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UnrealFrontend
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UE3 Home > Unreal Editor & Tools > Unreal Frontend
UE3 Home > UnrealScript > Unreal Frontend

Unreal Frontend


Overview


Unreal Frontend (UFE) is a tool that helps perform common multi-step tasks in the Unreal ecosystem through an intuitive graphical interface. Examples of such tasks are deploying a game to a mobile device (such as an iPhone) or creating an installer for a PC game.

iPhoneSteps.png

In the screen shot above UFE is being used to test a game on an iPhone. The following steps are going to be taken:

  • Compiling script code
  • Cooking data
  • Packaging the game for the iPhone
  • Deploying to the device

Iterating on PC


Unreal Frontend is not necessary or intended for iterating on PC, as that simply requires the user to compile script and launch the game.

Accessing Unreal Frontend


The Unreal Frontend executable (UnrealFrontend.exe) can be found in the Binaries folder of your Unreal Engine 3 (or UDK) directory.

ufe_launch_binaries.png

The application can also be launched through the start menu for UDK installations. It is located in the [UDK Version] > Tools folder.

ufe_launch_menu.png

Unreal Frontend Interface


The Unreal Frontend interface consists of four main areas:

ufe_interface.png

  1. Toolbar
  2. Profile List
  3. Configuration Settings
  4. Output Window

Toolbar

ufe_toolbar.png

The Toolbar in Unreal Frontend is used to launch individual tasks, configure and launch a job (or series of tasks), launch UnrealConsole, or reboot all selected targets.

Button Description
ufe_toolbar_start.png
ufe_toolbar_start_menu.png
Starts the current pipeline job.

Menu Options

  • Start - Starts the current pipeline job.
  • Start: Rebuild Script - Run the pipeline and force the scripts to be re-compiled.
  • Start: Full Recook - Run the pipeline and force packages to be re-cooked.
  • Start: Cook INIs only - Run the pipeline, but only cook the INIs.
ufe_toolbar_stop.png Stops the current pipeline job.
ufe_toolbar_script.png
rsrc/Three/UnrealFrontend/ufe_toolbar_script_menu.png
Options and actions pertaining to the Compile Script step of the pipeline.

Menu Options

  • Compile Scripts - Just compiles script.
  • Full Recompile - Re-compiles all script.
  • Step Enabled - Toggles whether scripts will be compiled as part of the pipeline job.
ufe_toolbar_cook.png
ufe_toolbar_cook_menu.png
Options and actions pertaining to the Cook step of the pipeline.

Menu Options

  • Cook Packages - Cooks the packages. Assumes script is already compiled.
  • Clean and Full Recook - Re-cooks all the packages. Assumes script is already compiled.
  • Step Enabled - Toggles whether packages will be cooked as part of the pipeline job.
ufe_toolbar_launch.png
ufe_toolbar_launch_menu.png
Options and actions pertaining to the Launch step of the pipeline.

Menu Options

  • Launch - Launches the game on the selected targets.
  • Step Enabled - Toggles whether the game will be launched on the selected targets as part of the pipeline job.
ufe_toolbar_package.png
ufe_toolbar_package_menu.png
Options and actions for the pipeline step that packages the game for mobile devices.

Menu Options

  • Package iOS App - Packages the game for iOS devices.
  • Step Enabled - Toggles whether the game will be packaged for mobile devices as part of the pipeline job.
ufe_toolbar_packagegame.png
ufe_toolbar_packagegame_menu.png
Options and actions for the pipeline step that packages the game for PC or consoles.

Menu Options

  • Package Game - Packages the game for PC or consoles.
  • Step Enabled - Toggles whether the game will be packaged for PC or consoles as part of the pipeline job.
ufe_toolbar_deploy.png
ufe_toolbar_deploy_menu.png
Options and actions for the pipeline step that deploys the packaged game to connected mobile devices.

Menu Options

  • Deploy to iOS device - Deploys the packaged game to connected iOS devices.
  • Step Enabled - Toggles whether the game will be deployed to connected mobile devices as part of the pipeline job.
ufe_toolbar_reboot.png Reboots the selected targets.
ufe_toolbar_console.png Launches the Unreal Console.

Profile List

ufe_profile_list.png

The Profile List displays all the existing configuration profiles. A configuration profile is an individual collection of all configurations settings as well as pipeline job setup. Unreal Fonrtend uses profiles as a way to quickly and easily allow switching between building different games, different targets, etc. Profiles can be set up for compiling and cooking, cooking and packaging, cooking and packaging and deploying, etc. Then, simply choosing the appropriate profile and clicking the Start button will perform the actions of the pipeline job associated with that profile according to the configuration settings associated with the profile.

