UMG Widgets

Get the widget hierarchy of a Widget Blueprint

Returns the full widget hierarchy of a Widget Blueprint as a tree. Shows each widget's class, name, and nesting level. Use this before add_widget or move_widget to understand the existing structure and find valid parent_widget_name values.

cfa get_widget_tree --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD

Add a widget to a Widget Blueprint

Adds a new widget as a child of an existing widget in a Widget Blueprint. The parent_widget_name must be a panel widget (CanvasPanel, VerticalBox, HorizontalBox, Overlay, etc.) that supports children. Use slot_properties to set layout properties that belong to the parent's slot type (e.g., Anchors and Offsets for CanvasPanel slots, Size.Value for box slots). Use widget_properties to set properties on the widget itself (e.g., Text, ColorAndOpacity, Font). Run list_widget_types to discover available widget classes.

cfa add_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-class TextBlock --parent-widget-name RootCanvas --widget-name "TitleText" --widget-properties '{"Text":"Hello World"}'
cfa add_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-class Image --parent-widget-name MainOverlay --slot-properties '{"Padding":{"Left":10,"Top":5,"Right":10,"Bottom":5}}'
cfa add_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-class VerticalBox --parent-widget-name RootCanvas --widget-name "LeftPanel" --slot-properties '{"LayoutData":{"Anchors":{"Minimum":{"X":0,"Y":0},"Maximum":{"X":0.3,"Y":1}}}}'

Remove a widget from a Widget Blueprint

Removes a widget and all its children from a Widget Blueprint. The widget is identified by name. Use get_widget_tree to find the exact widget name before removing.

cfa remove_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-name TitleText

Move a widget to a new parent

Reparents a widget (and all its children) to a new parent widget within the same Widget Blueprint. The new parent must be a panel widget that supports children. Use index to control insertion order among siblings (-1 appends to end).

cfa move_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-name TitleText --new-parent-name HeaderBox
cfa move_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-name StatusPanel --new-parent-name RootCanvas --index 0

Rename a widget

Renames a widget within a Widget Blueprint. Updates all internal references to use the new name. The new name must be unique within the blueprint.

cfa rename_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-name TextBlock_0 --new-name HealthLabel

Duplicate a widget

Creates a copy of a widget and all its children. The duplicate is placed under the same parent by default, or under a different parent if parent_widget_name is specified. Useful for creating repeated UI elements like list items or grid cells.

cfa duplicate_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-name ItemSlot --new-name ItemSlot2
cfa duplicate_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_MainHUD --widget-name ResourceRow --new-name OreRow --parent-widget-name ResourceList

Create a new Widget Blueprint asset

Creates a new Widget Blueprint (UMG) asset from a UserWidget parent class. Optionally seeds a root panel widget (e.g. CanvasPanel) so add_widget can immediately target it as a parent.

cfa create_widget_blueprint --path /Game/Demo --name DemoWidgetTest --root-widget-class CanvasPanel
cfa create_widget_blueprint --path /Game/UI --name WBP_Menu --parent-class UserWidget

Search the widget palette

Searches the widget classes available to add_widget, ranked by relevance across class name, display name and palette category, so --filter box answers HorizontalBox before ComboBox. Each hit carries its palette category and a one-line summary of what the widget is for, so you can pick one without a second call. Pass --filters to rank several keywords in a single round trip. By default it offers exactly what the designer palette offers; --include-abstract adds the abstract, experimental and hidden classes it withholds. Set --panels-only to see just the containers that can serve as a parent_widget_name.

cfa list_widget_types --filter horizontal --max-results 5
cfa list_widget_types --filters "horizontal box,vertical box,overlay,size box"
cfa list_widget_types --panels-only --max-results 0

