Add an easy way to modify the values set in [Export] variables from script

[valkyrienyanko]

I have the variable [Export] public string[] Entities;. I set the values from the Godot editor. For this particular scenario, they are enemies I'm using to activate when a player enters a specific Area2D. Sometimes while I'm designing the level I'll remove the enemy from the level but I will also have to manually remove it from this [Export] variable I have set. Even though there is a GetNodeOrNull() function being used so there are no errors being thrown, it would be nice to have a way in the script to search for which nodes are null when pressing a button from the editor inspector or when the game runs. This way no unneeded checks are done when the actual game is shipped for people to play just because I forgot to update some [Export] values. This is not a big deal and I can live without the feature, it would just be a nice to have.

[theraot]

In your example, you have an array of String, I don't expect Godot to manipulate Strings based on Nodes because it won't consider the Strings as references to Nodes.

And if you were to implement an addon or even a core feature to search for these, how would you tell apart innocent Strings that aren't meant to refer to a Node from Strings that are meant to refer to a Node that is not there?

Instead, you should use NodePaths. It has been a good while since I used C# with Godot, and I remember exports were an issue, but I also know they have improved since… So, try exporting NodePaths instead. Godot should be able to keep track of those.

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Now if that does not work, I suppose you would need a custom addon, one that you can configure to only check the properties you want it to (It could search the scenes for Nodes of your custom type).

But before you go on making a custom addon. Consider some alternatives:

First of all, good all prints. In your editor you would see them in the output panel, and - by default on PC - they will go to a log. If you print every time one of those checks fail, that will help you identify the ones you need to remove during testing.

Similarly, consider making the script of your custom Node a tool script, then it can check and report if there is any problem in _get_configuration_warning (_get_configuration_warnings in Godot 4).

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Anyway, all these approaches do not cover the case where you forgot to include a particular enemy. Thus, how about this: make a tool script (it can be the script of the custom Node itself) that generates the list. It would not only make sure the list is correct, but it will also save you time in populating it.

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I'll remind you that you can check Engine.editor_hint to know if your script is running in the editor, you might also be interested in OS.is_debug_build.