[Level Editor] Lock actors so that clicking does not select them

anyone found a workaround to prevent actors from being selected?

Hello. I solved this problem with a plugin. If it is useful to someone, I will be glad.

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Thank you for sharing. I’ve bought it, but I still think Epic should support it directly.

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I got the plugin which is great but folders still open. I guess I didn’t realize how hard it is to not do something (open folder on click). Cheers.

Continue to bump this until forever. This is such a simple thing that should be part of anything which wants to be taken seriously if they’re implementing 3D modeling.

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Downloaded the plugin, and it’s nice but not perfect. Low level glitches, like Shift+Select still consider the frozen objects - even if the frozen objects aren’t selected, you can tell the engine is trying to select them.

This is some basic functionality found in like every software out there from Photoshop to Maya.

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hello there
any update?

We need an update on this please. Thanks! You deserve a raise just for noticing this thread.

The author of this plugin is going to be rich! Just saying.

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Bumping this. Just started on unreal and the inability to freeze the skybox very annoying.

While this may not solve’s problem with this issue, I just wanted to share my solution for my specific version of this problem in Unreal 5. You can create Instances in a blueprint in two ways: Either as a Component manually added in your blueprint viewport/outlier, or in the blueprints code. If you add it Via code, it cannot be selected in scene. If you add it manually, it can be selected in scene. If you don’t want to select your instanced static meshes in scene, and want to only ever select the actor that owns them, use the node “Add Instanced Static Mesh Component” instead of manually adding it in the Viewport.

Bump. It would be really great if you could select an actor in the Outliner tab and check a box that is “unselectable” that would disable being able to select it via mouse in the editor window.

It is very annoying to be working with the environment and to constantly be selecting unwanted actors. The Outline is thrown out of wack and it really throws a wrench in my workflow.

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Bump as well for me. Even old products like DAZ3D have this kind of option.

So much needed feature, big bump.

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Bump, this is something that would be really useful. I have been waiting for this a long time as well.

Yeah it’s pretty shocking that this still doesn’t exist.

Bump. Seriously. How is this not real yet?

I realize that most in this thread are not looking to use locking, but it was an ok solution for me and thought this might be useful to others on this thread.

Wanted to write a utility widget be able to set objects in the scene (based on types, label, class, etc) to have the “Lock Actor Movement” flag set true. Used Exec Editor Command → actor TOGGLE LOCKMOVEMENT and Tags to set the state. You could also append or prefix the object(s) label with something like “LOCKED”

I have made a free plugin for locking actors, check the answer
I hope it helps.

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This is where Google takes you if you’re searching “unreal how to prevent selecting the floor” and I’m also looking at my desktop clock, 2024, and the only solution I’ve actually found is something I don’t fully understand, but you experienced people do. Credit goes to Dragonsleeve on reddit:

What I did was put the actor in a sublevel, then lock the entire sublevel.

To first create the level

  1. Windows tab at top of editor, select Levels in dropdown
  2. Menu pops up, under Levels tab select “Create New”
  3. Choose “Empty Level”
  4. Name the level whatever you want

It should show up as a sublevel beneath Persistent Level. To move actors, in the same window right click the level and select “Move Selected Actors to Level”.

Once you have all the actors you want moved, save the level and click the lock symbol (all within the same Levels browser). If done right, the actors should turn grey in World Outliner.

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