Daily Unreal Column #39 - Console Variables

Being a user of Unreal Engine and not using any of its console variables is almost impossible. Its very easy to create your own and here is how.

Creating your own console variable is very easy. Inside a source file where you wish to use a console variable, make a following definition:

static TAutoConsoleVariable<bool> CVarNameOfYourVariable(
	TEXT("Category.Sub.Sub.Name"),
	false,
	TEXT("This is your help text")
);

Now, let's break down what is happening here.

1. TAutoConsoleVariable - this is a variable type.

2. <bool> - this is template type of your console variable; major primitive types are allowed so bool, int32, float and double

3. CVarNameOfYourVariable - this is name of your variable; notice CVar prefix: while its completely optional, I like to put it just to ensure that reader is aware that its a console variable

4. TEXT("Category.Sub.Sub.Name") - this is how we are going to be referring to this variable in the console

5. false - default value of the variable

6. TEXT("This is your help text") - help text that will be displayed next to the name of the variable in the console

   name of the variable in the console

To update value of the console variable open the console by tapping tilda key and type Category.Sub.Sub.Name true or Category.Sub.Sub.Name false.

To access value of the variable type CVarNameOfYourVariable.GetValueOnGameThread().