Creating Variable References in Script Canvas Nodes

Variable references provide a shortcut for getting and setting variable values directly from the Script Canvas nodes that use them. Any data pin can be converted to a variable reference by dragging a variable from the Variable Manager directly onto the pin.

To create a variable reference

• Drag a variable from the Variable Manager onto a data input pin to create an input reference, or to a data output pin to create an output reference.

  

  An input reference performs the same as a Get variable node and retrieves the value of the variable at the time of node execution.

  An output reference performs the same as a Set variable node and assigns the output of that slot to the specified variable at the time of node execution.

  Note:

  You can change the name of the variable when you have variable references to that variable. However, you might notice that the display of the new variable name is not immediately reflected in nodes containing the reference. To refresh the display of the node’s variable name references, move over the node with your pointer, or close and reopen Script Canvas.

To select a different variable reference

1. Choose the gear button next to the variable name on the data pin.

2. Select a different variable from the list.

   

To convert a variable reference back to a value or into a variable node

Do one of the following:

• Double-click on the data pin name to toggle between a reference and a value.

• Right-click the data pin and choose Convert to Value to restore that data pin as a value.

• Right-click the data pin and choose Convert to Variable Node to create a Get variable node from a data input pin, or a Set variable node from a data output pin.

  

To convert a data pin into a variable reference

1. Do one of the following:

   • Double-click on the data pin name to toggle between a value and a reference.
   • Right-click the data pin and choose Convert to Reference.

   

2. Use the gear button next to the variable name field that appears and select a variable to reference.

   Tip:

   Another way to create a variable reference is to drag a variable from the Variable Manager onto the data pin.

To convert a variable node into a variable reference

Do one of the following:

• Right-click a Get variable node and choose Convert to References. This converts the node into a variable reference on the node following it.

  Note:

  If the data output from the Get variable node is not connected to another node, the variable node is deleted.

• Right-click a Set variable node and choose Convert to References. This converts the node into a variable reference on the node preceding it.

  Note:

  If the data input to the Set variable node is not connected to another node, the variable node is deleted.