# Custom graph and PCGPainterActor

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{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBXwmPBT4C4>" %}
Latest features video documentation
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## PCG points to graphs

As said at the [Tool documentation](/cgtoolbox-docs/pcg-painter/tool-documentation.md#tool-location), the tool works in steps, it generates the scattered points then executes a custom graph created by the user, with those points as inputs.

The core graph which will generate the root and scattered points is "PCG\_PainterGraphPreparePoints". It can be found in PCGPainter/PCGGraph folder.

In this graph, a node "Execute PCG graph processor" will execute the custom graph selected by the user or the graph set in custom PCGPainterActor.

<figure><img src="/files/yjhbdd9XIRh7gNcooKw0" alt=""><figcaption><p>The core PCG graph "PCG_PainterGraphPreparePoints"</p></figcaption></figure>

An exampler of PCG graph processor is available in the "PCGPainterData" folder "PCG\_PainterExample"

Few attributes are available to help you build the systems you need:

* \_\_BrushCustomData (int, from 0 to  9)
* \_\_BrushRadius (float)
* \_\_BrushStrokeId (int)
* \_\_PainterImpactNormal (vector, inverted object hit normal)
* \_\_BrushSampleCount (int)
* \_\_RootPoint (int, 0 or 1)
* \_\_RayCastLengh (float)
* ActorReference (SoftRef)
* PhysicalMaterial (SoftRef)

<figure><img src="http://cgtoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image-21-1024x391.png" alt=""><figcaption><p><em>Example of a simple PCG graph processor ( PCG_PainterExample ).</em></p></figcaption></figure>

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## Custom PCGPainterActor

A custom BP actor can be used to process the painted points, it can embbed a PCG process graph of your choice, expose parameters or add any custom features you'd need.

{% hint style="info" %}
You can see an example here in the PCGPainterData folder:\
\
/Game/PCGPainterData/CustomPainterActor
{% endhint %}

To create a custom PCGPainterActor BP, it must be of type "PCGPainterActor":

<figure><img src="https://cgtoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-1.png" alt=""><figcaption><p><em>Creation of a new custom PCGPainter actor</em></p></figcaption></figure>

Then you can set the PCG graph you want to use to process the painted point directly in the PCG component of the actor:

<figure><img src="https://cgtoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-2-1024x1004.png" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
As the PCG graph is embedded directly in the actor, the pcg painter UI widget will not ask you to select it.

![](/files/R97J8U2ATe5Ng22Lj7sG)
{% endhint %}

Any parameters added in the category "Painter Parameters" will be exposed when "instance parameters" option is checked on.\
As seen in the CustomPainterActor example:<br>

<figure><img src="https://cgtoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-3.png" alt=""><figcaption><p><em>Note that the parameters must be public of course</em></p></figcaption></figure>

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Example of parameters exposed which can be edited directly from the PCG Painter UI:

<figure><img src="https://cgtoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-4-1024x452.png" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

\
Those parameters can be access by the PCG graph processor simply using the "GetActorProperty" node

<figure><img src="https://cgtoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-5-1024x252.png" alt=""><figcaption><p><em>PCGgraph example: /Game/PCGPainterData/PCG_CustomActorExample</em></p></figcaption></figure>

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