Enabling Tick from the AActor : how?

Development Programming & Scripting
1

Hi,

I created a small class inherited from the AActor class. Unfortunately I’m unable to enable the tick functions. I have tried many parameters/boolean but I guess I’m missing one. Here is what I have already tested :

AEXILInteract::AEXILInteract(const class FPostConstructInitializeProperties& PCIP)
	: Super(PCIP)
{

	bWantsBeginPlay = true;
	
}

void AEXILInteract::PostBeginPlay()
{
	Super::PostBeginPlay();
	
	SetActorTickEnabled(true);
	RegisterAllActorTickFunctions(true, true);
	
	if( IsActorTickEnabled() )
		elog("Tick is enabled");
		
	PrimaryActorTick.bCanEverTick = true;
		
	if( CanEverTick() )
		elog("Can Ever TICK §§");
}

The function “elog” is just a shortcut to call the Log functions. Both write in the log perfectly, meaning the boolean are enabled. Still, the Tick and ActorTick stay mute (each has a elog call too).

I would have expected that SetActorTickEnabled(true); would be enough to enable the Tick function, but it seems it’s not the case. What variable should I enable to get the function to work ?

2

In the constructor you just want to do:

PrimaryActorTick.bCanEverTick = true;
3

Thanks, it’s working. Why changing this in the PostBeginPlay doesn’t work ? Does this mean you can’t change it to enable/disable the tick function after the creation in the scene on an actor ?

4

Think of it in the same way that unrealscript works: you cannot set bStatic anywhere except in defaultproperties because it is constant. So by extension, you can’t set bStatic in PostBeginPlay either.

I think from this thread you might be able to find a way to enable / disable Tick.

5

Thanks for the explanation. However neither PrimaryActorTick or bCanEverTick is defined as a const in the current header (Actor.h and EngineBaseTypes.h).

6

You’re right, but I’m putting your question it into perspective. That was the point. If you look at the comment right above the variable, it says this:

/** If false, this tick function will never be registered and will never tick. Only settable in defaults. */
UPROPERTY() uint32 bCanEverTick:1;

So based on this, the engine reads in this variable before gameplay even starts, not while the game is actually running (postbeginplay). I imagine the reason they set it to const in unrealscript in the first place was b/c the devs didn’t want users scratching their heads over why Tick was not being called (ironically, the situation that’s happening right now :p)…

7

I see ! Thanks again ! :wink: