Skip to content

Odin Inspector to Unity Helpers Migration Guide

A practical guide for migrating from Odin Inspector to Unity Helpers. Examples are verified against the actual source code.

Quick Reference Table

Odin Feature Unity Helpers Equivalent
[Button] [WButton]
[ReadOnly] [WReadOnly]
[ShowIf] / [HideIf] [WShowIf]
[EnumToggleButtons] [WEnumToggleButtons]
[ValueDropdown] [WValueDropDown], [IntDropDown], [StringInList]
[BoxGroup] [WGroup]
[FoldoutGroup] [WGroup(collapsible: true)]
[InlineEditor] [WInLineEditor]
[Required] [WNotNull], [ValidateAssignment]
SerializedMonoBehaviour Standard MonoBehaviour
SerializedDictionary SerializableDictionary<K,V>
N/A (paid feature) SerializableHashSet<T>

1. Serializable Collections

Dictionary

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
using Sirenix.OdinInspector;
using Sirenix.Serialization;

public class Example : SerializedMonoBehaviour
{
    public Dictionary<string, int> scores;
}

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.DataStructure.Adapters;

public class Example : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField]
    private SerializableDictionary<string, int> scores = new SerializableDictionary<string, int>();
}

Key differences:

  • No special base class required (use standard MonoBehaviour)
  • Must use [SerializeField] or public
  • Initialize with new to avoid null references (good practice, Unity will initialize this like it does List and arrays)

HashSet

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
using Sirenix.OdinInspector;
using Sirenix.Serialization;

public class Example : SerializedMonoBehaviour
{
    public HashSet<string> unlockedItems;
}

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
using UnityEngine;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.DataStructure.Adapters;

public class Example : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField]
    private SerializableHashSet<string> unlockedItems = new SerializableHashSet<string>();
}

2. Inspector Buttons

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
[Button("Regenerate")]
private void RegenerateLevel() { }

[Button, ButtonGroup("Actions")]
private void Save() { }

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
[WButton("Regenerate")]
private void RegenerateLevel() { }

[WButton(groupName: "Actions")]
private void Save() { }

Additional options:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
// Control button order within a group
[WButton(drawOrder: 1, groupName: "Debug")]
private void PrintDebugInfo() { }

// Control group placement (top or bottom of inspector)
[WButton(groupName: "Authoring", groupPlacement: WButtonGroupPlacement.Top)]
private void GenerateIds() { }

Odin Inspector Support:

WButton works with Odin's SerializedMonoBehaviour and SerializedScriptableObject without additional setup. Use [WButton] on your methods.

Manual integration may be needed if:

3. Conditional Display

Basic Boolean Condition

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
public bool showAdvanced;

[ShowIf("showAdvanced")]
public float advancedSetting;

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
public bool showAdvanced;

[WShowIf(nameof(showAdvanced))]
public float advancedSetting;

Hide If (Inverse)

Odin:

C#
1
2
[HideIf("isDisabled")]
public float value;

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
[WShowIf(nameof(isDisabled), inverse: true)]
public float value;

Enum Value Comparison

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
public AttackType attackType;

[ShowIf("attackType", AttackType.Ranged)]
public float range;

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
public AttackType attackType;

[WShowIf(nameof(attackType), AttackType.Ranged)]
public float range;

Numeric Comparisons

Odin:

C#
1
2
[ShowIf("@level >= 5")]
public Ability ultimateAbility;

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
[WShowIf(nameof(level), WShowIfComparison.GreaterThanOrEqual, 5)]
public Ability ultimateAbility;

Available comparisons: Equal, NotEqual, GreaterThan, GreaterThanOrEqual, LessThan, LessThanOrEqual, IsNull, IsNotNull, IsNullOrEmpty, IsNotNullOrEmpty

4. Enum Toggle Buttons

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
[EnumToggleButtons]
public Direction direction;

[EnumToggleButtons]
public MovementFlags flags; // [Flags] enum

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
[WEnumToggleButtons]
public Direction direction;

[WEnumToggleButtons(showSelectAll: true, showSelectNone: true)]
public MovementFlags flags; // [Flags] enum

Control buttons per row:

C#
1
2
[WEnumToggleButtons(buttonsPerRow: 4)]
public DamageType damageTypes;

5. Value Dropdowns

Integer Dropdown

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
[ValueDropdown("GetFrameRates")]
public int targetFrameRate;

private int[] GetFrameRates() => new[] { 30, 60, 120 };

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
// Inline values (simplest)
[IntDropDown(30, 60, 120)]
public int targetFrameRate;

// Or with provider method
[IntDropDown(nameof(GetFrameRates))]
public int targetFrameRate;

private IEnumerable<int> GetFrameRates() => new[] { 30, 60, 120 };

String Dropdown

Odin:

C#
1
2
[ValueDropdown("GetDifficulties")]
public string difficulty;

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
// Inline values
[StringInList("Easy", "Normal", "Hard")]
public string difficulty;

// Or with provider
[StringInList(nameof(GetDifficulties))]
public string difficulty;