Author a whole widget hierarchy in one command

Builds an entire widget hierarchy from one nested JSON spec, paying a single compile and a single save for the whole tree instead of one of each per widget, and landing as one undo step. Each node is {class, name, is_variable, properties, slot_properties, children}. The full spec is validated before anything is touched - every class resolved, every parent checked for whether it can hold the children given to it - so mode=replace never destroys a tree it then fails to rebuild. Use --dry-run to get that validation and the planned widget list on its own. mode=append grafts the spec under --parent-widget-name instead of replacing. Follow up with move_widget, wrap_widget, replace_widget or set_slot_properties for surgical changes.

cfa build_widget_tree --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --root '{"class":"CanvasPanel","name":"Root","children":[{"class":"VerticalBox","name":"Column","slot_properties":{"LayoutData":{"Anchors":{"Minimum":{"X":0.5,"Y":0.5},"Maximum":{"X":0.5,"Y":0.5}}}},"children":[{"class":"TextBlock","name":"Title","properties":{"Text":"Main Menu"}},{"class":"Button","name":"PlayButton","is_variable":true}]}]}'
cfa build_widget_tree --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --mode append --parent-widget-name Column --root '{"class":"Button","name":"QuitButton","is_variable":true}'
cfa build_widget_tree --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --dry-run --root '{"class":"SizeBox","children":[{"class":"TextBlock"},{"class":"Image"}]}'

Wrap a widget in a new panel

Wraps a widget inside a newly-constructed panel (Border, SizeBox, Overlay, etc.) placed where the widget was; the widget becomes the wrapper's child.

cfa wrap_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name TitleText --wrapper-class Border

Replace a widget with another class

Replaces a widget with a new widget of another class, carrying its children over when both are panels. The name and references are preserved.

cfa replace_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name MainBox --new-class HorizontalBox

Set the tree root widget

Makes a new or existing widget the root of the Widget Blueprint's tree. Provide widget_class to construct a new root, or widget_name to promote an existing widget.

cfa set_root_widget --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-class CanvasPanel

Read a widget's properties

Reads a widget's properties: all of them, filtered by name, or a single dotted/indexed property path (e.g. Brush.TintColor, Tags[0]).

cfa get_widget_properties --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name TitleText --property-path Text

Set a widget's properties (faithful)

Faithfully sets widget properties from a JSON key->value map (scalars, structs, arrays), firing the editor change pipeline so the result is identical to a Details-panel edit.

cfa set_widget_properties --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name TitleText --properties '{"Text":"Score","ColorAndOpacity":{"SpecifiedColor":{"R":1,"G":0,"B":0,"A":1}}}'

Read a widget's slot (layout) properties

Reads the panel-slot (layout) properties of a widget, anchors, offsets, padding, alignment, size, depending on the parent panel's slot type.

cfa get_slot_properties --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name MainBox

Set a widget's slot (layout) properties (faithful)

Faithfully sets the panel-slot (layout) properties of a widget (anchors, offsets, padding, alignment). For CanvasPanel slots the live anchors/offsets are synchronized exactly like the designer.

cfa set_slot_properties --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name MainBox --properties '{"Padding":{"Left":10,"Top":5,"Right":10,"Bottom":5}}'

Toggle a widget's Is Variable flag

Sets whether a widget is exposed as a Blueprint variable (the designer's 'Is Variable' tick) so it can be referenced in graphs and bound to events.

cfa set_widget_is_variable --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name TitleText --is-variable true

Switch a Widget Blueprint between its Designer and Graph tabs

Switches an open Widget Blueprint editor between its Designer and Graph tabs, the same way the toolbar buttons do. Opens the asset first when it is not already open. Preview mode only exists when the UMG.EnablePreviewMode console variable was set before the asset was opened. Reports the mode the editor actually ended up in, so a mode that is not registered is an error rather than a silent no-op.

cfa set_widget_editor_mode --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --mode graph

Explain one or many widget classes

Explains what a widget class is for and how to use it: the engine's own description and palette category, the properties it adds over its base class, its bindable events, and for a panel the slot class its children get plus that slot's layout properties (the anchors, padding and alignment you would pass to add_widget's slot_properties). Pass --widget-classes to explain a whole set of candidates in one round trip; a name that resolves to nothing reports close matches for that entry instead of failing the call.

