---
title: AFS_UX_Select
product: Advanced Framework Pro
version: 1.0
engine: Unreal Engine 5.8
updated: 2026-10-05
canonical: https://docs.human-codeable.com/plugins/afs-ux-select.html
---

System

# AFS_UX_Select

Selection by fingertip, laser or desktop click, with priority resolution and interface-based vetoes.

#### What it gives you

- One interaction that works with mouse, laser and fingertip
- Priority resolution when objects overlap
- Hit-location override for precise pointing

#### Requires

None

#### Required by

None

8 assets23 API members

## Description

Select is the smallest complete interaction stack in the framework and the best one to read when learning the pattern.

`BPC_PawnAbility_Select` traces from the pawn and resolves the highest-priority selectable component under the cursor. `BPC_Interaction_Select` on the target declares selectability and fires **On Select**. `Interface_Select` on the owning actor can veto, or redirect where a pointer appears to hit.

The same interaction serves all three input methods, because the ability supplies the trace and the target only cares about the resulting Source Info.

## Setup

1. Enable `AFS_UX_Select`.
2. Confirm `BPC_PawnAbility_Select` is on the pawn, and `BPC_ControllerAbility_Hand_Laser` or `_Hand_Finger` on the motion controllers for VR.
3. Add `BPC_Interaction_Select` to any actor and bind **On Select**.

## Usage

### Basic selection

See [Make an object selectable](../workflows/make-object-selectable.html).

### Vetoing

Implement `Interface_Select` and return `Override = true` with `Is Selectable = false`.

### Redirecting the pointer

Implement `Select_HitLocationOverride` to make a laser terminate at a chosen point rather than the raw trace hit — useful for snapping to a control's centre.

[![The object selected in play, highlight active](../images/AFS_UX_Select_result-1600.webp?v=c14ea39f)](../images/AFS_UX_Select_result-1600.webp?v=c14ea39f)

The object selected in play, highlight active

## Key properties

| Property | When to change |
|---|---|
| `Select Sound` | Feedback on selection |
| `Relevant Components` | Restrict which meshes are clickable |
| `Select Interaction Style` | The cursor and accent colour shown while hovering something selectable |
| `Min` / `Max Laser Length` | On the laser ability, to change reach |

## Extending

Copy this stack's shape when adding your own interaction type — it is the reference implementation. See [Extending the framework](../guides/extending.html).

## Multiplayer notes

Multiplayer

`BPC_Interaction_Select` implements `IOutsidePawnRPCInterface`, so selection replicates without routing through the pawn. Requires `AFPNetDriver`.

## Example map

`Map_Examples_Select` covers click, laser and fingertip selection with vetoes.

## Troubleshooting

**Nothing is selectable.** The pawn is missing `BPC_PawnAbility_Select`, or the object's meshes have no collision on the trace channel.

## API reference

Every blueprint asset in this plugin. Expand an asset to see its members.

### Components/ControllerAbilities

**BPC_ControllerAbility_Hand_Finger**2 members

extends `BPC_ControllerAbility`

Hand ability giving one motion controller a fingertip poke, for pressing world widgets and near objects at very short range. Add it to a hand controller and position it at the index fingertip, as the showroom hands do, then set the trace distance in centimetres.

| Kind | Name | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| var | `Trace Distance`Settings | `float` | How far ahead of the fingertip the selection trace reaches. |
| var | `Sound Press`Sound | `SoundBase` | Cue played when this hand's fingertip presses a widget. It is handed to the widget interaction helper the ability spawns rather than played here, so leaving it empty makes poking UI with this hand silent. |

**BPC_ControllerAbility_Hand_Laser**8 members

extends `BPC_ControllerAbility`

Hand ability giving one motion controller a pointing laser. It traces ahead of the hand each frame, keeps the highest-priority select interaction highlighted and feeds the widget interaction helper, so world widgets can be clicked and scrolled. Pressing select clicks the widget or presses the interaction. Add it to a hand controller and set the length, thickness and colour.

| Kind | Name | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| var | `Min Laser Length`Settings | `float` | Shortest the laser is drawn when it hits something close by. |
| var | `Max Laser Length`Settings | `float` | Maximum reach of the selection laser. |
| var | `Mapping Contexts Default`Input | `ST_MappingContext_Side` | Input mapping contexts applied for the left and right hand. |
| var | `Sound Press`Sound | `SoundBase` | Cue played when this hand's laser presses a widget. It is handed to the widget interaction helper the ability spawns rather than played here, so leaving it empty makes clicking UI with the laser silent. |
| var | `Thickness`Settings | `float` | Thickness of the laser beam. |
| var | `Color`Settings | `LinearColor` | Colour of the laser beam. |
| fn | `HandleSelect`Default | `()` | Runs a selection against whatever the laser is currently pointing at. |
| fn | `SetHoverState`Default | `()` | Updates the laser's hover appearance and returns an alternate endpoint when the target overrides its hit location. |

