Should I replicate from the base class or the derived class?

Development Programming & Scripting C++
1

Suppose I have a base class that looks something like this:


UCLASS()
class SHOOTERCPP_API AAnimal: public AActor
{
     protected:
        UPROPERTY(Replicated)
        int16 MyAge;

        ...

}

and then I create a subclass like below where the variable is used:


UCLASS()
class SHOOTERCPP_API ADog: public AAnimal
{

       protected:
           void SetAge(int16 newAge);
        ...

}

.cpp

void ADog::SetAge(int16 newAge)
{
      // set the subclass's MyAge member
     MyAge = newAge;
}

In which class should I implement the replication function to replicate MyAge variable?


void **AAnimal**::GetLifetimeReplicatedProps(TArray<FLifetimeProperty>& OutLifetimeProps) const
{
    Super::GetLifetimeReplicatedProps(OutLifetimeProps);

    DOREPLIFETIME(**AAnimal**, MyAge);
}

OR


void **ADog**::GetLifetimeReplicatedProps(TArray<FLifetimeProperty>& OutLifetimeProps) const
{
    Super::GetLifetimeReplicatedProps(OutLifetimeProps);

    DOREPLIFETIME(**ADog**, MyAge);
}

I’m still doing some testing and so far it appears that I can do this either way, but I’d really like to know what is considered best practice for something like this.

Thank you.

2

Do it in the class where you declare it so you don’t forget to do it in the derived classes.

3

You do it in the base class. If you don’t you’ll get a warning, and Super::GetLifetimeReplicatedProps adds the parent properties to the replication list anyway.