[Feature Request] Ideas for improving ReferencePicker GUI

[snarlynarwhal]

Hi, I wanted to share some ideas to improve the ReferencePicker GUI:

1. It could make the inspector more compact if the dropdown went beside the label, instead of below it:

2. It could also make the text less verbose to show just the type name without the namespace, preferrably nicified:

ActionOpenUrl or Action Open Url (preferred)

3. For the dropdown itself, including the namespace makes it hard to parse the options:

I think it can do foldouts: HHG.Common.Runtime > Action Open Url

Or it can list the class name first and the namespace in parenthesis: Action Open Url (HHG.Common.Runtime)

The Unity-SerializeReferenceExtensions project has a nice gui for their SubclassSelector attribute which could give you further ideas:

I currently use their SubclassSelector attribute instead of ReferencePicker but it would be nice to not have to use an additional package just for that.

[arimger]

Hi!

1. It was done intentionally to have additional space for larger labels. The type picker is pushed to the next line if it doesn't fit. I can consider changing it.
2. You can use ReferencePicker properties to change it. To display only the Type name please set the ReferencePickerAttribute.TypeGrouping to TypeGrouping.ByFlatName.
3. Same as above: you can set the ReferencePickerAttribute.TypeGrouping to TypeGrouping.ByNamespace, additionaly you have to set ReferencePickerAttribute .AddTextSearchField to false to use the default context menu.

[snarlynarwhal]

Okay, I see! That does indeed work when I set AddTextSearchField to false 👍

It would nice to define the default behavior in the Editor Toolbox Settings so it could be:

[SerializeReference, ReferencePicker]

Since this is quite verbose:

[SerializeReference, ReferencePicker(TypeGrouping = TypeGrouping.ByNamespaceFlat, AddTextSearchField = false)]

Also, the other package has both a search box in addition to a grouping picker.

I know it's totally not necessary at all, but would be neat to have. Anyways, thanks again for the help!

[arimger]

I have some ideas on how to provide custom/default settings for various drawers, I think it would also be useful to draw ReferencePicker by default, without using an attribute. This will be implemented in version 1.0.0. At this moment, all I can recommend is to implement a custom ArchetypeAttribute (you check how the TitleAttribute works) with your default setup for the ReferencePicker.

[snarlynarwhal]

Oh that sounds like a fantastic solution for 1.0.0! And good idea, I will use a custom attribute for the time being. Thanks so much for the help!