### Components/Interactions

**BPC_Interaction_Select**5 members

extends `BPC_Interaction` · implements `OutsidePawnRPCInterface`

Interaction making its owner selectable, whether by a hand laser, a fingertip or a desktop click. It answers whether it may be selected right now, lets the owner veto or move the reported hit point through the select interface, and on press broadcasts On Select with the source info, plays the select sound and fires the haptic effect. Add it to any actor that should respond to being clicked.

| Kind | Name | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| var | `Select Sound`Sound | `SoundBase` | Sound played at the hit location when this object is selected. |
| fn | `HandleSelect` | `(Source Info: ST_SourceInfo, Hit Result: HitResult)` | Broadcasts On Select without playing feedback, for triggering a selection from code. |
| fn | `OverrideHitLocation`Select | `(out Override: bool, out HitLocation: Vector)` | Lets the owner supply a different hit location, so a laser can terminate on a chosen point rather than the raw trace hit. |
| fn | `Can be Selected`Select | `(HitComponent: PrimitiveComponent, SourceInfo: ST_SourceInfo, out CanBeSelected: bool)` | Returns whether this object may currently be selected by the given source, consulting Interface Select on the owner if implemented. |
| event | `SelectPressed` | `(SourceInfo: ST_SourceInfo, HitResult: HitResult)` | Fires when the object is selected, playing sound and haptics. Bind to On Select to react. |

### Components/PawnAbility

**BPC_PawnAbility_Select**3 members

extends `BPC_PawnAbility`

Pawn ability giving a desktop or mobile pawn the select action. Each tick it highlights the highest-priority select interaction under the pawn's trace and sets the pawn's interaction state from the chosen style; the select input then presses that interaction. Add it to a pawn along with its input mapping context. VR pawns use the hand laser instead.

| Kind | Name | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| var | `Input Select`Input | `InputMappingContext` | Input mapping context enabled while this ability is active, carrying the select action. |
| var | `Select Interaction Style`Style | `PDA_InteractionState` | Interaction state requested while hovering something selectable, controlling the cursor and accent colour. |
| event | `Select` | `()` | Runs a selection against whatever the pawn is currently pointing at. |

**BPC_PawnAbility_Widget**2 members

extends `BPC_PawnAbility`

Pawn ability letting a desktop or mobile pawn use world-space widgets. It adds a widget interaction component on activation, feeds it the pawn's latest trace, maps press and scroll input onto it and passes the source info to widget components that ask who is pointing at them. Add it to a pawn beside the select ability; without it, widgets in the world cannot be clicked.

| Kind | Name | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| var | `Input Widget`Input | `InputMappingContext` | Input mapping context enabled while this ability is active, carrying the widget interaction actions. |
| var | `Widget Interaction Style`Style | `PDA_InteractionState` | Interaction state requested while hovering a widget. |

### Helpers

**BP_Helper_ControllerAbility_Hand_Finger**0 members

extends `BP_Helper_ControllerAbility`

Per-hand helper actor for the fingertip ability, carrying the select and hover spheres and the widget interaction component that presses world widgets at the fingertip. Spawned by the ability rather than placed, and nothing else in the framework references it; subclass it only if the fingertip needs different collision.

No editor-visible members; this asset configures defaults only.

**BP_Helper_ControllerAbility_Hand_Laser**1 members

extends `BP_Helper_ControllerAbility`

Per-hand helper actor for the hand laser. It holds the VR select and scroll input bindings and forwards them, after checking they came from its own hand, to the laser ability that spawned it. Spawned by the ability rather than placed; subclass it to bind extra input to the laser.

| Kind | Name | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| var | `Controller Ability Hand Laser` | `BPC_ControllerAbility_Hand_Laser` | The laser ability this helper draws for. |

### Interfaces

**Interface_Select**2 members

extends `Interface`

Contract an actor implements to control its own selection. Can Be Selected can refuse a select, or defer by leaving the override off, and Select Hit Location Override replaces the point the ability reports back. Implement it on the actor owning a select interaction; without it, selection is always allowed and the real impact point is used.

| Kind | Name | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| fn | `Select_HitLocationOverride`Select | `(out Override: bool, out NewHitLocation: Vector)` | Implement to redirect where a pointer appears to hit this object, for example snapping a laser to a control's centre. |
| fn | `CanBeSelected`Select | `(SelectComponent: BPC_Interaction_Select, SourceInfo: ST_SourceInfo, out Override: bool, out IsSelectable: bool)` | Implement on an actor to veto or allow selection under your own conditions. Return Override true and Is Selectable false to block; not implementing the interface means always selectable. |