Inspector Inline Editor (WInLineEditor)

Edit nested objects without losing context.

The [WInLineEditor] attribute embeds the inspector for object references (ScriptableObjects, Materials, Components, Textures, etc.) directly below the field. No more clicking through to edit configuration — everything stays in view.

Basic Usage
Display Modes
Configuration Options
Animation Settings
Best Practices
Examples

Basic Usage

using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;

public class AbilityConfig : ScriptableObject
{
    public string displayName;
    public float cooldown;
    public Sprite icon;
}

public class Character : MonoBehaviour
{
    [WInLineEditor]
    public AbilityConfig primaryAbility;  // Editable inline!
}

Visual Reference

WInLineEditor with embedded inspector for a ScriptableObject reference

Display Modes

Control how the inline editor appears using WInLineEditorMode:

Mode	Behavior
`AlwaysExpanded`	Always shows the inline inspector (no foldout)
`FoldoutExpanded`	Shows a foldout that starts expanded
`FoldoutCollapsed`	Shows a foldout that starts collapsed (default)

using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;

public class WInlineEditorModes : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Always visible
    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.AlwaysExpanded)]
    public AbilityConfig alwaysVisibleConfig;

    // Foldout, starts open
    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutExpanded)]
    public AbilityConfig expandedByDefault;

    // Foldout, starts closed (default behavior)
    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)]
    public AbilityConfig collapsedByDefault;

    // Uses global setting from Unity Helpers Settings
    [WInLineEditor]
    public AbilityConfig usesGlobalSetting;
}

Visual Reference

Comparison of AlwaysExpanded, FoldoutExpanded, and FoldoutCollapsed modes

Configuration Options

Fine-tune the presentation with constructor parameters:

[WInLineEditor(
    WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed,  // Display mode
    inspectorHeight: 200f,                // Vertical space (min 160)
    drawObjectField: true,                // Show object picker
    drawHeader: true,                     // Show bold header with ping button
    drawPreview: false,                   // Render preview area
    previewHeight: 64f,                   // Preview area height
    enableScrolling: true,                // Wrap in scroll view
    minInspectorWidth: 520f               // Horizontal scroll threshold (0 = disabled)
)]
public AbilityConfig detailedConfig;

Parameter Reference

Parameter	Default	Description
`inspectorHeight`	200	Vertical space for inspector body (minimum 160)
`drawObjectField`	true	Show the object picker field next to label
`drawHeader`	true	Show bold header with ping button
`drawPreview`	false	Render preview area (if target editor supports it)
`previewHeight`	64	Height of preview area when enabled
`enableScrolling`	true	Wrap inspector body in scroll view
`minInspectorWidth`	520	Width threshold for horizontal scrollbar (0 = disabled)

Examples with Options

using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Utils;

public class AbilityDatabase : ScriptableObjectSingleton<AbilityDatabase>
{
    // Compact: no header, no object field, fixed height
    [WInLineEditor(
        WInLineEditorMode.AlwaysExpanded,
        inspectorHeight: 180f,
        drawObjectField: false,
        drawHeader: false
    )]
    public AbilityConfig compactView;

    // Full featured: preview, scrolling, header with ping
    [WInLineEditor(
        WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutExpanded,
        inspectorHeight: 300f,
        drawPreview: true,
        previewHeight: 80f,
        enableScrolling: true
    )]
    public Sprite abilityIcon;
}

Visual Reference

Different configuration combinations showing compact vs full-featured layouts

Animation Settings

Foldout animations create smooth expand/collapse transitions. Configure globally via Edit > Project Settings > Unity Helpers:

Setting	Default	Description
`InlineEditorFoldoutTweenEnabled`	true	Enable/disable smooth animations
`InlineEditorFoldoutSpeed`	2.0	Animation speed (2.0 - 12.0)

using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;

public class WInLineEditorAnimation : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Animation applies to foldout modes only
    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)] // Animated
    public AbilityConfig animatedFoldout;

    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.AlwaysExpanded)] // No animation
    public AbilityConfig noAnimation;
}

Visual Reference

Smooth expand/collapse animation with configurable speed

See also: Inspector Settings Reference for complete settings documentation.