Generic Value Dropdown

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
// Static provider from another class
[WValueDropDown(typeof(AudioManager), nameof(AudioManager.GetSoundNames))]
public string soundEffect;

// Instance provider (method on same class)
[WValueDropDown(nameof(GetAvailableWeapons), typeof(WeaponData))]
public WeaponData selectedWeapon;

6. Grouping Fields

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
[BoxGroup("Movement")]
public float speed;

[BoxGroup("Movement")]
public float jumpHeight;

[FoldoutGroup("Advanced")]
public float acceleration;

Unity Helpers:

C#
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
// Auto-include next N fields
[WGroup("Movement", autoIncludeCount: 2)]
public float speed;        // Field 1: in group
public float jumpHeight;   // Field 2: in group (auto-included, last by count)

// Or explicit end marker
[WGroup("Movement")]
public float speed;        // In group
public float jumpHeight;   // In group (auto-included)
[WGroupEnd]                // friction IS included, then group closes
public float friction;     // In group (last field)

// Collapsible (foldout)
[WGroup("Advanced", collapsible: true, startCollapsed: true)]
public float acceleration;

Nested Groups

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
6
[WGroup("Character", displayName: "Character Settings")]
public string characterName;

[WGroup("Stats", parentGroup: "Character")]
public int health;
public int mana;

7. Inline Editors

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
[InlineEditor]
public EnemyConfig config;

[InlineEditor(InlineEditorModes.GUIOnly)]
public ItemData item;

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
[WInLineEditor]
public EnemyConfig config;

[WInLineEditor(WInLineEditorMode.FoldoutExpanded, inspectorHeight: 200f)]
public ItemData item;

Available modes: AlwaysExpanded, FoldoutExpanded, FoldoutCollapsed

8. Required/NotNull Validation

Odin:

C#
1
2
3
4
5
[Required]
public GameObject prefab;

[Required("Player reference is required!")]
public Transform player;

Unity Helpers:

C#
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
[WNotNull]
public GameObject prefab;

[WNotNull(WNotNullMessageType.Error, "Player reference is required!")]
public Transform player;

// Runtime validation in Awake/Start
private void Awake()
{
    this.CheckForNulls(); // Extension method
}

Collection Validation

For validating that collections aren't empty:

C#
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
[ValidateAssignment]
public List<Transform> spawnPoints; // Warns if null or empty

[ValidateAssignment(ValidateAssignmentMessageType.Error, "Need at least one enemy type")]
public List<EnemyData> enemyTypes;

// Runtime check
private void Start()
{
    this.ValidateAssignments();
}

9. Read-Only Fields

Odin:

C#
1
2
[ReadOnly]
public string generatedId;

Unity Helpers:

C#
1
2
[WReadOnly]
public string generatedId;

10. Complete Migration Example

Before (Odin):

C#
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
using Sirenix.OdinInspector;
using Sirenix.Serialization;
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class EnemySpawner : SerializedMonoBehaviour
{
    [BoxGroup("Settings")]
    [Required]
    public GameObject enemyPrefab;

    [BoxGroup("Settings")]
    [ShowIf("useWaves")]
    public int wavesCount = 3;

    public bool useWaves;

    [EnumToggleButtons]
    public SpawnPattern pattern;

    [ValueDropdown("GetSpawnRates")]
    public float spawnRate;

    public Dictionary<string, int> enemyWeights;

    [Button("Spawn Wave")]
    private void SpawnWave() { }

    private float[] GetSpawnRates() => new[] { 0.5f, 1f, 2f };
}

After (Unity Helpers):

C#
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.DataStructure.Adapters;

public class EnemySpawner : MonoBehaviour
{
    [WGroup("Settings", autoIncludeCount: 2)]
    [WNotNull]
    [SerializeField]
    private GameObject enemyPrefab;

    [WShowIf(nameof(useWaves))]
    [SerializeField]
    private int wavesCount = 3;

    [SerializeField]
    private bool useWaves;

    [WEnumToggleButtons]
    [SerializeField]
    private SpawnPattern pattern;

    [WValueDropDown(0.5f, 1f, 2f)]
    [SerializeField]
    private float spawnRate;

    [SerializeField]
    private SerializableDictionary<string, int> enemyWeights =
        new SerializableDictionary<string, int>();

    [WButton("Spawn Wave")]
    private void SpawnWave() { }
}

Namespace Reference

C#
1
2
3
4
5
// Attributes
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.Attributes;

// Serializable collections
using WallstopStudios.UnityHelpers.Core.DataStructure.Adapters;

Key Differences Summary

  1. No special base class - Use standard MonoBehaviour / ScriptableObject
  2. Use nameof() - Unity Helpers uses nameof() for condition fields (type-safe)
  3. Initialize collections - Initialize new SerializableDictionary<K,V>() etc. to avoid null references
  4. [HideIf] becomes inverse - Use [WShowIf(..., inverse: true)] instead of [HideIf]
  5. Numeric conditions - Use WShowIfComparison enum instead of expression strings
  6. Groups auto-include - [WGroup] can auto-include subsequent fields with autoIncludeCount

See Also