Can't get the children of backpack

[Pismyren (Pismyre)]

I have the line print(target.Backpack:GetChildren()) in a line in my script, but it just prints an empty table, why is that?

The target variable is a player

[napastnikiek1 (napastnikiek)]

Do you have the items in the backpack right away, or do you add them during testing?

sorry for my english I use a translator

[aabols2010 (GoIden)]

Could it be cause you have equipped the tool. Then it goes from backpack to the players character.

if its unequipped then it should work. Or as @napastnikiek1 said you might have no tools at all.

[Nortaak (x0ff)]

Hello! Here are some ways to fix it:

1. Check if the target inventory is not empty.
2. When you equip the tool it goes to target character.
3. The empty table is showing because there’s probably no tools in target backpack.
   TIP: if you want to remove the table and print all tools on new line then use for loop.

for _,tool in pairs(target.Backpack:GetChildren()) do
    print(tool.Name) -- tool is just target tool, _ is index
end

[Pismyren (Pismyre)]

I kinda forgot about this post, but yes I am sure that there’s something in the backpack, and I haven’t equipped the tools

[JohhnyLegoKing]

The solution to your problem depends on whether the script is a LocalScript or a server Script. If it’s a LocalScript then the issue is that the loop is running before all the contents of the Backpack have finished loading, and since the time it takes is unpredictable since it depends on how fast the player’s device and network is the most reliable way to fetch all the contents is by doing this:

local backpack = game:GetService("Players").LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("Backpack")

local function onBackpackChildAdded(instance) -- instance because it's not guaranteed to be a Tool
	if instance:IsA("Tool") then -- You can delete this if statement if you don't care about the instance being a Tool
		print(instance.Name)
	end
end

for _, instance in backpack:GetChildren() do onBackpackChildAdded(instance) end

backpack.ChildAdded:Connect(onBackpackChildAdded)

If it’s a server Script then the issue is a bit more difficult to diagnose, so make sure:

1. You’re reading the contents of the correct player’s Backpack
2. If you’re creating the Tools using another server Script then it might be running after the script that’s reading the contents
3. If you’re creating the Tools using a LocalScript, the Tools won’t exist for the server so the script will always print a blank table

[Pismyren (Pismyre)]

I am getting the children from a ServerScript, and I am putting the tools in my backpack myself, not via another Script

[JohhnyLegoKing]

If the Tools are in StarterPack, then the server should be able to see them all so it’s quite strange as to why the problem is happening

When you say:

@Pismyren

and I am putting the tools in my backpack myself

Are you placing the Tools inside the Backpack while the game is running/play-testing?

[Pismyren (Pismyre)]

They are not in StarterPack. I click Play, then I move a tool from ReplicatedStorage to my backpack, then runs a command I’ve made that prints the children of my backpack, but it just prints an empty table

[JohhnyLegoKing]

That’s because when play-testing you’re running in client mode, you’ll need to click this button before you place the Tool inside of your Backpack so the server can see it:

It needs to say: Current: Server else the server won’t see the tool

[Pismyren (Pismyre)]

Oh, thank you so much, that helped!