Agent skill

Ue Data Assets Tables

by quodsoler in quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills

A skill your agent uses when modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets, data tables, curve tables, soft references and asset streaming.

MITAuto-check passedDocuments & Office

Install Ue Data Assets Tables

skills CLI
$ npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills ue-data-assets-tables --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/ue-data-assets-tables .claude/skills/ue-data-assets-tables && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
ue-data-assets-tables
GitHub stars
362
Token cost
~7.5k tokens
SKILL.md length
1,992 words
Files
3 (incl. references)
Skills in repo
31
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

A skill your agent uses when modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets, data tables, curve tables, soft references and asset streaming.

  • Modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets
  • SKILL.md covers Context, Choosing a Data Container, Data Assets and Data Tables, plus 11 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
  • Soft references and asset streaming

What it does

Ue Data Assets Tables is an agent skill from quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills. Use when modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets, data tables, curve tables, soft references and asset streaming. Also use when the user mentions 'UDataAsset', 'UPrimaryDataAsset', 'UDataTable', 'FTableRowBase', 'FindRow', 'FDataTableRowHandle', 'TSoftObjectPtr', 'TSoftClassPtr', 'FSoftObjectPath', 'UAssetManager', 'LoadPrimaryAsset', 'FStreamableManager', 'RequestAsyncLoad', 'asset bundles', 'PrimaryAssetTypesToScan', 'IAssetRegistry', 'CSV import', or 'hard vs soft reference'…

Its SKILL.md is about 7.5k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 3 other files, including reference files (for example `references/asset-loading-patterns.md` and `references/data-driven-design.md`).

It sits in Documents & Office, covering CSV and tabular files. It works with C++. The repository describes itself as: Unreal Engine C++ skills for AI coding agents. 27 skills covering gameplay, rendering, networking, animation, and more. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and any agent… The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets
  • Soft references and asset streaming
  • The user mentions UDataAsset
  • UPrimaryDataAsset

Example prompts

  • “UDataAsset”
  • “UPrimaryDataAsset”
  • “UDataTable”
  • “/ue-data-assets-tables”

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit f3742d7. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are cpp and ini).

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Ue Data Assets Tables loads about 7.5k tokens when it runs, and up to ~14k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 171 tokens; SKILL.md has 1,992 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~171
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~7.5k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~14k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills at commit f3742d7, republished under its MIT licence (© quodsoler). 1,992 words, ~7,486 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
ue-data-assets-tables
description
Use when modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets, data tables, curve tables, soft references and asset streaming. Also use when the user mentions 'UDataAsset', 'UPrimaryDataAsset', 'UDataTable', 'FTableRowBase', 'FindRow', 'FDataTableRowHandle', 'TSoftObjectPtr', 'TSoftClassPtr', 'FSoftObjectPath', 'UAssetManager', 'LoadPrimaryAsset', 'FStreamableManager', 'RequestAsyncLoad', 'asset bundles', 'PrimaryAssetTypesToScan', 'IAssetRegistry', 'CSV import', or 'hard vs soft reference'. For save games, see ue-serialization-savegames; for UPROPERTY basics, see ue-cpp-foundations; for level streaming, see ue-world-level-streaming.
metadata.version
2.0.0
metadata.engine
5.8

UE Data Assets and Tables

Target engine: UE 5.8. APIs below are verified against the 5.8 headers; older forms are listed under "Deprecated — do not use".

This skill covers designer-authored game data and the loading paths that bring it into memory: UDataAsset/UPrimaryDataAsset, UDataTable/UCurveTable, soft references, FStreamableManager, UAssetManager primary assets and cook rules, IAssetRegistry queries, the DataRegistry plugin and UDeveloperSettings. Build.cs modules: Engine and CoreUObject for data assets, tables and soft pointers; AssetRegistry for registry queries; DeveloperSettings for settings classes; DataRegistry for data registries. Deep dives live in asset loading patterns and data-driven design patterns.

Context

Read .agents/ue-project-context.md if it exists (module names, conventions, enabled plugins, custom UAssetManager subclass, registered primary asset types). Do not stop if it is missing.

Identify the area from the request and the codebase. Ask only when two plausible readings would produce different code.

Request is about…Go to
Picking a container for game dataChoosing a Data Container
UDataAsset, UPrimaryDataAsset, asset bundlesData Assets
Row structs, CSV/JSON import, FindRowData Tables
Curves, table compositionCurve Tables and Composite Tables
TSoftObjectPtr, FSoftObjectPath, memory budgetReferences: Hard vs Soft
Async loading, handles, prioritiesAsync Loading
FPrimaryAssetId, scanning, bundle statesAsset Manager
Cooking, chunking, PrimaryAssetTypesToScanCook Rules
Finding assets without loading themAsset Registry Queries
Sharing rows across sources at runtimeData Registry
Project-wide tunables in Project SettingsProject Settings

Choosing a Data Container

NeedUseHeader
Per-object config, editor-authored, one asset per entryUDataAssetEngine/DataAsset.h
Same, plus load/unload by id and cook rulesUPrimaryDataAssetEngine/DataAsset.h
Flat rows of identical shape, spreadsheet authoredUDataTable + FTableRowBaseEngine/DataTable.h
Rows merged from several tables (DLC, overrides)UCompositeDataTableEngine/CompositeDataTable.h
Float curves keyed by row nameUCurveTable, FCurveTableRowHandleEngine/CurveTable.h
One row id resolved across many sources at runtimeUDataRegistrySubsystemDataRegistrySubsystem.h
Project-wide tunables in Project SettingsUDeveloperSettingsEngine/DeveloperSettings.h

UDataAsset supports Blueprint subclasses and inheritance; UDataTable rows do not. UDataTable gives lookup by row name out of the box; data assets need an Asset Manager scan or an Asset Registry query to be discoverable.

Data Assets

UDataAsset is a plain UObject you can instantiate from the Content Browser. UPrimaryDataAsset adds GetPrimaryAssetId() so UAssetManager can scan, load and unload it by id.

cpp
// MyWeaponDefinition.h
#pragma once

#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Engine/DataAsset.h"
#include "MyWeaponDefinition.generated.h"
class UTexture2D; class USkeletalMesh;   // TSoftObjectPtr<T> needs T declared

UCLASS(BlueprintType)
class MYGAME_API UMyWeaponDefinition : public UPrimaryDataAsset
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Weapon")
    FText WeaponName;

    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Weapon")
    float FireRate = 1.f;

    /** Written into the Asset Registry so it can be filtered without loading. */
    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Weapon", AssetRegistrySearchable)
    FName WeaponClassTag;

    /** Bundles group soft references so the Asset Manager can load a subset. */
    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Art", meta = (AssetBundles = "UI"))
    TSoftObjectPtr<UTexture2D> Icon;

    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Art", meta = (AssetBundles = "Game"))
    TSoftObjectPtr<USkeletalMesh> WorldMesh;
};

GetPrimaryAssetId() rules (Engine/DataAsset.h:36-53):

  • The default returns type = name of the first native class going up the hierarchy (or the highest-level Blueprint class), name = the asset FName.
  • Blueprint subclasses should be authored as Data Only Blueprints, not Data Asset instances, so parent-class edits propagate.
  • Override only when you need a different type/name scheme; inside the class body the declaration is virtual FPrimaryAssetId GetPrimaryAssetId() const override;.
  • UpdateAssetBundleData() scans meta=(AssetBundles="Name") on the class and fills the AssetBundleData UPROPERTY during PreSave. Bundle names are free-form; meta=(AssetBundles="Client,Server") puts one property in two bundles.
  • Plain UDataAsset has no primary asset id and loads only through whoever references it.

Data Tables

Every row struct derives FTableRowBase (Engine/DataTable.h:33) and uses GENERATED_BODY().

cpp
// MyItemTableRow.h
#pragma once

#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Engine/DataTable.h"
#include "MyItemTableRow.generated.h"
class UStaticMesh;

USTRUCT(BlueprintType)
struct FMyItemTableRow : public FTableRowBase
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

    UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Item")
    FText DisplayName;

    UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Item")
    int32 MaxStack = 1;

    UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Item")
    TSoftObjectPtr<UStaticMesh> PreviewMesh;

    /** Called after CSV/JSON import. Not editor-only. */
    virtual void OnPostDataImport(const UDataTable* InDataTable, const FName InRowName, TArray<FString>& OutCollectedImportProblems) override;

    /** Called for every row whenever the owning table is modified. Not editor-only. */
    virtual void OnDataTableChanged(const UDataTable* InDataTable, const FName InRowName) override;
};

FTableRowBase::IsDataValid(FDataValidationContext& Context) const is the third hook and is wrapped in #if WITH_EDITOR (Engine/DataTable.h:60-68); guard any override the same way and include Misc/DataValidation.h.