Supported Types

WInLineEditor works with any Unity Object reference:

ScriptableObjects — Configuration assets, data containers
Materials — Shader properties inline
Textures — Texture import settings
Components — Other MonoBehaviours on GameObjects
Any UnityEngine.Object — Custom asset types

public class VisualConfig : MonoBehaviour
{
    [WInLineEditor]
    public Material sharedMaterial;

    [WInLineEditor(drawPreview: true, previewHeight: 128f)]
    public Texture2D backgroundTexture;

    [WInLineEditor]
    public AudioClip soundEffect;
}

Features

Bespoke implementation — No Odin dependency, tailored for common workflows
Native editor reuse — Respects custom inspectors, validation, and undo
Optional scroll view — Keeps large inspectors usable without stealing space
Preview support — For assets that implement HasPreviewGUI
Ping button — Quick navigation to assets in the Project window
Smooth animations — Configurable expand/collapse transitions

Best Practices

1. Use Foldouts for Optional Content

// Collapsed by default - keeps inspector clean
[WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)]
public AdvancedSettings advancedSettings;

// Always visible for frequently-edited config
[WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.AlwaysExpanded)]
public CoreSettings coreSettings;

2. Adjust Height for Content Size

// Short config - minimal height
[WInLineEditor(inspectorHeight: 160f)]
public SimpleConfig simple;

// Complex config - more room
[WInLineEditor(inspectorHeight: 400f, enableScrolling: true)]
public ComplexConfig complex;

3. Combine with WGroup for Organization

[WGroup("Visual Settings")]
[WInLineEditor]
public Material material;      // In group

[WInLineEditor]
[WGroupEnd]                    // texture IS included, then group closes
public Texture2D texture;      // In group (last field)

[WGroup("Audio Settings")]
[WInLineEditor]
[WGroupEnd]                    // clip IS included, then group closes
public AudioClip clip;         // In group (last field)

4. Disable Object Field for Embedded Data

// When the reference shouldn't change, hide the picker
[WInLineEditor(drawObjectField: false)]
public FixedConfiguration config;

Examples

Example 1: Character Ability System

using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;

[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "Game/Ability Config")]
public class AbilityConfig : ScriptableObject
{
    public string displayName;
    public Sprite icon;
    public float cooldown = 1f;
    public float damage = 10f;
    public GameObject effectPrefab;
}

public class CharacterAbilities : MonoBehaviour
{
    [WGroup("Primary Abilities")]
    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutExpanded)]
    public AbilityConfig primaryAttack;   // In group

    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)]
    [WGroupEnd]                           // secondaryAttack IS included, then closes
    public AbilityConfig secondaryAttack; // In group (last field)

    [WGroup("Ultimate")]
    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed, inspectorHeight: 250f)]
    [WGroupEnd]                           // ultimate IS included, then closes
    public AbilityConfig ultimate;        // In group (last field)
}

Example 2: Material Editor

using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;

public class VisualEffectController : MonoBehaviour
{
    [WInLineEditor(
        WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutExpanded,
        inspectorHeight: 300f,
        drawPreview: true,
        previewHeight: 100f)]
    public Material effectMaterial;

    [WInLineEditor(drawPreview: true, previewHeight: 64f)]
    public Texture2D noiseTexture;
}

Example 3: Audio Configuration

using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;

[CreateAssetMenu(menuName = "Audio/Sound Config")]
public class SoundConfig : ScriptableObject
{
    public AudioClip clip;
    [Range(0f, 1f)] public float volume = 1f;
    [Range(0.5f, 2f)] public float pitch = 1f;
    public bool loop;
}

public class AudioManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)]
    public SoundConfig backgroundMusic;

    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)]
    public SoundConfig buttonClick;

    [WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)]
    public SoundConfig victorySound;
}

Unity Helpers