How to properly load and unload UIAtlases?

[Fordeka]

When I try to Resources.UnloadAsset on a UIAtlas loaded with Resources.Load I get the error, "UnloadAsset may only be used on individual assets and can not be used on GameObject's / Components or AssetBundles". If I call it on the UIAtlas's Texture it frees the memory but breaks the atlas and loading the Texture back manually doesn't work (this method does not work with the material either). Is there a method for loading/unloading UIAtlases that you know of that works?

Thanks.

[ArenMook]

Call it on the atlases game object, not the atlas itself.

[Fordeka]

Hmm, when I try:

1. GameObject asset = Resources.Load("Atlases/MyAtlas", typeof(GameObject)) as GameObject;
2. Resources.UnloadAsset(asset);

I still get, "UnloadAsset may only be used on individual assets and can not be used on GameObject's / Components or AssetBundles".

[Nicki]

Another way to do it is

Destroy(asset);
Resources.UnloadUnusedAssets();

Although that's a bit heavier to run, so don't do it mid-game, where your reactions are needed - do it in the menu at a transition or something like that.

[Fordeka]

When I do that, it destroys the actual UIAtlas prefab (or the UIAtlas component itself if you target that with the destroy) from the project completely. If you meant Destroy the UISprites that use the atlas I want unloaded from memory, I already tried that and then called Resources.UnloadUnusedAssets but it did not result in a release of memory.

The only way I have successfully been able to release memory used by atlases is change the scene or unload the textures used by the atlases, but that makes them unusable until I restart the game.

[ArenMook]

If simply calling Resources.UnloadUnusedAssets() doesn't release memory for you, then your atlas and its texture is still being used somewhere. I can't really suggest much beyond that.

[hvilela]

Have you found a solution to this problem? I have the same issue, how to unload an atlas loaded by "Resources.Load"?

[nah0y]

I think it's working for me like that :

atlasMaterial is a reference to the material of my atlas.

To unload :

1. Resources.UnloadAsset(atlasMaterial.mainTexture);
2. atlasMaterial.mainTexture = null;

To load :

1. atlasMaterial.mainTexture = (Texture2D)Resources.Load(path, typeof(Texture2D));