Lookup
cpp
UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, Category = "Data")
TObjectPtr<UDataTable> ItemTable;

// FindRow<T>(FName, const TCHAR*|const FString&, bool bWarnIfRowMissing = true) -> T* or nullptr.
const FMyItemTableRow* Row = ItemTable->FindRow<FMyItemTableRow>(RowName, TEXT("LookupItem"));

TArray<FMyItemTableRow*> AllRows;
ItemTable->GetAllRows<FMyItemTableRow>(TEXT("GetAllItems"), AllRows);

TArray<FName> RowNames = ItemTable->GetRowNames();

ItemTable->ForeachRow<FMyItemTableRow>(TEXT("Foreach"),
    [](const FName& Key, const FMyItemTableRow& Value)
    {
        // Key is the row name, Value the typed row.
    });

// GetRowMap() is the raw TMap<FName, uint8*>; use it only for generic/reflection code.
const int32 NumRows = ItemTable->GetRowMap().Num();

FDataTableRowHandle is the UPROPERTY-friendly reference (table plus row name) designers pick in the editor:

cpp
UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Config")
FDataTableRowHandle StartingItemHandle;   // IsNull() when nothing is picked

const FMyItemTableRow* Starting = StartingItemHandle.GetRow<FMyItemTableRow>(TEXT("StartingItem"));
Runtime mutation and import
cpp
FMyItemTableRow NewRow;
NewRow.MaxStack = 5;
ItemTable->AddRow(FName(TEXT("RuntimeSword")), NewRow);   // In memory only, not saved to disk.
ItemTable->RemoveRow(FName(TEXT("ObsoleteItem")));
ItemTable->HandleDataTableChanged();                      // Fires the per-row OnDataTableChanged hooks.

// RowStruct must already be set. Available in all build configurations.
TArray<FString> Problems = ItemTable->CreateTableFromCSVString(CsvContent);
TArray<FString> JsonProblems = ItemTable->CreateTableFromJSONString(JsonContent);

GetTableAsCSV(), GetTableAsJSON() and GetTableAsString() sit inside #if WITH_EDITOR (Engine/DataTable.h:318-345) — they do not exist in a cooked build. bStripFromClientBuilds on the table asset makes NeedsLoadForClient() return false, so server-only tables never ship to clients (Engine/DataTable.h:117,149).

Blueprint access

UDataTableFunctionLibrary (Kismet/DataTableFunctionLibrary.h) exposes tables to Blueprint: GetDataTableRowFromName, DoesDataTableRowExist, GetDataTableRowNames, GetDataTableColumnNames, GetDataTableColumnAsString, GetDataTableRowStruct, EvaluateCurveTableRow, GetCurveTableRowNames, plus the editor-scripting FillDataTableFromCSVString / FillDataTableFromCSVFile.

Curve Tables and Composite Tables

cpp
UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Scaling")
FCurveTableRowHandle DamageCurve;

float ScaledDamage = DamageCurve.Eval(CharacterLevel, TEXT("ScaleDamage"));

// Or take the curve once for repeated sampling.
const FRealCurve* Curve = DamageCurve.GetCurve(TEXT("ScaleDamage"));

FCurveTableRowHandle also offers GetRichCurve(), GetSimpleCurve(), IsNull() and Eval(float XValue, float* YValue, const FString& ContextString), which reports whether the lookup succeeded.

UCompositeDataTable merges its ParentTables array into one row map; later tables override earlier ones by row name. Use it for base game plus DLC or per-platform overrides. AppendParentTables(), RemoveParentTables() and GetParentTables() manage the stack; AddRow and RemoveRow are overridden as no-ops (Engine/CompositeDataTable.h:43-47, CompositeDataTable.cpp:191-204), so edit the parent tables instead.

