Unity Helpers

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Inspector Settings Reference

Centralized configuration for all inspector features.

The UnityHelpersSettings asset provides project-wide configuration for pagination, colors, animations, and history capacity across all inspector attributes and custom drawers. Configure once, apply everywhere.

Table of Contents

Accessing Settings

Location: ProjectSettings/UnityHelpersSettings.asset

Access in Unity:

  1. Open Project Settings window (Edit > Project Settings)
  2. Scroll to the “Unity Helpers” section (if available)
  3. Or navigate to ProjectSettings/UnityHelpersSettings.asset directly

Note: The asset is created automatically on first use. If missing, any inspector feature will generate it.

Project Settings window showing Unity Helpers settings

Pagination Settings

Controls how many items are shown per page in various UI elements.

StringInListPageSize

Default: 25 Range: 5 - 500 Applies to: [StringInList] attribute

Description: Number of string options shown per page in the dropdown.

Usage:

[StringInList(typeof(SceneLibrary), nameof(SceneLibrary.GetAllSceneNames))]
public string sceneName;  // Uses StringInListPageSize

SerializableSetPageSize

Default: 15 Range: 5 - 500 Applies to: SerializableHashSet<T>, SerializableSortedSet<T>

Description: Number of set elements shown per page in the inspector.

Usage:

public SerializableHashSet<string> items;  // Uses SerializableSetPageSize

SerializableSetStartCollapsed

Default: On
Applies to: SerializableHashSet<T>, SerializableSortedSet<T>

Description: Controls whether SerializableSet inspectors start collapsed the first time they are drawn. When enabled, sets render as a single foldout header until the user expands them; when disabled, the inspector opens automatically. This is only a default—explicit script/test changes to SerializedProperty.isExpanded or [WSerializableCollectionFoldout] overrides still win.

SerializableDictionaryPageSize

Default: 15 Range: 5 - 250 Applies to: SerializableDictionary<TKey, TValue>, SerializableSortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>

Description: Number of dictionary entries shown per page in the inspector.

Usage:

public SerializableDictionary<string, GameObject> prefabs;  // Uses SerializableDictionaryPageSize

SerializableDictionaryStartCollapsed

Default: On
Applies to: SerializableDictionary<TKey, TValue>, SerializableSortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>

Description: Determines whether SerializableDictionary inspectors begin collapsed before any user interaction. Disable this to have dictionaries open automatically in newly created inspectors. Like the set toggle, this only establishes the default; [WSerializableCollectionFoldout] or manual changes to SerializedProperty.isExpanded take precedence on a per-field basis.

SerializableSetFoldoutTweenEnabled

Default: On
Applies to: SerializableHashSet<T>

Description: Controls whether the manual entry foldout in SerializableSet inspectors animates when expanding or collapsing.

SerializableSetFoldoutSpeed

Default: 2
Range: 2 - 12
Applies to: SerializableHashSet<T>

Description: Animation speed for the SerializableSet manual entry foldout when SerializableSetFoldoutTweenEnabled is enabled.

SerializableSortedSetFoldoutTweenEnabled

Default: On
Applies to: SerializableSortedSet<T>

Description: Controls whether the manual entry foldout in SerializableSortedSet inspectors animate when expanding or collapsing.

SerializableSortedSetFoldoutSpeed

Default: 2
Range: 2 - 12
Applies to: SerializableSortedSet<T>

Description: Animation speed for the SerializableSortedSet manual entry foldout when SerializableSortedSetFoldoutTweenEnabled is enabled.

EnumToggleButtonsPageSize

Default: 15 Range: 5 - 50 Applies to: [WEnumToggleButtons] attribute (when pagination enabled)

Description: Number of toggle buttons shown per page for enums with many values.

Usage:

[WEnumToggleButtons(enablePagination: true)]
public ManyOptionsEnum options;  // Uses EnumToggleButtonsPageSize

WButtonPageSize

Default: 6 Range: 1 - 20 Applies to: [WButton] attribute (grouped by draw order)

Description: Number of button actions shown per page.