New profiles can be created by cloning, duplicating, an existing profile. To clone a profile, select the profile to be cloned and click the ufe_profile_clone.png button. A new profile will appear. The new profile's name will be that of the original profile with " - Copy" appended.

ufe_profile_new.png

Profiles can be renamed by selecting the profile to be renamed and clicking the ufe_profile_rename.png button. Enter the new name and then press the Enter key to commit the new name.

ufe_profile_renamed.png

Profiles can be deleted by selecting the profile to be deleted and clicking the ufe_profile_delete.png button.

ufe_profile_delete_before.pngufe_profile_delete_after.png

Context Menu

ufe_profile_contextmenu.png

  • Clone Profile - Creates a duplicate of the selected profile.
  • Rename Profile - Makes the name of the selected profile editable.
  • Delete Profile - Removes the selected profile.

Configuration Settings

ufe_config_section.png

The Configuration Settings pane contains all the settings and properties associated with the configuration used to compile, cook, and package the game for the current profile.

The Configuration button displays the configuration options so they can be modified.

ufe_config_settings_button.png

Maps

ufe_config_maps.png

The maps section adds or removes maps from the game to be cooked and packaged. It also sets the default map or a URL to load when launching the game.

Cooker Options

ufe_config_cooker.png

The Cooker options section allows command line options to be set for the content cooker as well as setting which languages are to be cooked.

Languages

ufe_config_languages.png

Opens the list of languages allowing you to selected which languages will be cooked.

ufe_config_languages_menu.png

Launch Options

ufe_config_launchoptions.png

The Launch Options section allows command line options and other properties to be set for launching the game.

Option Description
No VSync If checked, VSync will be disabled.
Capture FPS Chart Info If checked, FPS chart info will be captured when running the game.
Clear UnrealConsole Wind If checked, the UnrealConsole window will be cleared each time the game is launched.
Use Exec Commands If checked, a text box will be displayed allowing a list of exec commands to be entered that will be executed when launching the game.

Targets

ufe_config_targets.png

The Targets section sets the directory to use for finding debugging targets.

Note: This section is only displayed when the Platform selected in the configuration options is a PC or console platform.

Mobile

ufe_config_mobile.png

The Mobile section sets the packaging mode to use, toggles the use of the network file loader, and opens the Unreal iOS Configuration Wizard.

Packaging Mode

Mode Description
Default Packages iOS games to be deployed to connected iOS devices for testing and ad hoc distribution.
Distribution Packages iOS games for App Store submission. Games packaged with this mode cannot be deployed directly to an iOS device.

Application Settings

ufe_config_mobile_appsettings.png

Opens the Unreal iOS Configuration Wizard to set up or modify mobile provisioning.

Note: This section is only displayed when the Platform selected in the configuration options is a mobile platform.

Active Instances

ufe_config_instances.png

When targeting mobile devices, the Active Instances list shows all devices currently running the game.

Note: This section is only displayed when the Platform selected in the configuration options is a mobile platform.

Output Window

ufe_output_section.png

The Output Window displays the progress of actions being performed by Unreal Frontend, including general information as well as warnings and errors.

Using Unreal Frontend


Pipeline Jobs

Unreal Frontend provides the ability to set up a pipeline job, or series of tasks to be performed in a row. This series of tasks will be completed, one after the other, displaying the progress of the job, incuding any warnings or errors, in the output window. Pipeline jobs make it much easier and more efficient to perform all the tasks necessary to build and package an Unreal Engine 3 game, as the full build process can take some time. With a piepline job, the process can be configured and started allowing Unreal Frontend to handle all the different steps while you go about other work.

Steps that are not a part of the pipeline job currently are shown with Skip overlayed.

ufe_pipeline_skip.png

Any task can be added to the pipeline job by toggling the Step Enabled item in the menu for that step.

ufe_pipeline_enable_menu.png

The step will now be enabled and performed as part of the pipeline. The Skip overlay will no longer be displayed and the Step Enabled item in the menu will be toggled.

ufe_piepline_enabled.png

A pipeline job is started by pressing the Start button in the Toolbar.

ufe_toolbar_start.pn

A pipeline job can be aborted at any point by pressing the Stop button in the Toolbar.

ufe_toolbar_stop.png

Setting the Configuration

How Unreal Frontend performs the individual steps of the pipeline, and which steps are available, depends on the current configuration. Each profile has its own settings for the configuration. The configuration consists of the game to build, the target platform, the game configuration, the script configuration, the cooker configuration, the maps to include, and various other settings.

To view or modify the current configuration options for the selected profile, click the Configuration button in the Configuration Settings pane.

ufe_config_settings_button.png

The Configuration Settings pane will be blacked out and the current configuration options are displayed overlayed.

ufe_config_settings.png

Select from the options for each of the following:

  • Game - Select the game to use from all available game projects.
  • Platform - Select the target platform to build for.
  • Game Config - Select the configuration to use for the game.
  • Script Config - Select the configuration to use when building scripts.
  • Cook/Make Config - Select the configuration (executable) to use when cooking. Make will be invoked on this executable

Clicking OK will save the configuration options for the profile.