Check if an Actor is abstract

[Barbie]

Is there a possibility to check if a given Actor string like "Class'UnrealShare.Skaarj'" describes an abstract class without spawing it? I want to realize something like

Code: Select all

var() class<actor> prototype;
...
if (IsAbstract(prototype))
	warn("cannot spawn an abstract Actor");

[Buggie]

Look like no any direct way determine this.

You can try instantiate object directly with key word new, but it is very Buggie bugged way.

Like that:
https://github.com/Slipyx/UT99/blob/f2e ... dow.uc#L60

Code: Select all

LooksAndFeels[i] = new LFClass;

If result None (or game/server crash ) then you try do it on abstract class.

Also even if this work initially, then on garbage collection can be another crash...
Or in new UT version even if now all fine.

--- EDIT --

Partially solution - make list of all standard abstract classes and compare full Class with it.
Also need pray and cross fingers for any author will be not smart enough for use abstract classes or pass to your code.

--- EDIT ---

Buuuuu!

Code: Select all

Botpack/Classes/Arena.uc:       abstract;
Botpack/Classes/Bot.uc: abstract;
Botpack/Classes/ChallengeVoicePack.uc:  abstract;
Botpack/Classes/FemaleBotPlus.uc:       abstract;
Botpack/Classes/HumanBotPlus.uc:        abstract;
Botpack/Classes/Ladder.uc:      abstract
Botpack/Classes/MaleBotPlus.uc: abstract;
Botpack/Classes/StationaryPawn.uc:      abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TFemaleBody.uc: abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TMaleBody.uc:   abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TournamentAmmo.uc:      abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TournamentConsole.uc:   abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TournamentFemale.uc:    abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TournamentHealth.uc:    abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TournamentMale.uc:      abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TournamentPlayer.uc:    abstract;
Botpack/Classes/TournamentWeapon.uc:    abstract;
Botpack/Classes/UTHumanCarcass.uc:      abstract;
Botpack/Classes/UT_Decoration.uc:       abstract;
Botpack/Classes/VoiceFemale.uc: abstract;
Botpack/Classes/VoiceMale.uc:   abstract;
Core/Classes/Commandlet.uc:     abstract
Editor/Classes/BrushBuilder.uc: abstract
Engine/Classes/Actor.uc:        abstract
Engine/Classes/Ammo.uc: abstract
Engine/Classes/DamageType.uc:   abstract;
Engine/Classes/Decoration.uc:   abstract
Engine/Classes/HUD.uc:  abstract
Engine/Classes/Info.uc: abstract
Engine/Classes/Inventory.uc:    abstract
Engine/Classes/Keypoint.uc:     abstract
Engine/Classes/MessagingSpectator.uc:   abstract;
Engine/Classes/Pawn.uc: abstract
Engine/Classes/Pickup.uc:       abstract
Engine/Classes/Projectile.uc:   abstract
Engine/Classes/ReplicationInfo.uc:      abstract
Engine/Classes/VoicePack.uc:    abstract;
Engine/Classes/Weapon.uc:       abstract
Fire/Classes/FractalTexture.uc: abstract;
Fire/Classes/WaterTexture.uc:   abstract;
MultiMesh/Classes/CustomBot.uc: abstract;
MultiMesh/Classes/customplayer.uc:      abstract;
Relics/Classes/Relic.uc:        abstract;
UBrowser/Classes/UBrowserServerListFactory.uc:  abstract;
UnrealI/Classes/Burned.uc:      abstract;
UnrealI/Classes/Corroded.uc:    abstract;
UnrealI/Classes/Decapitated.uc: abstract;
UnrealI/Classes/Drowned.uc:     abstract;
UnrealI/Classes/Fell.uc:        abstract;
UnrealI/Classes/UnrealDamageType.uc:    abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/Bots.uc:    abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/DeadMales.uc:       abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/Female.uc:  abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/FemaleBot.uc:       abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/Human.uc:   abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/HumanBot.uc:        abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/HumanCarcass.uc:    abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/Male.uc:    abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/MaleBot.uc: abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/ScriptedPawn.uc:    abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/ShareSounds.uc:     abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/Skaarj.uc:  abstract;
UnrealShare/Classes/UnrealIPlayer.uc:   abstract;
UTMenu/Classes/MeshBrowser.uc:  abstract;
UTMenu/Classes/UTLadder.uc:     abstract;
UTMenu/Classes/UTLadderStub.uc: abstract;

[sektor2111]

Thanks for the list, Buggie. I think future checkers will go based on this list instead of attempting to spawn abstracts and checking them. The rest means private patching when a "mapping" surprise shows up from nowhere.

[Barbie]

Thanks for all replies.
That information must be somewhere inside an Actor because function Spawn() tells you that an Actor cannot be spawned because it it abstract.

Partially solution - make list of all standard abstract classes

BTW: I suspect that the star in front of a class name in UnrealEd v469b indicate an abstract class?

Stars.jpg

[OjitroC]

BTW: I suspect that the star in front of a class name in UnrealEd v469b indicate an abstract class?

Yes, it does - it took me a while to work that out. First noticed that in the 227 Editor.

[Feralidragon]

As others said, there's no such function or flag that you can check, as far as I know.
The engine obviously knows what's abstract and what isn't, but that isn't exposed to UScript, even because that would essentially amount to a "reflection" feature, which UScript has none of.

Why exactly do you want to do this?
Considering that the spawn fails already with abstract classes, and it gets logged and the game doesn't crash, what's the problem you're trying to address here?

[Barbie]

what's the problem you're trying to address here?

I have a Mutator that checks some things in a map and this topic is especially for Factories where the prototype is an abstract class.
No mapper does such? It happened even to myself when I thought "oh, let's spawn some Skaarj here"...

[Feralidragon]

Never mentioned that no mapper does it, especially having it done myself in my early days.
I was trying to understand what exactly you were trying to accomplish.

That makes sense, but unfortunately you can't do that directly.

In that case Buggie's suggestion of a list makes most sense, since that mistake is common for standard Actors, whereas for custom ones from custom packages not so much, so knowing if a custom actor is abstract may not be that important in relation to what you're trying to do.

[sektor2111]

"MH Mapper" perhaps uses mainly stock things as long as compiling classes in plain MH it's impossible and advanced users know what they do. I was thinking at an array with these abstract classes and testing if prototype is abstract comparing class with said embedded hard-coded stock array - or flexible array for future needs.

[Buggie]

Barbie, I just say more. Even if custom code use abstract class, you always can extends your exclude list, when face this issue.

[Shadow]

You could write a simple native function that reads the ClassFlags property of the class you want to check:

Code: Select all

if (CheckedClass->ClassFlags & CLASS_Abstract)
{
  // this is an abstract class
}

[Buggie]

Native code mean next:
1. Build .dll and .so file.
2. Mess with compilers and linked stuff.
3. Prey it is work when you update server, because native code not compatible for any new patch.

[Shadow]

Yes, kinda. Native code should work with 469a at least. 469b is unusable for c++/native coding tho.
Sry, but there's no other way to check, if a class is abstract beforehand, because UClass has no script (checking X UClass->ClassFlags)..

[Buggie]

Also if this code must run on client side you in big trouble, because client can be v436 and v469. How handle this - IDK.

[Shadow]

That shouldnt be much of a problem, because the core mechanics of 436 and 469 shouldnt differ on this level, at least concerning UClass behavior, but I'm not 100 % sure, there're still NO public headers for 469 out there.