Unreal Engine Editor Extension with C++ Plugins
Introduction
Unreal Engine is a popular game engine that offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to customization. One of the ways to extend the functionality of Unreal Engine is by creating editor extensions with C++ plugins. With editor extensions, developers can add new features to the editor, modify existing ones, or even create entirely new tools. In this blog post, we will explore how to create custom editor extensions in Unreal Engine using C++ plugins.
Creating a C++ Plugin
To create a new C++ plugin for Unreal Engine, you need to first open the Unreal Engine Editor and navigate to the Plugins window. From there, you can click the "New Plugin" button and select "C++ Plugin" as the plugin type. This will create a new plugin project and generate some starter code for you to work with.
Once you have created your plugin, you can start adding code to it. The plugin code can be used to create new editor windows, add new functionality to existing editor windows, or modify the behavior of the editor itself.
Creating an Editor Extension
To create an editor extension, you need to add a new module to your plugin project. This module will contain all the code for your editor extension. You can add new editor windows, menu items, toolbar buttons, and other UI elements to your extension using Slate, which is Unreal Engine's UI framework.
One of the most common types of editor extensions is a custom import/export tool. With a custom import/export tool, you can create a new file format that is specific to your game or application and import/export that format directly from the Unreal Engine Editor.
Conclusion
Creating custom editor extensions with C++ plugins is a powerful way to extend the functionality of Unreal Engine. With editor extensions, you can add new features to the editor, modify existing ones, or even create entirely new tools. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can create your own custom editor extensions and take advantage of all the flexibility that Unreal Engine has to offer.