Usage:

[WButton("Action 1", drawOrder: 0)]
private void Action1() { }

// ... 10 more buttons with drawOrder: 0 ...
// Pagination kicks in after WButtonPageSize buttons

WButton Settings

WButtonHistorySize

Default: 5 Range: 1 - 10 Applies to: [WButton] methods with return values

Description: Number of recent results to keep per method per target.

Usage:

[WButton("Roll Dice")]  // Uses WButtonHistorySize
private int RollDice() => Random.Range(1, 7);

[WButton("Custom History", historyCapacity: 20)]  // Overrides global setting
private int CustomHistory() => Random.Range(1, 100);

WButtonPlacement

Default: Bottom Options: Top, Bottom Applies to: [WButton] buttons using groupPlacement: WButtonGroupPlacement.UseGlobalSetting

Description: Default placement of buttons in the inspector.

Note: Use the groupPlacement parameter on individual buttons to override this setting:

WButtonFoldoutBehavior

Default: StartExpanded Options: Always, StartExpanded, StartCollapsed Applies to: [WButton] grouped buttons

Description: Controls foldout behavior for button groups.

WButtonFoldoutTweenEnabled

Default: true Applies to: [WButton] grouped buttons

Description: Enable smooth animation when expanding/collapsing button groups.

WButtonFoldoutSpeed

Default: 2.0 Range: 2.0 - 12.0 Applies to: [WButton] grouped buttons (when tween enabled)

Description: Animation speed for button group fold/unfold.

WGroup Settings

WGroupAutoIncludeRowCount

Default: 4 Range: 0 - 32 Applies to: [WGroup] attributes using UseGlobalAutoInclude

Description: Default number of fields to auto-include in a WGroup.

Usage:

// Uses WGroupAutoIncludeRowCount (default: 4)
[WGroup("stats", "Stats")]
public int strength;           // Field 1: in group
public int agility;            // Field 2: in group (auto-included)
public int intelligence;       // Field 3: in group (auto-included)
[WGroupEnd("stats")]           // luck IS included (field 4), then group closes
public int luck;               // Field 4: in group (last field)

// Explicit override
[WGroup("combat", "Combat", autoIncludeCount: 2)]
public float health;           // Field 1: in group
[WGroupEnd("combat")]          // mana IS included (field 2), then group closes
public float mana;             // Field 2: in group (last field)

WGroupStartCollapsed

Default: true
Applies to: [WGroup] with collapsible: true when startCollapsed is omitted

Description: Controls the initial foldout state for collapsible WGroups. Disable this to have collapsible groups start expanded unless the attribute explicitly passes startCollapsed: true.

Projects can still override per group via the startCollapsed constructor argument or the CollapseBehavior named argument:

[WGroup(
    "advanced",
    collapsible: true,
    CollapseBehavior = WGroupAttribute.WGroupCollapseBehavior.ForceExpanded
)]

WGroupTweenEnabled

Default: true Applies to: [WGroup] with collapsible: true

Description: Enable smooth animation when expanding/collapsing groups.

WGroupTweenSpeed

Default: 2.0 Range: 2.0 - 12.0 Applies to: [WGroup] with collapsible: true (when tween enabled)

Description: Animation speed for group fold/unfold.

Inline Editor Settings

Controls behavior for the [WInLineEditor] attribute that embeds nested inspectors inline.

InlineEditorFoldoutBehavior

Default: StartCollapsed Options: AlwaysExpanded, StartExpanded, StartCollapsed Applies to: [WInLineEditor] without explicit mode

Description: Default foldout behavior for inline editors.

Note: Use the mode parameter on individual attributes to override this setting:

// Uses global setting
[WInLineEditor]
public AbilityConfig config;

// Always shows inline inspector
[WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.AlwaysExpanded)]
public AbilityConfig alwaysVisible;

// Starts collapsed regardless of global setting
[WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutCollapsed)]
public AbilityConfig collapsedByDefault;

InlineEditorFoldoutTweenEnabled

Default: true Applies to: [WInLineEditor] with foldout modes

Description: Enable smooth animation when expanding/collapsing inline editors.

InlineEditorFoldoutSpeed

Default: 2.0 Range: 2.0 - 12.0 Applies to: [WInLineEditor] with foldout modes (when tween enabled)

Description: Animation speed for inline editor fold/unfold.

