float maxDistance = Mathf.Infinity, int layerMask = DefaultRaycastLayers, QueryTriggerInteraction queryTriggerInteraction = QueryTriggerInteraction.UseGlobal);

Parameters

ray The starting point and direction of the ray.
hitInfo If true is returned, hitInfo will contain more information about where the collider was hit (See Also: RaycastHit).
maxDistance The max distance the rayhit is allowed to be from the start of the ray.
layerMask A Layer mask that is used to selectively ignore colliders when casting a ray.
queryTriggerInteraction Specifies whether this query should hit Triggers.

Returns

bool True when the ray intersects any collider, otherwise false.

Description

Same as above using ray.origin and ray.direction instead of origin and direction.

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour { void Update() { Ray ray = Camera.main.ScreenPointToRay(Input.mousePosition); RaycastHit hit; if (Physics.Raycast(ray, out hit, 100)) { Debug.DrawLine(ray.origin, hit.point); } } }