I’d like to draw a simple mesh sphere (i.e DrawWireSphere, etc.) while I’m in HUD (I trace the mouse in DrawHUD and want to place a sphere centered on the hit). However, that requires an FPrimitiveDrawInterface pointer. How can I get hold of that pointer?
Drawing a Wire Sphere:
If you just want to draw a wire sphere you can do that right now, without direct access to PDI, using the DrawDebug version!
/** Draw a debug sphere /
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugSphere(const UWorld InWorld, FVector const& Center, float Radius, int32 Segments, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
You just type the function directly, it is ENGINE_API
// Copyright 1998-2013 Epic Games, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
/**
* DrawDebugHelpers.h
*/
#pragma once
/** Flush persistent lines */
ENGINE_API void FlushPersistentDebugLines(const UWorld* InWorld);
/** Draw a debug line */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugLine(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& LineStart, FVector const& LineEnd, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0, float Thickness = 0.f);
/** Draw a debug point */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugPoint(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Position, float Size, FColor const& PointColor, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw directional arrow **/
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugDirectionalArrow(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& LineStart, FVector const& LineEnd, float ArrowSize, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw a debug box */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugBox(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Center, FVector const& Extent, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw a debug box with rotation */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugBox(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Center, FVector const& Box, const FQuat & Rotation, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw Debug coordinate system */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugCoordinateSystem(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& AxisLoc, FRotator const& AxisRot, float Scale, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw Debug Circle */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugCircle(const UWorld* InWorld, const FMatrix& TransformMatrix, float Radius, int32 Segments, const FColor& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw Debug 2D donut */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebug2DDonut(const UWorld* InWorld, const FMatrix& TransformMatrix, float InnerRadius, float OuterRadius, int32 Segments, const FColor& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw a debug sphere */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugSphere(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Center, float Radius, int32 Segments, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw a debug cylinder */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugCylinder(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Start, FVector const& End, float Radius, int32 Segments, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugCone(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Origin, FVector const& Direction, float Length, float AngleWidth, float AngleHeight, int32 NumSides, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines=false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Used by gameplay when defining a cone by a vertical and horizontal dot products. */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugAltCone(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Origin, FRotator const& Rotation, float Length, float AngleWidth, float AngleHeight, FColor const& DrawColor, bool bPersistentLines=false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority=0);
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugString(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& TextLocation, const FString& Text, class AActor* TestBaseActor = NULL, FColor const& TextColor = FColor::White, float Duration = -1.000000);
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugFrustum(const UWorld* InWorld, const FMatrix& FrustumToWorld, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines = false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw a capsule using the LineBatcher */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugCapsule(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Center, float HalfHeight, float Radius, const FQuat & Rotation, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistentLines=false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
/** Draw a debug camera shape. FOV is full angle in degrees. */
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugCamera(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Location, FRotator const& Rotation, float FOVDeg, float Scale=1.f, FColor const& Color=FColor::White, bool bPersistentLines=false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
ENGINE_API void FlushDebugStrings(const UWorld* InWorld);
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugSolidBox(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Center, FVector const& Box, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistent=false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugSolidBox(const UWorld* InWorld, FVector const& Center, FVector const& Extent, FQuat const& Rotation, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistent=false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugMesh(const UWorld* InWorld, TArray<FVector> const& Verts, TArray<int32> const& Indices, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistent=false, float LifeTime=-1.f, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
ENGINE_API void DrawDebugSolidPlane(const UWorld* InWorld, FPlane const& P, FVector const& Loc, float Size, FColor const& Color, bool bPersistent=false, float LifeTime=-1, uint8 DepthPriority = 0);
PDI
I explain how I accessed the PDI here:
https://forums.unrealengine.com/showthread.php?2662-Video-The-Power-amp-Grace-of-UE4-C-Dynamic-Rendering-of-HD-Torus-Knots-(for-fun)
My precise goal was very similar to yours, I wanted to draw a mesh triangle.
I ended up creating an entire class called Canvas3D to accomplish this.
I could only figure out how to access the PDI within a UPrimitiveComponent, which actually does server to encapsulate the drawing data and ended up working great for me anyways.
The video in my link above shows the end result :)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Sh19_Py5ff4
RamaHunh, I thought the DrawDebug* functions were only for the Editor, but they can be packaged. Thanks Rama.
HUD only gives access to 2D canvas drawing functions. If you want to draw in the world, you can either use the debug like drawing based functions that Rama suggests (these add lines to a LineBatcherComponent in the World), create components dynamically, or create your own component class!