Using Console Variables

Creating Console Variables

Console variables can be declared in C# by using Properties and Attributes. Currently, there are four types of attributes (with corresponding properties) that can be declared.

The attribute and property types are listed in the table below:

Attribute Type	Property Type	Description
ConsoleVariableFloatAttribute	ConsoleVariableAttributeFloatProperty	Floating point type
ConsoleVariableIntegerAttribute	ConsoleVariableAttributeIntegerProperty	32-bit integer type
ConsoleVariableInteger64Attribute	ConsoleVariableAttributeInteger64Property	64-bit integer type
ConsoleVariableStringAttribute	ConsoleVariableAttributeStringProperty	String type

There are two methods to create console variables in C#:

Applying C# attributes.
Manual initialization and deinitialization.

Applying C# Attributes

Note that each console variable property must be matched with the correct attribute, and then initialized.

For example,

[ConsoleVariableString("aStringProperty", "Hello World", (uint)EVarFlags.VF_DEV_ONLY, "aStringProperty Test")]
public static ConsoleVariableAttributeStringProperty aStringProperty = new ConsoleVariableAttributeStringProperty();

A string console variable named aStringProperty is declared and initialized. If the console variable changes value in native C++ code, aStringProperty will also be modified and vice versa. Also note, that both ConsoleVariableString and ConsoleVariableAttributeStringProperty must be the same.

Only a static property can be declared as a Console Variable with attributes.

You should be able to see the following option in the Sandbox Editor if the creation is successful ("Help->"Console Variables").

Manual Initialization and Deinitialization

Console variables can also be created in code:

public class MyConsoleVariables
{
    public ConsoleVariableAttributeIntegerProperty testInt;
     
    public MyConsoleVariables()
    {
        testInt = ConsoleVariableAttributeManager.CreateConsoleVariableIntegerProperty("an_int", int.MaxValue, "This is dynamic", (uint)EVarFlags.VF_CHEAT);
    }
    public void clearResources()
    {
        testInt.Dispose();
        testInt = null;
    }
}

In the sample code above, a non-static integer console variable is declared and initialized in a class. When no longer used, the console variable is disposed of and released.

All Console variable properties implement IDisposable and should be disposed of when not in use.

Error Handling

A ConsoleCommandConfigurationException will be thrown if there are any misconfigurations.

There are two types of configuration error:

Uninitialized static Console Variable property.
Mismatch between Console Variable attribute and property.

Uninitialized Static Console Variable Property

[ConsoleVariableString("aStringProperty", "Hello World", (uint)EVarFlags.VF_DEV_ONLY, "This is null")]
public static ConsoleVariableAttributeStringProperty aStringProperty ; // this is null

In the above, the aStringProperty is null and uninitialized.

Mismatch Between Console Variable Attribute and Property

[ConsoleVariableString("aStringProperty", testStringPropertyWronglyValue, (uint)EVarFlags.VF_DEV_ONLY, "String attribute mismatched with float property")]
public static ConsoleVariableAttributeFloatProperty aWrongProperty = new ConsoleVariableAttributeFloatProperty();

In the above ConsoleVariableString attribute (string type) is used with the wrong property ConsoleVariableAttributeFloatProperty (floating point type).

Documentation