cfa get_widget_class_info --widget-class HorizontalBox
cfa get_widget_class_info --widget-classes "HorizontalBox,VerticalBox,Overlay,SizeBox"
cfa get_widget_class_info --widget-class CanvasPanel --verbosity full

Reparent a Widget Blueprint

Reparents a Widget Blueprint onto a new UserWidget base class and recompiles.

cfa set_widget_blueprint_parent --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --parent-class /Game/UI/WBP_BaseMenu

List the Widget Blueprint's named slots

Lists the NamedSlot widgets in the Widget Blueprint's tree and the widget currently placed in each.

cfa list_named_slots --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu

Get a named slot's content

Returns the widget currently placed in a NamedSlot (identified by slot_name) in the Widget Blueprint's tree.

cfa get_named_slot_content --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --slot-name ExtraSlot

Place a widget in a named slot

Places an existing widget (content_widget_name) or a newly-constructed widget (content_widget_class) into a NamedSlot (identified by slot_name) in the Widget Blueprint's tree.

cfa set_named_slot_content --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --slot-name ExtraSlot --content-widget-class TextBlock

Clear a named slot

Removes the content from a NamedSlot (identified by slot_name) in the Widget Blueprint's tree.

cfa clear_named_slot --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --slot-name ExtraSlot

Set a widget's navigation rule for a direction

Sets the keyboard/gamepad navigation rule for one direction of a widget (Up/Down/Left/Right/Next/Previous). Rules: Escape, Explicit (needs target_widget), Wrap, Stop, Custom, CustomBoundary.

cfa set_widget_navigation --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name PlayButton --direction Down --rule Explicit --target-widget QuitButton

Get a widget's navigation

Returns all six navigation directions' rule and target for a widget.

cfa get_widget_navigation --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name PlayButton

Reset a widget's navigation

Resets a widget's navigation rules to defaults.

cfa clear_widget_navigation --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name PlayButton

Bind a widget property to a function (legacy)

Adds a legacy property binding: the widget's property reads its value from a Blueprint function each frame (the designer's 'Bind' dropdown).

cfa add_property_binding --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_HUD --widget-name HealthText --property-name Text --function-name GetHealthText

Remove a legacy property binding

Removes a legacy property binding from a widget.

cfa remove_property_binding --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_HUD --widget-name HealthText --property-name Text

List legacy property bindings

Lists all legacy property bindings on a Widget Blueprint.

cfa list_property_bindings --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_HUD

List a widget's event delegates

Lists a widget's BlueprintAssignable multicast event delegates (e.g. OnClicked, OnHovered) that can be bound in the event graph.

cfa list_widget_events --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name PlayButton

Add a UI component to a widget (UE 5.8+)

Adds a UUIComponent of the given class to a widget. UE 5.8 only; returns an error on 5.6/5.7.

cfa add_ui_component --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name PlayButton --component-class MyUIComponent

Remove a UI component from a widget (UE 5.8+)

Removes a UUIComponent of the given class from a widget. UE 5.8 only.

cfa remove_ui_component --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name PlayButton --component-class MyUIComponent

List a widget's UI components (UE 5.8+)

Lists the UUIComponent classes attached to a widget. UE 5.8 only.

cfa list_ui_components --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name PlayButton

Create a UMG animation

Creates a UWidgetAnimation (and its MovieScene) on a Widget Blueprint with the given length.

cfa create_widget_animation --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --name FadeIn --duration 0.5

List a Widget Blueprint's animations

Lists each animation's name, start/end time, and bound widget names.

cfa list_widget_animations --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu

Remove a UMG animation

Removes a named animation from a Widget Blueprint.

cfa remove_widget_animation --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --name FadeIn

