{"record":{"id":"1c7c1a5358b2e296","repo":"Unity-Technologies/UnityCsReference","slug":"lightmapping-lightingsettings-is-null-please-assi","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"Lightmapping.lightingSettings is null. Please assign it to an existing asset or a new instance. ","messagePattern":"Lightmapping\\.lightingSettings is null\\. Please assign it to an existing asset or a new instance\\. ","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"Exception","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"Editor/Mono/GI/Lightmapping.bindings.cs","lineNumber":539,"sourceCode":"        [StaticAccessor(\"GetLightmapSettings().GetReadOnlySharedData()\")]\n        public static extern bool HasDynamicGILightmapTextures();\n\n        public static bool TryGetLightingSettings(out LightingSettings settings)\n        {\n            settings = lightingSettingsInternal;\n\n            return (settings != null);\n        }\n\n        public static LightingSettings lightingSettings\n        {\n            get\n            {\n                var settings = lightingSettingsInternal;\n\n                if (settings == null)\n                {\n                    throw new Exception(\"Lightmapping.lightingSettings is null. Please assign it to an existing asset or a new instance. \");\n                }\n\n                return settings;\n            }\n            set\n            {\n                lightingSettingsInternal = value;\n            }\n        }\n\n        [StaticAccessor(\"GetLightmapSettings()\")]\n        [NativeName(\"LightingSettings\")]\n        internal static extern LightingSettings lightingSettingsInternal { get; set; }\n\n        [StaticAccessor(\"GetLightmapSettings()\")]\n        [NativeName(\"LightingSettingsDefaults_Scripting\")]\n        public static extern LightingSettings lightingSettingsDefaults { get; }\n","sourceCodeStart":521,"sourceCodeEnd":557,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/UnityCsReference/blob/225b0fbdb57cc17d094e8056b71f8314aba56f73/Editor/Mono/GI/Lightmapping.bindings.cs#L521-L557","documentation":"Lightmapping.lightingSettings getter throws a plain System.Exception when the backing LightingSettings asset is null. Rather than returning null, Unity forces callers to assign a LightingSettings instance (a new one or an existing asset) before reading the active settings. A non-throwing TryGetLightingSettings(out var) overload exists for code paths that may run before settings exist.","triggerScenarios":"Reading Lightmapping.lightingSettings in a fresh scene/project with no lighting settings asset; after the LightingSettings asset was deleted or cleared; in batchmode/headless bake automation that never assigned one.","commonSituations":"New scene before any lighting settings were generated; deleted the LightingSettings asset from disk; CI bake script that jumps straight to reading settings.","solutions":["Assign settings first: Lightmapping.lightingSettings = new LightingSettings(); (or an existing asset).","Use the non-throwing overload: if (Lightmapping.TryGetLightingSettings(out var s)) { ... } else { s = new LightingSettings(); Lightmapping.lightingSettings = s; }","Ensure the scene's referenced LightingSettings asset is not deleted/null."],"exampleFix":"// before\nvar s = Lightmapping.lightingSettings;\n// after\nif (!Lightmapping.TryGetLightingSettings(out var s))\n{\n    s = new LightingSettings();\n    Lightmapping.lightingSettings = s;\n}","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"LightingSettings s;\nif (Lightmapping.TryGetLightingSettings(out s))\n{\n    // use s\n}\nelse\n{\n    s = new LightingSettings();\n    Lightmapping.lightingSettings = s;\n}","typeGuard":null,"tryCatchPattern":"try { var s = Lightmapping.lightingSettings; }\ncatch (System.Exception) { Lightmapping.lightingSettings = new LightingSettings(); }","preventionTips":["Prefer TryGetLightingSettings over the throwing getter in code that may run before settings exist.","Always assign a LightingSettings in bake automation/CI before reading it.","Do not delete the LightingSettings asset a scene references."],"tags":["lightmapping","gi","lighting-settings","null-reference","unity"],"backgroundTag":null,"analyzedSha":"225b0fbdb57cc17d094e8056b71f8314aba56f73","analyzedAt":"2026-08-13T19:07:19.849Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-08-13T19:17:28.613Z"}