Text and TextMeshPro in Unity - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

What is the output of this TextMeshPro code?

Consider this Unity C# script snippet using TextMeshPro. What text will appear on the screen?

Unity

using TMPro;
using UnityEngine;

public class TMPExample : MonoBehaviour {
    public TMP_Text tmpText;

    void Start() {
        tmpText.text = "Score: " + (10 + 5);
    }
}

A Score: 15

B Score: 10 5

C Score: 105

D Score: 10+5

💡 Hint

Remember how string concatenation works with numbers in C#.

The expression "Score: " + 10 + 5 concatenates from left to right. "Score: " + 10 becomes "Score: 10" (string), then + 5 becomes "Score: 105" (string).

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Which component is best for dynamic styled text in Unity?

You want to display text that changes often and supports rich styling like bold, italic, and color. Which Unity component should you use?

A UnityEngine.UI.Text

B TextMeshProUGUI

C RawImage

D CanvasRenderer

💡 Hint

Think about which component supports advanced text features and performance.

TextMeshProUGUI supports rich text styling, dynamic updates, and better quality rendering than the basic UI Text component.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does this TextMeshPro text not update?

Look at this code snippet. The text does not change on screen after calling UpdateScore. What is the problem?

Unity

using TMPro;
using UnityEngine;

public class ScoreDisplay : MonoBehaviour {
    public TMP_Text scoreText;
    private int score = 0;

    void Start() {
        UpdateScore();
    }

    public void AddPoints(int points) {
        score += points;
        UpdateScore();
    }

    void UpdateScore() {
        TMP_Text scoreText = GetComponent<TMP_Text>();
        scoreText.text = "Score: " + score;
    }
}

A The AddPoints method is never called, so UpdateScore is never triggered.

B The score variable is never updated, so the text stays at zero.

C The TMP_Text component is missing from the GameObject, causing a null reference.

D The UpdateScore method creates a new local scoreText hiding the public one, so the displayed text never changes.

💡 Hint

Check variable shadowing inside UpdateScore.

Inside UpdateScore, the line 'TMP_Text scoreText = GetComponent();' declares a new local variable that hides the public field. The public scoreText is never updated, so the visible text does not change.

📝 Syntax

advanced

Which code snippet correctly changes TextMeshPro text color?

Choose the code that correctly sets the color of a TextMeshProUGUI text component to red.

A tmpText.textColor = Color.red;

B tmpText.SetColor(Color.red);

C tmpText.color = Color.red;

D tmpText.SetTextColor(Color.red);

💡 Hint

Check the official property name for color in TextMeshProUGUI.

The correct property to change text color is 'color'. Methods like SetColor or properties like textColor do not exist in TextMeshProUGUI.

🚀 Application

expert

How many characters will be displayed after this TextMeshPro update?

Given this code, how many visible characters will the TextMeshProUGUI component display?

Unity

using TMPro;
using UnityEngine;

public class TextCount : MonoBehaviour {
    public TMP_Text tmpText;

    void Start() {
        tmpText.text = "Hello <color=red>World</color>!";
    }
}

A 12

B 11

C 10

D 13

💡 Hint

Count only visible characters, ignoring tags.

The string "Hello World!" has visible characters: H e l l o [space] (6) + W o r l d (5) + ! (1) = 12 characters.

Practice

1. Which component in Unity provides sharper and more customizable text rendering compared to the basic Text component?

easy

A. Sprite Renderer

B. Canvas Renderer

C. TextMeshPro

D. Audio Source

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Unity text components

   Unity has a basic Text component and a more advanced TextMeshPro component for displaying text.

2. Step 2: Identify which is sharper and customizable

   TextMeshPro is designed to provide sharper, clearer text with more customization options than the basic Text component.

3. Final Answer:

   TextMeshPro -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Sharper text = TextMeshPro [OK]

Hint: TextMeshPro is the advanced text component in Unity [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Canvas Renderer with text rendering
• Thinking Sprite Renderer handles text
• Choosing Audio Source which is unrelated

2. Which of the following is the correct way to change the displayed text of a TextMeshPro component in a Unity C# script?

easy

A. myText.display = "Hello World!";

B. myText.SetText = "Hello World!";

C. myText.content = "Hello World!";

D. myText.text = "Hello World!";

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall TextMeshPro text property usage

   TextMeshPro components have a public property called 'text' to set the displayed string.

2. Step 2: Identify correct syntax

   Assigning a string directly to 'text' like myText.text = "Hello World!"; is correct and common.

3. Final Answer:

   myText.text = "Hello World!"; -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Set text with .text property [OK]

Hint: Use .text property to set displayed text [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using SetText() which exists but is a method, not property assignment
• Using non-existent properties like content or display
• Missing quotes around string

3. What will be the output on screen after running this Unity C# code snippet if myText is a TextMeshProUGUI component?

myText.text = "Score: " + 10 + 5;

medium

A. Score: 15

B. Score: 105

C. Score: 10 5

D. Score: 10+5

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand string concatenation in C#

   When using + with a string and numbers, numbers are converted to strings and concatenated left to right.

2. Step 2: Evaluate expression "Score: " + 10 + 5

   "Score: " + 10 becomes "Score: 10", then + 5 becomes "Score: 105" as 5 is appended as string.

3. Final Answer:

   Score: 105 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   String + numbers concatenates left to right [OK]

Hint: String + numbers concatenate as strings left to right [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming 10 + 5 adds first before string concatenation
• Expecting spaces between numbers automatically
• Thinking + signs appear in output

4. You wrote this code to update a TextMeshProUGUI text but it doesn't change on screen:

public TextMeshProUGUI myText;

void Start() {
    myText.text = "Game Over";
}

What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. The myText variable is not assigned in the Inspector

B. TextMeshProUGUI does not have a text property

C. You must call Refresh() after setting text

D. The text must be set in Update(), not Start()

Solution

1. Step 1: Check common setup mistakes

   If myText is not assigned in the Inspector, the script has a null reference and text won't update.

2. Step 2: Verify other options

   TextMeshProUGUI has a text property; no Refresh() needed; setting text in Start() works fine.

3. Final Answer:

   The myText variable is not assigned in the Inspector -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Assign UI references in Inspector [OK]

Hint: Always assign UI variables in Inspector before running [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming text property doesn't exist
• Thinking Refresh() is required
• Believing Start() is too early to set text

5. You want to display a player's health as text using TextMeshProUGUI and update it every frame. Which code snippet correctly updates the text to show "Health: " followed by the current health integer stored in playerHealth?

hard

A. All of the above

B. void Update() { myText.text = "Health: " + playerHealth.ToString(); }

C. void Update() { myText.text = string.Format("Health: {0}", playerHealth); }

D. void Update() { myText.text = $"Health: {playerHealth}"; }

Solution

1. Step 1: Review ways to convert int to string in C#

   playerHealth is an int; to display it, convert to string or use string interpolation or formatting.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   B uses + and ToString(), C uses string.Format(), D uses string interpolation with $"..."; all work.

3. Step 3: Confirm all are correct

   All three methods correctly update the text with the health value.

4. Final Answer:

   All of the above -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Multiple string methods work for text update [OK]

Hint: Use any string conversion method to update text [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to convert int to string
• Using incorrect string syntax
• Updating text outside Update() when dynamic