References: Hard vs Soft

FormLoads target when owner loadsUse for
TObjectPtr<UStaticMesh>YesAlways-needed, small, or already resident assets
TSubclassOf<AActor>Yes (the class)Classes spawned constantly
TSoftObjectPtr<UStaticMesh>NoArt, audio, VFX referenced by data
TSoftClassPtr<AActor>NoBlueprint classes chosen by data
FSoftObjectPathNoUntyped paths in generic systems
cpp
UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Art")
TSoftObjectPtr<UStaticMesh> MeshSoft;

UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Spawning")
TSoftClassPtr<AActor> SpawnableSoft;   // LoadSynchronous() returns UClass*

const FSoftObjectPath MeshPath = MeshSoft.ToSoftObjectPath();

// State checks, no loading.
const bool bNoPathSet   = MeshSoft.IsNull();
const bool bInMemory    = MeshSoft.IsValid();   // path set AND target resolved in memory
const bool bLoadPending = MeshSoft.IsPending(); // path set, target not in memory yet
UStaticMesh* Resident   = MeshSoft.Get();       // nullptr unless already loaded

// Blocking resolution. Avoid on the game thread outside loading screens.
UStaticMesh* Mesh = MeshSoft.LoadSynchronous();
UObject* Loaded   = MeshPath.TryLoad();         // nullptr if missing, does not assert
UObject* Existing = MeshPath.ResolveObject();   // in-memory only, never loads

A hard reference inside a UPrimaryDataAsset pulls its whole dependency chain into memory as soon as the definition loads — the single biggest cause of runaway memory in data-driven projects. Default to soft references for content, hard references for values and small structs.

Async Loading

FStreamableManager (Engine/StreamableManager.h) is owned by the Asset Manager; reach it with UAssetManager::GetStreamableManager() and never construct your own in game code.

RequestAsyncLoad has two forms. The classic form takes the paths, a delegate, then TAsyncLoadPriority Priority, bool bManageActiveHandle, bool bStartStalled, FString DebugName. The params form takes a single FStreamableAsyncLoadParams&&.

cpp
// AMyPickupActor members: the handle owns the load, so it must not be a local.
TSharedPtr<FStreamableHandle> LoadHandle;
UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, Category = "Art")
TSoftObjectPtr<UStaticMesh> MeshSoft;
UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, Category = "Art")
TObjectPtr<UStaticMeshComponent> MeshComponent;

void AMyPickupActor::BeginLoadMesh()
{
    FStreamableManager& SM = UAssetManager::GetStreamableManager();

    LoadHandle = SM.RequestAsyncLoad(
        MeshSoft.ToSoftObjectPath(),
        FStreamableDelegate::CreateUObject(this, &AMyPickupActor::OnMeshLoaded),
        FStreamableManager::AsyncLoadHighPriority,
        /*bManageActiveHandle=*/false,
        /*bStartStalled=*/false,
        TEXT("Pickup mesh"));
}

void AMyPickupActor::OnMeshLoaded()
{
    if (UStaticMesh* Mesh = MeshSoft.Get())
    {
        MeshComponent->SetStaticMesh(Mesh);   // Component now holds a hard reference.
    }
    LoadHandle.Reset();
}

Params form, when you need the cancel/update delegates or JIT trickling:

cpp
FStreamableAsyncLoadParams Params;
Params.TargetsToStream = { IconSoft.ToSoftObjectPath(), MeshSoft.ToSoftObjectPath() };
Params.Priority = FStreamableManager::AsyncLoadHighPriority;
Params.bUseJustInTimeAsyncLoader = true;
Params.OnComplete = FStreamableDelegateWithHandle::CreateWeakLambda(this,
    [this](TSharedPtr<FStreamableHandle> Handle)
    {
        // Both targets resolved.
    });

LoadHandle = SM.RequestAsyncLoad(MoveTemp(Params), TEXT("Pickup bundle"));

RequestSyncLoad(TargetsToStream, bManageActiveHandle = false, DebugName = FString()) blocks until done — loading screens and one-time init only.

FStreamableHandle memberMeaning
IsActive()Request exists and has not been released or cancelled
HasLoadCompleted()Every target finished (the delegate may not have run yet)
IsLoadingInProgress()Still streaming
WasCanceled() / HasError()Cancelled by you / one or more targets failed
GetLoadProgress()0.0 to 1.0
GetLoadedAsset() / GetLoadedAsset<T>()First target; GetLoadedAssets(TArray<T*>&) for all
WaitUntilComplete(float Timeout = 0.f, bool bStartStalledHandles = true)Blocks the caller, returns EAsyncPackageState::Type
BindCompleteDelegate / BindCancelDelegate / BindUpdateDelegateAttach callbacks after the request was made
CancelHandle()Stops the load; the complete delegate never fires
ReleaseHandle()Drops the streaming reference so the assets can be collected

The handle is the reference. Assets loaded through RequestAsyncLoad stay alive only while a TSharedPtr<FStreamableHandle> to that request survives (or bManageActiveHandle was true). Dropping every pointer before completion does not cancel: the manager holds the handle until the completion delegate has run, then releases it (Engine/StreamableManager.h:316-320), so the assets are collectable at the next GC unless something else hard-references them.

Delegate factories: FStreamableDelegate::CreateUObject(this, &UMyLoader::Fn) (safe, checks the object), CreateWeakLambda(this, Lambda) (safe, drops if the owner died), CreateLambda(Lambda) (unsafe with a captured this).

UE_ENABLE_STREAMABLE_JIT_ASYNC_LOADING (Engine/StreamableManager.h:20) defaults to 0 and gates the just-in-time async loader at compile time. s.StreamableEnableJITAsyncLoading enables it for requests that opt in through bUseJustInTimeAsyncLoader; s.StreamableEnableJITAsyncLoadingGlobally forces it for every request. JIT trickles requests to the async loader instead of queueing them all at once, which keeps prioritisation and cancellation responsive under load. FStreamableHandle::IsUsingJustInTimeAsyncLoader() reports the resolved state.

More patterns — batching, combined handles, progress, cancellation — in asset loading patterns.

Asset Manager

UAssetManager is the global singleton registered through [/Script/Engine.Engine] AssetManagerClassName. Subclass it to override StartInitialLoading() and PostInitialAssetScan().

cpp
UAssetManager& AM = UAssetManager::Get();               // Engine/AssetManager.h:97

TArray<FPrimaryAssetId> WeaponIds;
AM.GetPrimaryAssetIdList(FPrimaryAssetType(TEXT("MyWeaponDefinition")), WeaponIds);

const FPrimaryAssetId WeaponId(FPrimaryAssetType(TEXT("MyWeaponDefinition")), FName(TEXT("DA_Sword")));
TSharedPtr<FStreamableHandle> Handle = AM.LoadPrimaryAsset(
    WeaponId,
    TArray<FName>{ TEXT("Game") },
    FStreamableDelegate::CreateUObject(this, &UMyItemSubsystem::OnWeaponLoaded));

UMyWeaponDefinition* Def = AM.GetPrimaryAssetObject<UMyWeaponDefinition>(WeaponId);
AM.ChangeBundleStateForPrimaryAssets(
    { WeaponId },
    TArray<FName>{ TEXT("Game") },   // AddBundles
    TArray<FName>{ TEXT("UI") });    // RemoveBundles
const int32 NumUnloaded = AM.UnloadPrimaryAsset(WeaponId);

Signatures (Engine/AssetManager.h:333,340):

cpp
virtual TSharedPtr<FStreamableHandle> LoadPrimaryAsset(
    const FPrimaryAssetId& AssetToLoad,
    const TArray<FName>& LoadBundles = TArray<FName>(),
    FStreamableDelegate DelegateToCall = FStreamableDelegate(),
    TAsyncLoadPriority Priority = FStreamableManager::DefaultAsyncLoadPriority,
    UE::FSourceLocation Location = UE::FSourceLocation::Current());

virtual TSharedPtr<FStreamableHandle> LoadPrimaryAsset(
    const FPrimaryAssetId& AssetToLoad,
    const TArray<FName>& LoadBundles,
    FAssetManagerLoadParams&& LoadParams,
    UE::FSourceLocation Location = UE::FSourceLocation::Current());

LoadPrimaryAssets (plural), LoadPrimaryAssetsWithType, ChangeBundleStateForPrimaryAssets and ChangeBundleStateForMatchingPrimaryAssets all come in the same pair of shapes. Location is filled in by the compiler — never pass it. Prefer the FAssetManagerLoadParams overload for new code; it carries OnComplete, OnCancel (both FStreamableDelegateWithHandle), OnUpdate and Priority.

Unlike raw streamable requests, primary assets stay loaded until you unload them: you do not have to keep the returned handle alive, only to poll or wait on it.

ScanPathsForPrimaryAssets(FPrimaryAssetType, const TArray<FString>& Paths, UClass* BaseClass, bool bHasBlueprintClasses, bool bIsEditorOnly = false, bool bForceSynchronousScan = true) registers types from code when config-driven scanning is not enough. AddDynamicAsset(const FPrimaryAssetId&, const FSoftObjectPath&, const FAssetBundleData&) registers a runtime-generated primary asset.

Show full SKILL.md (823 more words)Show less

Cook Rules

ini
; DefaultGame.ini
[/Script/Engine.AssetManagerSettings]
+PrimaryAssetTypesToScan=(PrimaryAssetType="MyWeaponDefinition",AssetBaseClass="/Script/MyGame.MyWeaponDefinition",bHasBlueprintClasses=False,bIsEditorOnly=False,Directories=((Path="/Game/Data/Weapons")),Rules=(Priority=1,ChunkId=-1,bApplyRecursively=True,CookRule=AlwaysCook))

FPrimaryAssetTypeInfo fields (Engine/AssetManagerTypes.h:131): PrimaryAssetType, AssetBaseClass, bHasBlueprintClasses, bIsEditorOnly, Directories, SpecificAssets, Rules. FPrimaryAssetRules (Engine/AssetManagerTypes.h:66): Priority, ChunkId, bApplyRecursively, CookRule.

EPrimaryAssetCookRule (Engine/AssetManagerTypes.h:28):

ValueMeaning
UnknownCooks in development and production only if something references it
NeverCookNever cooked; a dependency on it is an error
ProductionNeverCookCooks in development if referenced, never in production
DevelopmentAlwaysProductionNeverCookAlways cooked in development, never in production
DevelopmentAlwaysProductionUnknownCookAlways in development; production only if referenced
AlwaysCookAlways cooked in both

UAssetManagerSettings (config = Game, defaultconfig) also exposes DirectoriesToExclude, PrimaryAssetRules, CustomPrimaryAssetRules and bOnlyCookProductionAssets — turn the last one on for shipping branches so ProductionNeverCook assets error instead of leaking into the build.

An asset reachable neither from a scanned primary asset nor from a hard reference is not cooked. A soft reference alone does not pull an asset into the cook; give it a primary asset type or a UPrimaryAssetLabel.

Asset Registry Queries

IAssetRegistry reads asset metadata without loading the assets.

cpp
#include "AssetRegistry/ARFilter.h"
#include "AssetRegistry/AssetData.h"
#include "AssetRegistry/IAssetRegistry.h"

IAssetRegistry& AR = IAssetRegistry::GetChecked();   // AssetRegistry/IAssetRegistry.h:272

FARFilter Filter;
Filter.PackagePaths.Add(FName(TEXT("/Game/Data/Weapons")));
Filter.bRecursivePaths = true;
Filter.ClassPaths.Add(FTopLevelAssetPath(TEXT("/Script/MyGame"), TEXT("MyWeaponDefinition")));
Filter.bRecursiveClasses = true;

TArray<FAssetData> Found;
AR.GetAssets(Filter, Found);

// Direct call; the class argument is FTopLevelAssetPath, never FName.
AR.GetAssetsByClass(FTopLevelAssetPath(TEXT("/Script/MyGame"), TEXT("MyWeaponDefinition")), Found, /*bSearchSubClasses=*/true);

for (const FAssetData& Data : Found)
{
    const FTopLevelAssetPath ClassPath = Data.AssetClassPath;   // Data.AssetName for the short name.

    FString TagValue;
    Data.GetTagValue(FName(TEXT("WeaponClassTag")), TagValue);  // Registry read, still no load.

    UObject* Asset = Data.GetAsset();                           // This one does load.
}

IAssetRegistry::Get() returns a pointer that can be null before the module is up; GetChecked() asserts instead, and FAssetRegistryModule::GetRegistry() is the module-level equivalent. AssetRegistrySearchable on a UPROPERTY writes that property into the registry so FARFilter::TagsAndValues and GetAssetsByTagValues can filter on it without loading. Use ScanPathsSynchronous() when assets may not have been discovered yet.

Data Registry

DataRegistry (Beta in 5.8; plugin off by default, module DataRegistry) resolves one FDataRegistryId against a chain of sources — data tables, curve tables or custom ones — so gameplay code asks for an item by id without knowing which table or DLC provides it.

cpp
#include "DataRegistryId.h"
#include "DataRegistrySubsystem.h"

UDataRegistrySubsystem* Registry = UDataRegistrySubsystem::Get();
const FDataRegistryId ItemId(FName(TEXT("ItemRegistry")), FName(TEXT("Sword")));

// Cached read: non-null only if the source is already resident.
const FMyItemTableRow* Row = Registry->GetCachedItem<FMyItemTableRow>(ItemId);

// Otherwise request it, then re-query the cache in the callback.
Registry->AcquireItem(ItemId, FDataRegistryItemAcquiredCallback::CreateWeakLambda(this,
    [ItemId](const FDataRegistryAcquireResult& Result)
    {
        const FMyItemTableRow* Acquired =
            UDataRegistrySubsystem::Get()->GetCachedItem<FMyItemTableRow>(ItemId);
    }));

UDataRegistrySource_DataTable points a registry at a TSoftObjectPtr<UDataTable> SourceTable with FDataRegistrySource_DataTableRules (bPrecacheTable, CachedTableKeepSeconds); UDataRegistrySource_CurveTable does the same for curves. Registry assets are configured through UDataRegistrySettings.

