I have imported a SkeletalMeshActor into my UE4 project. I can right click on it to open the general header file for it inside the UnrealEngine Runtime folder (SkeletalMeshActor.h), but how come it isn’t in my project source folder?
I want to be able to call my bone names so I can rotate them from an external gui through C++ code.
Will I just have to use variables from the SkeletalMeshActor.h that opens? I can’t find any reference to any component of my specific skeletal mesh in that header file.
Is it okay to edit the files inside the UnrealEngine Runtime folder, or can I copy them over to my project source folder?
Thank you for your time.
“Is it okay to edit the files inside the UnrealEngine Runtime folder”
Yes, but you need to recompile the engine for that to take effect, header files and incomplete deceleration in them won’t change the engine code, if modify without binary files having those changes you will have linker errors as it won’t be able to find function that header file declares
“or can I copy them over to my project source folder”
It’s pointless, header files are only needed for compiler to know that something exists and for linker to know what to connect to, the code it self for function in that header file will be where cpp file is, the header file inside your project will work the same as in engine source code.
But what you actully trying to do? You can just include Animation/SkeletalMeshActor.h and use GetSkeletalMeshComponent() and oyu can manipulate bones there, remeber that SkeletalMeshActor is just a dummy actor for SkeletalMeshComponent, you could as well create new actor with SkeletalMeshComponent with behavior you want
So I want to be able to manipulate the bones of my SkeletalMeshActor, but I’m not sure if I have to make a whole new .h/.cpp file for that. Do I create a separate actor class and include the SkeletalMeshActor.h? I did a lot if research and I did see a suggestion to use GetSkeletalMeshComponent(), but I am not sure which file to put that code in, whether I place it in an existing file, or create a whole new one to place this code in.
Based off what you said, how exactly would I create a new actor and use the SkeletalMeshComponent? I know how to create a new actor class and everything, I’m not sure how the code and organization would be set up inside of it if that is what you’re suggesting.