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Custom Variables

Learn how to create your own custom variable types in SoapKit.

Creating Custom Variable Types​

SoapKit's architecture allows you to extend the system with your own custom variable types. This is useful when you need to work with data types not covered by the built-in variables.

Basic Custom Variable​

To create a custom variable type, inherit from BaseVariable<T>:

using FarmGrowthToolkit.Soap;
using UnityEngine;

[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "SoapKit/Variables/Custom/MyData Variable")]
public class MyDataVariable : BaseVariable<MyData>
{
    // Your custom implementation here
}

Custom Operations​

Add specialized operations for your data type:

[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "SoapKit/Variables/Custom/MyData Variable")]
public class MyDataVariable : BaseVariable<MyData>
{
    [ContextMenu("Reset Data")]
    public void ResetData()
    {
        SetValue(new MyData());
    }
    
    public void ModifyProperty(float newValue)
    {
        MyData current = Value;
        current.someProperty = newValue;
        SetValue(current);
    }
}

Validation and Constraints​

Implement custom validation logic:

public class MyDataVariable : BaseVariable<MyData>
{
    [SerializeField] private float minValue;
    [SerializeField] private float maxValue;
    
    public override void SetValue(MyData newValue)
    {
        if (newValue.someProperty < minValue || newValue.someProperty > maxValue)
        {
            Debug.LogWarning($"Value {newValue.someProperty} is outside valid range [{minValue}, {maxValue}]");
            return;
        }
        
        base.SetValue(newValue);
    }
}

Advanced Features​

Custom Equality Comparison​

Override equality comparison for complex types:

public class MyDataVariable : BaseVariable<MyData>
{
    protected override bool AreValuesEqual(MyData a, MyData b)
    {
        if (a == null && b == null) return true;
        if (a == null || b == null) return false;
        
        return Mathf.Approximately(a.someProperty, b.someProperty);
    }
}

Editor Integration​

Create custom property drawers for enhanced editor experience:

#if UNITY_EDITOR
using UnityEditor;

[CustomPropertyDrawer(typeof(MyDataVariable))]
public class MyDataVariableDrawer : BaseVariablePropertyDrawer
{
    // Custom inspector implementation
}
#endif

Best Practices​

  1. Consistent Naming: Follow the pattern [TypeName]Variable
  2. Menu Organization: Use descriptive menu paths in CreateAssetMenu
  3. Validation: Always validate input values
  4. Documentation: Add tooltips and help text
  5. Testing: Create test cases for your custom variables

Next Steps​