🧪 Debugging & Extension Tips

Overview

This section provides practical guidance on how to debug and expand the Shock Simulation system safely and effectively — whether you're working in C++, Blueprints, or both.

The architecture is modular and scalable but also layered. This means debugging requires you to understand where data flows and where it breaks. Extension must respect ownership, lifecycles, and modular separation of logic.

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🔍 General Debugging Workflow

When something doesn’t work (e.g. dots don’t show up, FX doesn’t spawn, diagnosis logic fails), try this top-down approach:

1. Is the right diagnosis being triggered?
2. Check SimulationManager::ChangeDiagnosis()

3. Use UE_LOG() to confirm SelectedDiagnosis->GetName()

4. Does the diagnosis have the right components?

5. Use breakpoints/logs to confirm:

   • Indicators array populated
   • RuntimeBehavior is not null
   • FX list is not empty

6. Is the component being spawned?

7. Breathing Dots: UBreathingDotWidget
8. Niagara FX: via socket positions

9. Temp Labels: AFloatingTemperatureLabel

10. If it's a UI issue:

11. Use Blueprint breakpoints in the widget
12. Confirm SetDescription() is called

13. Log Widget creation (UE_LOG() or use PrintString())

14. If it’s a 3D issue:

15. Use DrawDebugSphere() or DrawDebugString() to visualize positions

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🧠 Logging & Debugging Utilities

C++ Logging

UE_LOG(LogTemp, Warning, TEXT("FX Spawned at: %s"), *SpawnLocation.ToString());
UE_LOG(LogTemp, Display, TEXT("Diagnosis: %s"), *Selected->GetName());

Blueprint Debugging

Use: - PrintString nodes - Breakpoints in: - UBreathingDotWidget - WBP_TemperatureDisplay - UCPP_DiagnosisDropDownMenu

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🎯 Tips for Common Problems

🧪 Problem	✅ Solution
Indicators not showing	Socket name typo? Mesh doesn't contain it? Use DoesSocketExist()
FX not appearing	Niagara System valid? Socket exists? FX destroyed too early?
Widget not displaying	Widget created? Anchor within screen bounds?
Temp label not visible	Is display enabled? Core/skin sockets defined?
OnEnter() not called	Is SetBehavior() actually set in the builder?
Crash on change diagnosis	Null pointer? FX or indicator called before fully built?

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🛠 Extension Tips

🔁 Adding New Behavior Logic

Create a new subclass of UShockBehavior, then plug it into your diagnosis:

class UMyCustomShockBehavior : public UShockBehavior {
  virtual void OnEnter() override { ... }
  virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override { ... }
  virtual void OnExit() override { ... }
};

DiagnosisBuilder(this)
  .SetBehavior(NewObject<UMyCustomShockBehavior>(this))
  .Build();

This allows per-frame logic unique to that diagnosis.

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🌬️ Add Custom Niagara FX

1. Create Niagara FX in Content Browser.
2. Add to the builder:

.AddEffect(NS_PulseFX, true, FName("spine_03"))

1. FX will automatically:
2. Spawn on diagnosis enter
3. Be destroyed on diagnosis change

Use FDiagnosisEffect to customize:

FDiagnosisEffect(NS_SweatFX, true, "Forehead");

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📌 Add New Indicator Type

If you want to make a new type of UI indicator (e.g. icon overlay, status chip):

1. Create a new UMG widget (e.g. WBP_AlertIcon)
2. Make a new data class (e.g. UCustomShockIndicator)
3. Extend spawn logic in SimulationManager:
4. Use WidgetComponent->SetWidgetClass()
5. Set data via Blueprint function call (SetData())

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🧠 Advanced Debugging (Runtime Visuals)

Debug Niagara Locations

DrawDebugSphere(GetWorld(), Mesh->GetSocketLocation(SocketName), 10.0f, 12, FColor::Red, false, 5.0f);

Trace Tick Lifecycle

If Tick() in UShockBehavior isn’t being called: - Check PrimaryComponentTick.bCanEverTick = true - Ensure you're calling RegisterComponent() on it - Confirm SimulationManager isn’t manually skipping it

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🧪 Tools & Shortcuts

Tool	Use Case
UE_LOG()	General C++ debug output
DrawDebugSphere	Visualize positions for FX and UI
Blueprint Logs	Test data passed to widgets
Live Blueprint Debugger	Step through widget lifecycle
Output Log	Trace startup and runtime events

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🧱 Dev Recommendations

• Centralize all changes inside DiagnosisBuilder to avoid logic leaks.
• Prefer data-driven spawning over hardcoded if (DiagnosisType == X) checks.
• When extending UI, keep logic in widgets and only inject data from C++.
• Clean up all spawned actors and widgets in ChangeDiagnosis() to avoid state leaks.
• Add yourself to the top of each diagnosis file (e.g., // Modified by Kristers G. on 2025-06-17)

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