About

I was frankly tired of using CreateWidgetAsync with no convenient option to assign properties without introducing hard-ref.

Hopefully the name Cow Nodes will become true someday and there will be more public nodes but everything needs to be started at some point.

List of nodes:

• CowCreateWidgetAsync - Ultimate Create Widget Async
• CowGetAllActorsOfClass/CowGetActorOfClass - Get Actors without hard-refs

CowCreateWidgetAsync

Improved Version of Epic's CreateWidget and CreateWidgetAsync (from CommonGame)

This version combines the best of both worlds with general quality-of-life improvements

Key Features

• No Hard References: Does not introduce a hard reference to the selected widget class in packaged game (similar to CreateWidgetAsync).
  

• ExposedOnSpawn Parameters: Displays any ExposedOnSpawn parameters (similar to CreateWidget).

• Automatic Handling of ExposedOnSpawn Variables: Automatically adds new ExposedOnSpawn variables (which CreateWidget does not handle).

• Widget Class Pin Enhancements:

  • Supports linked properties and propagates their class.

  • Example:

    Suppose you created a soft class property MyClass of type WBP_BaseWidget with an exposed member Text (so only WBP_BaseWidget and derived classes can be selected).

    If you connect MyClass property to the node, it will properly:

    1. Display any exposed members (Text will be shown).
    2. Set the return type of the node to WBP_BaseWidget. (Because the pin type already introduces a hard reference (SoftClass property to a type X is a hard reference to X)

• Optimal Return Value: The return value is always the best possible option that avoids a hard reference. It will be either the first native class or the widget class if linked to a pin that introduced a hard reference.

• Improved Auto-Wiring: Proper auto-wiring for ReturnType to avoid the common mistake of using the Then pin instead of OnWidgetCompleted.
  

• User-Friendly Notes: Generates informative notes when actions might cause errors.

  • Introduction of a hard reference.
  • Keeping default values of the base class when a pin of the base class is hooked, which may differ at runtime.

• Fix for FKismetCompilerUtilities::GenerateAssignmentNodes:

  • Prevents DynamicCast from creating a hard reference through native properties with BlueprintSetter.
  • See FCowCompilerUtilities::GenerateAssignmentNodes for implementation details.

Known Limitations

1. Works only with EventGraph/Macro (due to being async).
2. No support for conflicting names (e.g., an ExposedVar named "SoftWidgetClass" will cause an error during node compilation).
3. One-frame delay even if the soft reference is already loaded due to LoadAsset (TODO).
4. Editor Limitation: In the editor, the node holds a hard reference to the WidgetClass. This is required for pin generation and proper reloading when WidgetClass changes.

CowGetAllActorsOfClass / CowGetActorOfClass

Improved Version of Engine's GetAllActorsOfClass and GetActorOfClass (from UGameplayStatics)

This version does everything original GetAllActorsOfClass do but without introducing hard-ref

Key Features

• No Hard References: Does not introduce a hard reference to the selected actor class.
• Automatic type promotion: Automatically promotes return pin to the first Native class to avoid hard-refs.