# Reference not working

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874>\
**Category:** Editor Scripting\
**Tags:** reference, beginner, object-reference, unreal-engine, fix, question\
**Created:** [July 31, 2021, 12:24pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874 "2021-07-31T12:24:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![angelens](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/angelens/32/88715_2.png) [@angelens](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/angelens)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 12:24pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874/1 "2021-07-31T12:24:25Z")

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Hi everyone, beginner stuck on a sticky problem. I’ve purchased a HUD pack which I’m connecting with my quest system.

I had a location trigger for the quest but when I try adding new elements to it or use the new HUD location trigger I get a false object reference.

When debugging with strings etc I see it sets the object ref correctly but when it gets called from the finish step function, all of a sudden the ref is empty. When the location is triggered the finish step is triggered and there is no other place where the ref is set but at begin play. (ref set at begin step of a trigger parent and the parent function called in child at component overlap).

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

1: Begin play on parent class of trigger location  
2: Printed text from begin play quest ref  
3: Location of problem and object ref that isn’t loaded in properly

 ![345325-1.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/7/e/d/7edab2159d0b084ecb42b2b557aa73ab7c6c40d9.png)

![345326-2.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/7/e/8/7e861206e1458fe0d517f9c303aba2df884f0644.png)

 ![3.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/1/a/b/1ab152e61bf10558b40d8a691c18b97e73911dbc.png)

][3]

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angelens](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/angelens/32/88715_2.png) [@angelens](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/angelens)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 12:25pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874/2 "2021-07-31T12:25:43Z")

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This is how the finish step is triggered in the child location trigger

 ![345329-4.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/f/f/8/ff853d9afe85290b530acd1f49753edc581a4516.png)

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**Author:** ![ClockworkOcean](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/clockworkocean/32/1169999_2.png) [@ClockworkOcean](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/ClockworkOcean)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874/3 "2021-07-31T17:16:33Z")

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When you say child, what do you mean exactly?

If it’s a child component, or an actual child blueprint, you still need to use the ref plugged into ‘finish step’. Eh?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angelens](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/angelens/32/88715_2.png) [@angelens](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/angelens)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874/4 "2021-08-01T14:25:48Z")

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With child I mean a child blueprint. I need the ref to check some of the data inside of it.

In the image you can see how I use the ref in the finish step function.

 ![345401-1.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/c/3/c/c3c6fc0fc4de37030b20eb688a828084c8798750.png)

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**Author:** ![Koudouk](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Koudouk](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Koudouk)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874/5 "2021-08-01T16:11:24Z")

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Instead of storing a ref at beginplay, you can use “Other Actor” from “OnComponentBeginOverlap” (cast this to TopDownCharacter and get your QuestComponent). Then pass the QuestComponent in FinishStep with a function input.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![angelens](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/angelens/32/88715_2.png) [@angelens](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/angelens)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/reference-not-working/486874/6 "2021-08-02T16:09:44Z")

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Works like a charm, thanks!