bUseClayBrush

bUseClayBrush

#Overview

name: bUseClayBrush

The value of this variable can be defined or overridden in .ini config files. 1 .ini config file referencing this setting variable.

It is referenced in 7 C++ source files.

#Summary

#Usage in the C++ source code

The purpose of bUseClayBrush is to control the behavior of the landscape sculpting tool in Unreal Engine’s Landscape Editor. Specifically, it determines whether the Clay Brush painting mode is enabled or disabled for landscape sculpting operations.

This setting variable is primarily used within the Landscape Editor module of Unreal Engine. It is referenced in the LandscapeEdModePaintTools.cpp and LandscapeEditorObject.cpp files, which are part of the landscape editing system.

The value of this variable is set in several ways:

  1. It is initialized in the ULandscapeEditorObject constructor (LandscapeEditorObject.cpp:105).
  2. It can be loaded from the editor’s project-specific ini file (LandscapeEditorObject.cpp:220).
  3. It can be saved to the editor’s project-specific ini file (LandscapeEditorObject.cpp:395).
  4. It is exposed as an editable property in the Landscape Editor UI (LandscapeEditorObject.h:636).

The bUseClayBrush variable interacts with other variables and calculations in the landscape sculpting process, particularly in the Apply function of the FLandscapeToolStrokeSculpt class. When enabled, it affects how the brush strength is calculated and how the landscape heightmap is modified.

Developers should be aware that:

  1. Enabling the Clay Brush mode changes the behavior of the sculpting tool, potentially providing a different sculpting experience.
  2. The Clay Brush mode involves additional calculations, including normal computation and plane-based height adjustments.

Best practices when using this variable include:

  1. Use it in conjunction with other brush settings to achieve the desired sculpting effect.
  2. Be mindful of performance implications when enabling the Clay Brush mode, as it involves more complex calculations.
  3. Consider providing user documentation or tooltips to explain the difference in behavior when the Clay Brush mode is enabled vs. disabled.
  4. Ensure that any custom landscape editing tools or extensions properly respect this setting to maintain consistent behavior across the editor.

#Setting Variables

#References In INI files

Location: <Workspace>/Engine/Config/BaseEditorPerProjectUserSettings.ini:729, section: [LandscapeEdit]

#References in C++ code

#Callsites

This variable is referenced in the following C++ source code:

#Loc: <Workspace>/Engine/Source/Editor/LandscapeEditor/Private/LandscapeEdModePaintTools.cpp:489

Scope (from outer to inner):

file
class        class FLandscapeToolStrokeSculpt : public FLandscapeToolStrokePaintBase<FHeightmapToolTarget>
function     void Apply

Source code excerpt:

		this->Cache.CacheData(X1, Y1, X2, Y2);

		bool bUseClayBrush = UISettings->bUseClayBrush;

		// The data we'll be writing to
		TArray<ValueType> Data;
		this->Cache.GetCachedData(X1, Y1, X2, Y2, Data);

		// The source data we use for editing.

#Loc: <Workspace>/Engine/Source/Editor/LandscapeEditor/Private/LandscapeEdModePaintTools.cpp:513

Scope (from outer to inner):

file
class        class FLandscapeToolStrokeSculpt : public FLandscapeToolStrokePaintBase<FHeightmapToolTarget>
function     void Apply

Source code excerpt:

		}

		if (!bUseClayBrush)
		{
			SculptStrength = FMath::Max(SculptStrength, 1.0f);
		}

		FPlane BrushPlane;
		TArray<FVector> Normals;

		if (bUseClayBrush)
		{
			TRACE_CPUPROFILER_EVENT_SCOPE(ComputeClayBrush);

			// Calculate normals for brush verts in data space
			Normals.Empty(SourceDataArrayPtr->Num());
			Normals.AddZeroed(SourceDataArrayPtr->Num());

#Loc: <Workspace>/Engine/Source/Editor/LandscapeEditor/Private/LandscapeEdModePaintTools.cpp:627

Scope (from outer to inner):

file
class        class FLandscapeToolStrokeSculpt : public FLandscapeToolStrokePaintBase<FHeightmapToolTarget>
function     void Apply