Bind a widget to an animation

Adds a MovieScene possessable + FWidgetAnimationBinding so an animation can target a widget.

cfa add_animation_widget_binding --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --animation-name FadeIn --widget-name TitleText

Remove a widget binding from an animation

Removes a widget's possessable + binding from an animation.

cfa remove_animation_widget_binding --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --animation-name FadeIn --widget-name TitleText

Add a track to an animation

Adds a real MovieScene track (Opacity=RenderOpacity, Transform=RenderTransform, Color=ColorAndOpacity) bound to a widget on an animation. The widget must already be bound via add_animation_widget_binding.

cfa add_animation_track --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --animation-name FadeIn --widget-name TitleText --track-type Opacity

Add a keyframe to an animation track

Adds a keyframe at a time (seconds) with a value on a track's channel. Transform channels: TranslationX/TranslationY/ScaleX/ScaleY/ShearX/ShearY/Angle; Color: R/G/B/A; Opacity ignores channel.

cfa add_animation_key --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --animation-name FadeIn --widget-name TitleText --track-type Opacity --time 0 --value 0
cfa add_animation_key --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --animation-name FadeIn --widget-name TitleText --track-type Transform --time 1.0 --value 200 --channel TranslationY

List an animation's tracks

Lists each track on an animation: bound widget, track type/property, section range, and per-channel key counts.

cfa list_animation_tracks --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --animation-name FadeIn

Add an MVVM viewmodel

Adds a viewmodel context to a Widget Blueprint's MVVM view. Requires the ModelViewViewModel plugin (auto-enabled by this plugin).

cfa add_viewmodel --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --viewmodel-class /Game/UI/VM_Menu --name Menu

Remove an MVVM viewmodel

Removes a viewmodel context by name.

cfa remove_viewmodel --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --viewmodel-name Menu

Rename an MVVM viewmodel

Renames a viewmodel context.

cfa rename_viewmodel --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --viewmodel-name Menu --new-name MainMenu

List MVVM viewmodels

Lists viewmodel contexts (name/class/id/creation-type).

cfa list_viewmodels --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu

Add an MVVM binding

Binds a viewmodel property to a widget property. Auto-inserts a conversion function when types differ (e.g. FString->FText). Modes: OneTimeToDestination, OneWayToDestination (default), TwoWay, OneWayToSource. Execution: Immediate, Delayed, Tick, Auto.

cfa add_mvvm_binding --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name TitleText --widget-property Text --viewmodel-name Menu --viewmodel-property Title

Modify an MVVM binding

Modifies an existing binding by id: binding mode, execution mode (Immediate/Delayed/Tick/Auto/Default), conversion function (name or None/Clear), enabled, compile.

cfa set_mvvm_binding --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --binding-id <guid> --execution-mode Tick

List MVVM conversion functions

Lists valid conversion functions for a source viewmodel property -> destination widget property type pair, and whether the types are directly compatible.

cfa list_mvvm_conversion_functions --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --widget-name TitleText --widget-property Text --viewmodel-name Menu --viewmodel-property Score

Set viewmodel settings

Sets viewmodel context settings: creation type (Manual/CreateInstance/GlobalViewModelCollection/PropertyPath/Resolver/Context), public getter/setter, optional, expose-in-editor, global identifier/property path.

cfa set_viewmodel_settings --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --viewmodel-name Player --creation-type CreateInstance --create-public-getter true

Set variable Field Notify

Enables/disables Field Notify on a Blueprint member variable. Required for a viewmodel property to broadcast changes and drive reactive MVVM bindings.

cfa set_variable_field_notify --blueprint-path /Game/UI/VM_Player --variable-name Health --enabled true

Remove an MVVM binding

Removes an MVVM binding by its id (FGuid).

cfa remove_mvvm_binding --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu --binding-id <guid>

List MVVM bindings

Lists MVVM bindings (id/source/destination/mode).

cfa list_mvvm_bindings --widget-blueprint-path /Game/UI/WBP_Menu