A lightweight, versatile in-game debug console with built-in commands, logging messages, and a regex-based hint system.
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A versatile in-game debug console with built-in commands, logging messages, and a regex-based hint system. The strongest aspect of this console is how easy and fast it is to add new commands to suit any game.
I initiated this project because some time ago, I needed a console to debug my game and couldn't find anything online that met all my requirements. I then decided to create one myself.
To add BlueConsole to your project simply copy the HTTPS link from this repository and download it from the Unity Package Manager using the "Add package from git URL..." option.
https://github.com/BlueEagle421/BlueConsole.git
You can also download it directly from Releases.
After installing the package you can just simply drag the "Console" prefab into your scene. And that's it! You now have a working BlueConsole. The main prefab can be found in BlueConsole/Prefabs folder.
Key bindings:
- Use ~ to toggle the console on and off
- Use enter to execute text content from the input
- Use ↑ and ↓ to scroll through history
- Use tab to accept maching hint
If you downloaded the package with git URL I recommend to create a local copy of the console prefab, because otherwise you won't be able to make changes to it.
Note that you need to have an EventSystem in you scene for the input working properly.
Main features of the console:
Every command is essentially a method with a custom "ConsoleCommandAttribute." Adding your own commands is a straightforward process – just add the attribute, customize the command's ID and description, and write the code for your function. The console reads all methods from specified assemblies and adds them as executables.
[Command("quit", "closes the application")]
public static void Quit()
{
Application.Quit();
}Every type is parsed and checked differently. BlueConsole, by default, supports almost every C# type and a bunch of Unity types. If you want, you can easily allow your own types to be parsed in arguments – it could be a struct, scriptable object, or anything you prefer!
[TypeParameter("\".*?\"", true)]
public static string StringParameter(string inputParam)
{
return inputParam.Replace("\"", string.Empty);
}The console tells you the closest command to what you are typing in the input field using a simple regex matching function. This feature makes it intuitive to find what you want and ensures that you didn't misspell anything.
Everything that happens in the console should appear on the screen and be customizable. BlueConsole not only allows you to change every aspect of its looks but can also be completely overhauled with some tweaks in a single class. This is because the logic triggers specific events, and visuals receive them to display content accordingly.
By default BlueConsole subscribes to all Unity logs and shows them in-game. This is particularly useful for debugging built projects that don't have the default console provided by Unity editor. Colored messaged also make it effortless to spot what needs extra attention in code.
Please let me know what you think about the console and its presentation. I hope that my explanations are somewhat C# newcomer-friendly. It's my first game tool, and every piece of feedback is valuable to me. Every issue with the package can be reported in Issues.
Here are some sites I used for learning during the development of BlueConsole. If your interested in these topics I highly recommend them!
For regex:
https://gist.github.com/vitorbritto/9ff58ef998100b8f19a0
MIT License
https://github.com/BlueEagle421/BlueConsole/blob/main/LICENSE