Source code excerpt:

					const ValueType& SourceValue = SourceDataScanline[X];

					if (bUseClayBrush)
					{
						// Brush application starts from original world location at start of stroke
						FVector WorldLoc = ToWorld.TransformPosition(FVector(X, Y, SourceValue));

						// Calculate new location on the brush plane
						WorldLoc.Z = (BrushPlane.W - BrushPlane.X*WorldLoc.X - BrushPlane.Y*WorldLoc.Y) / BrushPlane.Z;

#Loc: <Workspace>/Engine/Source/Editor/LandscapeEditor/Private/LandscapeEditorObject.cpp:105

Scope (from outer to inner):

file
function     ULandscapeEditorObject::ULandscapeEditorObject

Source code excerpt:

	, BrushFalloff(0.5f)
	, PaintBrushFalloff(0.5f)
	, bUseClayBrush(false)

	, AlphaBrushScale(0.5f)
	, bAlphaBrushAutoRotate(true)
	, AlphaBrushRotation(0.0f)
	, AlphaBrushPanU(0.5f)
	, AlphaBrushPanV(0.5f)

#Loc: <Workspace>/Engine/Source/Editor/LandscapeEditor/Private/LandscapeEditorObject.cpp:220

Scope (from outer to inner):

file
function     void ULandscapeEditorObject::Load

Source code excerpt:

	GConfig->GetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("BrushFalloff"), BrushFalloff, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->GetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("PaintBrushFalloff"), PaintBrushFalloff, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	bool InbUseClayBrush = bUseClayBrush;
	GConfig->GetBool(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("bUseClayBrush"), InbUseClayBrush, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	bUseClayBrush = InbUseClayBrush;
	GConfig->GetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushScale"), AlphaBrushScale, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->GetBool(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushAutoRotate"), bAlphaBrushAutoRotate, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->GetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushRotation"), AlphaBrushRotation, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->GetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushPanU"), AlphaBrushPanU, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->GetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushPanV"), AlphaBrushPanV, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->GetBool(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("bUseWorldSpacePatternBrush"), bUseWorldSpacePatternBrush, GEditorPerProjectIni);

#Loc: <Workspace>/Engine/Source/Editor/LandscapeEditor/Private/LandscapeEditorObject.cpp:395

Scope (from outer to inner):

file
function     void ULandscapeEditorObject::Save

Source code excerpt:

	GConfig->SetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("BrushFalloff"), BrushFalloff, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("PaintBrushFalloff"), PaintBrushFalloff, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetBool(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("bUseClayBrush"), bUseClayBrush, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushScale"), AlphaBrushScale, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetBool(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushAutoRotate"), bAlphaBrushAutoRotate, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushRotation"), AlphaBrushRotation, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushPanU"), AlphaBrushPanU, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetFloat(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("AlphaBrushPanV"), AlphaBrushPanV, GEditorPerProjectIni);
	GConfig->SetVector2D(TEXT("LandscapeEdit"), TEXT("WorldSpacePatternBrushSettings.Origin"), WorldSpacePatternBrushSettings.Origin, GEditorPerProjectIni);

#Loc: <Workspace>/Engine/Source/Editor/LandscapeEditor/Public/LandscapeEditorObject.h:636

Scope (from outer to inner):

file
class        class ULandscapeEditorObject : public UObject

Source code excerpt:

	// Selects the Clay Brush painting mode
	UPROPERTY(Category="Brush Settings", EditAnywhere, NonTransactional, meta=(ShowForTools="Sculpt", ShowForBrushes="BrushSet_Circle,BrushSet_Alpha,BrushSet_Pattern"))
	bool bUseClayBrush;

	// Alpha/Pattern Brush:

	// Scale of the brush texture. A scale of 1.000 maps the brush texture to the landscape at a 1 pixel = 1 vertex size
	UPROPERTY(Category="Brush Settings", EditAnywhere, NonTransactional, meta=(DisplayName="Texture Scale", ShowForBrushes="BrushSet_Pattern", ClampMin="0.005", ClampMax="5", SliderExponent="3"))
	float AlphaBrushScale;