Explorer and Welcome
Explorer (left area) shows your project's files and folders. Use it to open files, refresh the list and delete files. The Welcome page and the project browser are how you open a project in the first place.
Explorer
From top to bottom, Explorer shows the project folder and entry count, a Game Scripts button (opens Game Scripts), a toolbar with Refresh and Delete, and the file tree.
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Click a folder | Selects it and expands or collapses it. |
| Click a file | Selects it and opens it (see which editor opens). Inspector shows its path, size and whether it is open or unsaved. |
| Refresh, or F5 | Rereads the folders. Expanded folders and the selection are kept. |
| Delete, or the Delete key | Deletes the selected file or folder after asking (see below). |
| Esc | Leaves the tree. |
| Mouse wheel, scrollbar | Scroll the tree. |
The file in the current editor tab is highlighted, and opening a file from another view reveals it in the tree.
F5 runs Debug: Continue instead while the debugger is paused.
Which editor opens
| File | Opens in |
|---|---|
.png | Image Viewer |
.effect | Effect Editor |
.motion, .rig | Model Animation and Timeline |
| A file a plugin editor handles | That editor, or a choice of editors if several match |
Other binary files (other image formats, audio, video, fonts, compiled code, archives, .glb, .pdf and similar) | Nothing; Output reports "No text view for binary file". |
| Anything else | Source Editor |
Files opened in a visual editor are also available as text in Source Editor.
Deleting
The confirmation names the file or folder, and says how many open editors will close and how many of them have unsaved changes. Deleting is permanent: there is no trash and no Undo. Open documents under the deleted path close and lose their unsaved changes. Deleting the project file closes the project.
Welcome view
The Welcome view opens in the editor area when Studio starts, when the last editor closes and when a project closes.
Without a project
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Manifest field | Path to a game.json or .ctproject file. |
| Open Entered Path | Opens that path, or the project browser if the field is empty. |
| Browse Projects... | Opens the project browser. |
| Recent Projects | Up to 20 recent projects. Click a name to open it. Missing projects stay in the list in case you reconnect a drive. |
| Remove (per recent project) | Removes it from the list. No files are deleted. |
Before opening a project, Studio asks about unsaved changes in the current one. You cannot switch projects while a painted texture map is unsaved or a build is running. If the project file is invalid, Studio reports the error and keeps the current project open. Opening a project never builds or runs it.
With a project
The view is titled Project and shows an overview:
- the project name and project file;
- GAME: whether it is playing, the kind of game (BT, or BT plus a native module), the entry function and the number of game scripts;
- CONTENT: asset, scene and model counts and their files;
- WORKSPACE: open and unsaved documents, and error and warning counts.
Buttons open Build Settings, Scene, Models, Assets, Scripts, the Manifest and Output.
Create Project File (.ctproject) turns a project you opened from
game.json into a .ctproject: Studio saves all documents, copies the
manifest into project.ctproject next to it and reopens the project from that
file. Your game.json stays in place. Studio will not replace a
project.ctproject that belongs to a different manifest. See
.ctproject.
Project browser
Open it with File > Open Project (Ctrl+O) or Browse Projects.... It
starts in the current project's folder, or your home folder, and lists
folders, .json files and .ctproject files. Entering a folder selects its
game.json.
| Control or key | Action |
|---|---|
| Up, Home, Studio Folder | Go to the parent folder, your home folder, or Studio's folder. |
| Location field | Type a folder path to go there. |
| Click a folder / file | Enter the folder / select the file. |
| Open Project, or Enter | Open the selected file (Enter on a folder enters it). |
| Typing | Jumps to the closest matching name. |
| Backspace | Deletes a typed character, or goes up a folder. |
| Up / Down, PgUp / PgDn, Home / End | Move the selection. |
| Cancel, Esc, or click outside | Close the browser. |
Limits
- Not implemented: creating, renaming, moving or copying files; arrow-key navigation in the tree; showing unsaved or error markers on files.
- The tree does not notice new or removed files by itself; press Refresh. Open files that change on disk are still reloaded; see Documents.
- Studio only checks the project file briefly when opening a project; full checks happen when you press Play.