array get (a copy) is reference actually ??

[ilozen]

I’m back to UE after some break. Previously I remember you could use “get (a copy)” or “get (a ref)” nodes when working with arrays to get a copy or reference to an object.

Right now I’m confused. When working with array of ints I can get a ref or a copy and they work as intended.

However, when I have an array of objects I can only use “get (a copy)”. When I try to use “get (a ref)” it gets automatically converted to “get (a copy)”. Moreover, it works like gettting a reference, NOT a copy.

Here’s an example BP of a barrel:

In it I add self to an array, change an int and print the value from the object in the array. Since I’m working with a copy (supposedly), the value of object in the array should not change. But it does and in fact prints 25, instead of 0.

The get is “get (a copy)” node:

My questions are:

1. why can’t I use “get (a ref)” node?
2. why does “get (a copy)” node modify the original object, as if it was a reference?

[3dRaven]

Right click the get node and you can switch it to get by ref at the bottom

[ilozen]

Thanks. For me this option is disabled though:

[3dRaven]

I think you are already returning by ref. The option becomes greyed out once you enable return by ref.

[zeaf]

Objects will always be passed around by reference in blueprints

As far as I know there is no way to duplicate an object in blueprints only, you’d have to do that through C++

But it’s not super common to want to duplicate objects, so maybe you should look over your approach once more and see if there is a more conventional way of doing what you want to do