UClass

A UClass is a UStruct containing information about a native class and how to use it properly. Every UObject is created by a UClass instance. Such instance contains information like constructor pointer, property/attribute array, functions and name.

Containing information

Name

The name of an UClass not only names it but also gives base information about its usage. Such name has one character based prefix. U describes the use as a normal UObject. A describes the use as an Actor in a scene. + f.e. UClass, UTutorialObj and ATutorialBuilding
Class Flags

This is a flag register about typical stats of a class like if it’s abstract or if its visible to the BP VM.
Cast Flags

This is a flag register describes to which basic unreal types a UObject of this UClass is castable to.

Building

Building is the most complex thing in the BPI cause there are just so many parameters which need to get set properly. The beginning makes the SML::Paks::ClassBuilder-Builderclass in assets/BPInterface.h This builder class is a bit special because it has a template which should be your class you want to reflect. The builder class will automatically use the native name of your class to call name(std::string name)

Your native class name should due to this contain a A or U as prefix. If not, please call the name(std::string name) function manually to set the reflected name to a name with this prefix.

Example:

class UDocClass {}

SML::Paks::ClassBuilder<UDocClass>::Basic();

as you can see you need to use the Basic() function to get the proper ClassBuilder reference. It’s just a reference because this class builder needs to exist all the time and works like a singleton and this Basic() function just initializes the singleton with a basic setup and returns the reference to the singletons instance.

Flags

You can define class flags, like if it should be visible, with the flag functions. addFlag(SML::Objects::EClassFlags flags), addFlag(int flags) and removeFlag(SML::Objects::EClassFlags flags) are used to help defining the class-flag-register. The same principle applies to class cast flags but with the classes f.e. addCastFlag(...)

Extending

You need to explicitly tell the builder which reflected superclass your class has (even if it’s just the basic UObject). To make this easier the builder class implements two functions which take each of them a class type to execute their StaticClass() functions. If you don’t want to do this through templates you can also use the superFunc(UClass*(*classFunc)()) and pass a function pointer returning the UClass of your superclass.

extend<class T>() is used if the given class has a function with the declaration UClass* staticClass() to return the UClass
extendSDK<class sdkT>() is used if the given class has a function with the declaration SDK::UClass* StaticClass to return the UClass

yeah ik, it’s weird, but hey! It makes it more easy to use! And if you don’t like it, you can just use superFunc(UClass*(*classFunc)())

Unreals reflection system does not support multi inheritance like c++ does, that means you can’t use the extend function twice to have two classes inherited, instead you would probably just overwrite the old one.

Example:

class UDocClass : public SML::Objects::UObject {}
class ADocActor : public SDK::AActor {}

SML::Paks::ClassBuilder<UDocClass>::Basic().extend<SML::Objects::UObject>()
SML::Paks::ClassBuilder<ADocActor>::Basic().extendSDK<SDK::AActor>();

Attributes

Attributes (aka. member-variables) which need to get reflected get defined with the param(SML::Paks::PropertyBuilder builder) function. Simply pass the unbuilt PropertyBuilder to this function and it gets reflected. If your property needs an offset value and you didn’t manually provide a value, automatically the last available/defined offset gets used. Also, the last available/offset gets increased by the size of the given property. The first param uses the size of the superclass as the offset.

That means the order is important! But you can rearrange or completely ignore the order by explicitly setting the offset value in the property builder. The last available/defined offset gets automatically set to the previous property offset + size.

For examples please refer to UProperty

Functions

Functions (static and member) which need to get reflected get defined with the func(SML::Paks::FunctionBuilder builder) function. Pass this function the needed FunctionBuilder and it will get registered.

Interfaces

Because Unreals reflection system doesn’t support multiple inheritances like we know it doesn’t mean there is no. Unreal uses interfaces to implement this concept but without any private functions or member variables.

To declare the implementation of an interface you will need the implementInterface(UInterface* interface, size_t offset) function. Simply pass this function the UInterface and the offset to the vtable-pointer referring to the interface implementation in your class.

The Interface support is very, very difficult because the SDK currently doesn’t provide the information needed to implement this. Only some interfaces are written into SML (like ISaveGame) and if your desired interface is not implemented you will need to get the information with Detours and IDA. To find more out pleas talk to the Discord Members.

Example:

class UDocClass : public SML::Objects::UObject, public SML::Objects::ISaveGame {
    virtual bool shouldSave() overwrite { return true; }
}

SML::Paks::ClassBuilder<UDocClass>::Basic()
    .extend<SML::Objects::UObject>()
    .implementInterface(SML::Objects::ISaveGame::staticInterface(), (SML::Objects::ISaveGame*)(UDocClass*)nullptr);

Constructor

The constructor of a BPI generated class is very special. We cant use the normal constructor because that one wouldn’t call the right constructors of the child classes. That means you need to explicitly set the constructor to member-function of your class with declaration void constructor() (name not important) and call the constructor(void(BuildClassT::*)()) to define it. Because we can’t use the C++ constructor here (even not the default one) we would need to call the constructors or define them by our self.

You need to know that the BuilderClass generates a second internal one which manages the pointers, superclass construction and much more, but you’re able to define your own one if you desire to. (We do not recommend that)

Destructor

The destructor works just like the constructor. But important to note is that you need to call the destructor on every member which needs that. And you need to use the destructor function to define it.

Do not delete the members here! They get (automatically freed by the reflection system! Just call the destructors if needed.

Example (destructor & constructor):

class UDocClass : public SML::Objects::UObject {
    float testNum;
    std::string testString;

    void constructor() {
        testNum = 0.0;
        new (&testString) std::string();
    }

    void destructor() {
        testString.~string();
    }
}

SML::Paks::ClassBuilder<UDocClass>::Basic()
    .extend<SML::Objects::UObject>()
    .constructor(&UDocClass::constructor)
    .destructor(&UDocClass::destructor);

Finishing

To finish building just call the build function of the builder class.

StaticClass

The classbuilder generate through the template multiple functions specific for the given class like the static UClass* staticClass()-function which returns the "StaticClass" of the object. Call this function only after build or if you know what you’re doing.