Color Palettes

Palette keys keep WButton and WEnumToggleButtons visuals consistent across the project. Open the Color Palettes foldout inside UnityHelpersSettings to add or edit entries. Each key is matched at draw time against the colorKey parameter on the corresponding attribute; unknown keys fall back to theme-aware defaults.

WButtonCustomColors

Applies to: [WButton] via the colorKey parameter
Reserved keys: Default, Default-Light, Default-Dark, WDefault (legacy)
Description: Each entry stores a button color and a readable text color. Reserved keys auto-sync to the current editor skin and cannot be deleted. Custom keys are ideal for highlighting dangerous or primary actions across multiple inspectors.
Usage:

  1. Expand Color Palettes → WButton Custom Colors.
  2. Add an entry (e.g., Highlight) and pick button/text colors.
  3. Reference the key from your button:
[WButton("Submit", colorKey: "Highlight")]
private void Submit() { }

WEnumToggleButtonsCustomColors

Applies to: [WEnumToggleButtons] via the ColorKey property
Reserved keys: Default, Default-Light, Default-Dark
Description: Each entry defines four colors (selected background/text and inactive background/text). Use this dictionary to align enum toggle palettes with the rest of your UI or to clearly separate different tool contexts.
Usage: Add a key under WEnumToggleButtons Custom Colors, then assign it per field:

[WEnumToggleButtons(ColorKey = "Difficulty")]
public DifficultyLevel difficulty;

WEnumToggleButtons Settings

EnumToggleButtonsPageSize

See Pagination Settings.

Creating the Settings Asset

The UnityHelpersSettings asset is automatically created on first use, but you can create it manually:

Method 1: Automatic Creation

  1. Use any inspector attribute (WGroup, WButton, etc.)
  2. Open the inspector
  3. Asset is created at ProjectSettings/UnityHelpersSettings.asset

Method 2: Force Creation

  1. Open any script with an inspector attribute
  2. Select the GameObject/asset in the inspector
  3. Settings asset is generated automatically

Method 3: Via API (Editor Script)

#if UNITY_EDITOR
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Editor.Settings;

UnityHelpersSettings settings = UnityHelpersSettings.Instance;
// Settings asset is now created
#endif

Example Configurations

High-Density UI (More items per page)

StringInListPageSize: 50
SerializableSetPageSize: 30
EnumToggleButtonsPageSize: 25
WButtonPageSize: 12

Use case: Large monitors, scrolling preference over pagination

Low-Density UI (Fewer items per page)

StringInListPageSize: 10
SerializableSetPageSize: 5
EnumToggleButtonsPageSize: 8
WButtonPageSize: 4

Use case: Laptop screens, prefer focused views

Performance-Focused (Disable animations)

WButtonFoldoutTweenEnabled: false
WGroupTweenEnabled: false
InlineEditorFoldoutTweenEnabled: false

Use case: Slower machines, prefer instant feedback

Smooth Animations (Fast tweens)

WButtonFoldoutSpeed: 8.0
WGroupTweenSpeed: 8.0
InlineEditorFoldoutSpeed: 8.0

Use case: Snappy UI feel

Extensive History (More button results)

WButtonHistorySize: 10

Use case: Heavy testing/debugging workflows

Troubleshooting

Settings Asset Missing

Problem: Can’t find UnityHelpersSettings.asset

Solution:

  1. Use any inspector attribute in a script
  2. Select an object in the inspector
  3. Asset is created automatically
  4. Check ProjectSettings/UnityHelpersSettings.asset

Changes Not Applied

Problem: Modified settings but inspector doesn’t update

Solution:

  1. Ensure settings asset is saved (Ctrl+S or Cmd+S)
  2. Refresh inspector (click away and back)
  3. Reimport scripts if needed (Assets > Reimport All)

Color Palette Not Working

Problem: Custom color key doesn’t apply

Solution:

  1. Check color key spelling (case-sensitive)
  2. Verify entry exists in the appropriate dictionary (WButtonCustomColors, WEnumToggleButtonsCustomColors)
  3. Ensure colors are set (not transparent/default)
  4. Save settings asset

See Also

Next Steps: