Skip to main content
Version: 2.x

Quick start

This guide walks you through creating a shadow quality setting that automatically saves and applies to Unreal's graphics system. This tutorial demonstrates the simplest possible setup using a built-in console variable.

Prerequisites​

  • Unreal Engine 5.4+
  • Basic knowledge of UMG (Unreal Motion Graphics)
  • Auto Settings 2 installed (see Installation Guide)

Create a reusable Setting Type​

Create a single Setting Type asset that can be used for all console variable settings:

  1. In the Content Browser, right-click and select Blueprint Class.
  2. Choose Setting Type as the parent class.
  3. Name it Setting_Global.
  4. Open the Blueprint and configure the optional binding:
    • Binding Strategy: Console Variable Setting Binding Strategy (synchronizes the setting with console variables).
    • Persistence Strategy: Config Setting Persistence Strategy (saves to .ini config files).
  5. Save the asset.
Reusable Setting Type

This single Setting Type can be used for any console variable setting. You'll specify which console variable to use when configuring individual widgets.

Add a shadow quality widget to your UI​

Add a dropdown widget for shadow quality control to your existing settings menu:

  1. Open your settings menu widget in the UMG editor.
  2. In the Widget Palette, expand Auto Settings.
  3. Drag ComboBox Setting Widget onto your menu.
  4. Configure the Widget in the Details panel:
    • Set Setting Type to your Setting_Global asset.
    • Set Console Variable Name to sg.ShadowQuality.
    • Set Auto Apply to True (applies changes immediately).
    • Set Auto Save to True (saves automatically).
    • Add Options: Low (0), Medium (1), High (2), Epic (3).
Widget Architecture

Setting widgets are abstract base classes requiring Blueprint inheritance. The plugin provides ready-to-use implementations in Plugins/AutoSettings/Content/UI/Settings/ that you can copy and customize. For styled examples, see the example project.

Test your setting​

Test that everything works:

  1. Play your game and open the settings menu.
  2. Change the shadow quality dropdown. You should see visual changes immediately.
  3. Close and restart your game.
  4. The dropdown should remember its previous selection.
Testing in Console

Open the console (~) and type sg.ShadowQuality to see the current value! You can also try other scalability settings like sg.ViewDistanceQuality or sg.EffectsQuality using the same Setting_Global asset.