Project Settings

UDeveloperSettings (module DeveloperSettings) auto-registers a class in Project Settings and reads from an ini section named after the class.

Declare the class UCLASS(config = Game, defaultconfig, meta = (DisplayName = "My Game")) deriving UDeveloperSettings, mark each field UPROPERTY(config, EditAnywhere, Category = "Economy"), and read it with GetDefault<UMyGameSettings>(). config = Game plus defaultconfig writes to DefaultGame.ini under [/Script/MyGame.MyGameSettings]; override GetContainerName(), GetCategoryName() or GetSectionName() to place the page. Use this for a handful of global tunables and data assets for anything designers iterate on per entry — the full class, with includes and the Build.cs dependency, is in data-driven design patterns.

Deprecated — do not use

Do not emitUse in 5.8Source
TAssetPtr<T>, TAssetSubclassOf<T>TSoftObjectPtr<T>, TSoftClassPtr<T>Absent from 5.8 headers; UObject/SoftObjectPtr.h:173,795
FStringAssetReferenceFSoftObjectPathAbsent from 5.8 headers; UObject/SoftObjectPath.h
UAssetManager::IsValid(), GetIfValid()IsInitialized(), GetIfInitialized()UE_DEPRECATED(5.3) in Engine/AssetManager.h:91,99
OnAssetStateChangeCompleted(...) overrideNotifyOnAssetStateChangeCompletedUE_DEPRECATED(5.6) in Engine/AssetManager.h:1035
LoadAssetListInternal(...)LoadAssetList(...) taking FAssetManagerLoadParamsUE_DEPRECATED(5.6) in Engine/AssetManager.h:1072
ShouldSetManager(Manager, Source, Target, ...)ShouldSetManager(UE::AssetRegistry::FShouldSetManagerContext&)UE_DEPRECATED(5.6) in Engine/AssetManager.h:1082
UpdateManagementDatabase(bool)UpdateManagementDatabase(EUpdateManagementDatabaseFlags)UE_DEPRECATED(5.6) in Engine/AssetManager.h:924
BuildChunkMap(PackagesToUpdateChunksFor)the 3-argument BuildChunkMapUE_DEPRECATED(5.6) in Engine/AssetManager.h:1129
FAssetData::AssetClass (short name)FAssetData::AssetClassPath (FTopLevelAssetPath)UE_DEPRECATED(5.1) in AssetRegistry/AssetData.h:198
GetAssetsByClass(FName ClassName, ...)GetAssetsByClass(FTopLevelAssetPath, ...)AssetRegistry/IAssetRegistry.h:335
UCurveTable::GetCurves() returning an arrayGetCurves(TAdderReserverRef<FRichCurveEditInfoConst>)UE_DEPRECATED(5.6) in Engine/CurveTable.h:106
UDataTable::RowStructNameGetRowStruct() at runtime; RowStructPathName is WITH_EDITORONLY_DATARowStructName_DEPRECATED in Engine/DataTable.h:168; GetRowStruct() at :110
GENERATED_USTRUCT_BODY() in row structsGENERATED_BODY()Both compile; only one is current house style
"AssetManager" in a Build.cs dependency list"Engine"No such module; Engine/Classes/Engine/AssetManager.h

Common Mistakes

Letting the streamable handle die: loaded assets are referenced by the handle, not by the soft pointer. Store TSharedPtr<FStreamableHandle> as a member until a hard reference (component, TObjectPtr, array) owns the asset, then reset it.

Hard-referencing content from a data asset: TObjectPtr<UNiagaraSystem> in a UPrimaryDataAsset loads the effect with the definition. Use TSoftObjectPtr plus an asset bundle.

LoadSynchronous() in Tick or on gameplay-critical paths: it stalls the game thread whenever the asset is not already resident. Start one async load and act in the callback.

Passing FName to GetAssetsByClass: 5.8 takes FTopLevelAssetPath(TEXT("/Script/Module"), TEXT("ClassName")). A short class name will not compile.

