You actually can… by running the RunUAT.bat BuildPlugin command. This will take a plugin and add it to the engine and then whenever you create a project the plugin will be there for you. This will work with C++ and BP only projects (once its compiled into the engine). Here’s my batch file.
REM Example RunUAT:
REM Run from an Admin Level CMD prompt in the directory: <engine_location>\Engine\Build\BatchFiles
d:
cd \Program Files\Epic\UE_4.17\Engine\Build\Batchfiles
RunUAT.bat BuildPlugin -Plugin=“D:\Program Files\Epic\UE_Package_Plugins\Source\SmoothZoom\SmoothZoom.uplugin” -TargetPlatforms=Win64 -Package=“D:\Program Files\Epic\UE_Package_Plugins\Dest\SmoothZoom”
After the compile is completed, you take the directory in -Package and copy to your plugin engine directory… I’m working on a Qt5 app that will automate this…
teak