Forgetting PrimaryAssetTypesToScan: without a registered type, GetPrimaryAssetIdList returns nothing and LoadPrimaryAsset silently does nothing. Register the type in DefaultGame.ini or call ScanPathsForPrimaryAssets.

Capturing this in a bare CreateLambda: the callback can fire after the object is gone. Use CreateUObject or CreateWeakLambda(this, Lambda).

Calling GetTableAsCSV() at runtime: it is WITH_EDITOR only and will not link in a cooked build. Serialise the rows yourself instead. Likewise, renaming or removing a row-struct property makes existing rows lose that column on the next import — export the table to CSV before changing the struct, then re-import.

  • ue-cpp-foundations — UPROPERTY/USTRUCT specifiers, TObjectPtr, UObject lifecycle, the subsystem table
  • ue-async-threading — general async idioms (UE::Tasks, Async, FTSTicker) beyond streamable loading
  • ue-serialization-savegames — persisting soft object paths and primary asset ids across sessions
  • ue-game-features — shipping data assets inside plugins and game feature asset scanning
  • ue-gameplay-abilities — ability and effect definitions that consume these data assets
  • ue-world-level-streaming — level streaming, World Partition and Data Layers
  • ue-module-build-system — adding AssetRegistry, DeveloperSettings and plugin modules to Build.cs
  • ue-audio-system — UAudioComponent, MetaSounds, submixes, attenuation and concurrency
  • ue-blueprint-cpp-interop — exposing C++ to Blueprint: UFUNCTION/UPROPERTY meta keys, latent actions and async nodes
  • ue-editor-tools — detail customizations, editor utility widgets, UToolMenus and editor subsystems
  • ue-gameplay-tags-messaging — native and ini gameplay tags, containers, queries and the async message system
  • ue-materials-rendering — material instances, parameter collections, render targets and post process
  • ue-procedural-generation — PCG graphs, procedural and dynamic meshes, instancing and splines
  • ue-ui-umg-slate — UMG widgets, Slate, Common UI and MVVM

© quodsoler, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 2 other files (references) in skills/ue-data-assets-tables of quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/asset-loading-patterns.md
  • references/data-driven-design.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit f3742d7

Compare with similar skills

Ue Data Assets Tables next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

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Data ReportZJU-REAL/Easel3.4k—~479Automated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Data Table Managern8n-io/n8n207k—~2.3kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence
Instrument Data To Allotropeaws-samples/amazon-bedrock-agents-healthcare-lifesciences2742 repos~2.7kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Abuse Hunternexu-io/harness-engineering-guide664—~1.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Works with

Questions about Ue Data Assets Tables

What does Ue Data Assets Tables do?

A skill your agent uses when modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets, data tables, curve tables, soft references and asset streaming. Ue Data Assets Tables is an agent skill from quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills. Use when modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets, data tables, curve tables, soft references and asset streaming.

When should I use Ue Data Assets Tables?

Ue Data Assets Tables fits situations like: modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets; soft references and asset streaming; the user mentions UDataAsset; UPrimaryDataAsset.

How do I install Ue Data Assets Tables in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/ue-data-assets-tables in quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills) into .claude/skills/ue-data-assets-tables in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Ue Data Assets Tables in Codex?

Run `npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/ue-data-assets-tables in quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills) into .agents/skills/ue-data-assets-tables in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Ue Data Assets Tables in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/ue-data-assets-tables, .gemini/skills/ue-data-assets-tables, .github/skills/ue-data-assets-tables and .opencode/skills/ue-data-assets-tables in your project.

What does Ue Data Assets Tables need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Ue Data Assets Tables is instructions for the agent only.

Does Ue Data Assets Tables access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Ue Data Assets Tables safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Ue Data Assets Tables use?

Ue Data Assets Tables is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Ue Data Assets Tables use?

About 7.5k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 30k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 6.8k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Ue Data Assets Tables?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Ue Data Assets Tables: Nsight Graphics Analyzer (Luna5ama/Alpha-Piscium, 156 stars), Data Report (ZJU-REAL/Easel, 3.4k stars), Data Table Manager (n8n-io/n8n, 207k stars) and Instrument Data To Allotrope (aws-samples/amazon-bedrock-agents-healthcare-lifesciences, 274 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Ue Data Assets Tables?

quodsoler (a GitHub user) maintains it in quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills, which has 362 GitHub stars. The repository holds 31 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on September 28, 2026.

Source: quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.