NEW: Allow selection of InputActionReferences from project-wide actions (#1779)

* Add InputActionReference advanced picker

This new picker allows us to search InputActionReferences from the project wide actions asset. Since this is asset is in ProjectSettings, a normal object picker doesn't work.

* Update InputActionReferences of project-wide actions on save

* Check for dangling action references in Inspector and set them to "None"

A dangling action reference means a actin reference that point to a non-existent InputAction.
This needs to be checked here in case an input action is removed from the project-wide actions asset. Otherwise the UI will still hold on to a dangling action reference.

* Remove unused code

* Fix comments references

* Correct variables naming

* Test updating references when asset actions are changed

* Only check dangling project-wide action references

* Update CHANGELOG

* Make InputActionAssetIconLoader methods internal

* Make advanced picker open by default with list view and simple search query

OpenInBuilder mode allows to search by "tags". But no implementation was done so they did not work.

* Run added tests only on the Editor

Author: jfreire-unity

Assets/Tests/InputSystem/CoreTests_ProjectWideActions.cs

@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #if UNITY_INPUT_SYSTEM_PROJECT_WIDE_ACTIONS
 
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
 using NUnit.Framework;
 using UnityEditor;
 using UnityEngine;

Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ however, it has to be formatted properly to pass verification tests.
 ### Added
 - Support for [Game rotation vector](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/hardware/Sensor#TYPE_GAME_ROTATION_VECTOR) sensor on Android
 - Duplicate Input Action Items in the new Input Action Asset Editor with Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac)
+- Selection of InputActionReferences from project-wide actions on fields that are of type InputActionReference. Uses a new advanced object picker that allows better searching and filtering of actions.
 
 ### Fixed
 - Partially fixed case ISX-1357 (Investigate performance regressing over time).  A sample showed that leaving an InputActionMap enabled could lead to an internal list of listeners growing.  This leads to slow-down, so we now warn if we think this is happening.
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ however, it has to be formatted properly to pass verification tests.
 - Fixed case [ISX-1668] (The Profiler shows incorrect data and spams the console with "Missing Profiler.EndSample" errors when there is an Input System Component in Scene).
 - Fixed [ISX-1661](https://jira.unity3d.com/browse/ISX-1661) where undoing duplications of action maps caused console errors
 - Fix for BindingSyntax `WithInteraction()` which was incorrectly using processors.
+- Fixed issue of visual elements being null during editing project-wide actions in project settings which prompted console errors.
 
 
 ## [1.8.0-pre.1] - 2023-09-04

Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Actions/InputActionReference.cs

@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public override string ToString()
             return base.ToString();
         }
 
-        private static string GetDisplayName(InputAction action)
+        internal static string GetDisplayName(InputAction action)
         {
             return !string.IsNullOrEmpty(action?.actionMap?.name) ? $"{action.actionMap?.name}/{action.name}" : action?.name;
         }

Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/AssetImporter/InputActionAssetIconLoader.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#if UNITY_EDITOR
+using UnityEditor;
+
+namespace UnityEngine.InputSystem.Editor
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Provides access to icons associated with <see cref="InputActionAsset"/> and <see cref="InputActionReference"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal static class InputActionAssetIconLoader
+    {
+        private const string kActionIcon = "Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/Icons/InputAction.png";
+        private const string kAssetIcon = "Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/Icons/InputActionAsset.png";
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Attempts to load the icon associated with an <see cref="InputActionAsset"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>Icon resource reference or <code>null</code> if the resource could not be loaded.</returns>
+        internal static Texture2D LoadAssetIcon()
+        {
+            return (Texture2D)EditorGUIUtility.Load(kAssetIcon);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Attempts to load the icon associated with an <see cref="InputActionReference"/> sub-asset of an
+        /// <see cref="InputActionAsset"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>Icon resource reference or <code>null</code> if the resource could not be loaded.</returns>
+        internal static Texture2D LoadActionIcon()
+        {
+            return (Texture2D)EditorGUIUtility.Load(kActionIcon);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#endif // #if UNITY_EDITOR

Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/AssetImporter/InputActionAssetIconLoader.cs.meta

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #if UNITY_EDITOR
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
 using UnityEditor;
@@ -29,9 +30,6 @@ internal class InputActionImporter : ScriptedImporter
     {
         private const int kVersion = 13;
 
-        private const string kActionIcon = "Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/Icons/InputAction.png";
-        private const string kAssetIcon = "Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/Icons/InputActionAsset.png";
-
         [SerializeField] private bool m_GenerateWrapperCode;
         [SerializeField] private string m_WrapperCodePath;
         [SerializeField] private string m_WrapperClassName;
@@ -88,8 +86,8 @@ public override void OnImportAsset(AssetImportContext ctx)
 
             // Load icons.
             ////REVIEW: the icons won't change if the user changes skin; not sure it makes sense to differentiate here
-            var assetIcon = (Texture2D)EditorGUIUtility.Load(kAssetIcon);
-            var actionIcon = (Texture2D)EditorGUIUtility.Load(kActionIcon);
+            var assetIcon = InputActionAssetIconLoader.LoadAssetIcon();
+            var actionIcon = InputActionAssetIconLoader.LoadActionIcon();
 
             // Add asset.
             ctx.AddObjectToAsset("<root>", asset, assetIcon);
@@ -212,12 +210,51 @@ public override void OnImportAsset(AssetImportContext ctx)
             InputActionEditorWindow.RefreshAllOnAssetReimport();
         }
 
+        internal static IEnumerable<InputActionReference> LoadInputActionReferencesFromAsset(InputActionAsset asset)
+        {
+            //Get all InputActionReferences are stored at the same asset path as InputActionAsset
+            return AssetDatabase.LoadAllAssetsAtPath(AssetDatabase.GetAssetPath(asset)).Where(
+                o => o is InputActionReference && o.name != "InputManager").Cast<InputActionReference>();
+        }
+
+        // Get all InputActionReferences from assets in the project. By default it only gets the assets in the "Assets" folder.
+        internal static IEnumerable<InputActionReference> LoadInputActionReferencesFromAssetDatabase(string[] foldersPath = null)
+        {
+            string[] searchFolders = null;
+            // If folderPath is null, search in "Assets" folder.
+            if (foldersPath == null)
+            {
+                searchFolders = new string[] { "Assets" };
+            }
+
+            // Get all InputActionReference from assets in "Asset" folder. It does not search inside "Packages" folder.
+            var inputActionReferenceGUIDs = AssetDatabase.FindAssets($"t:{typeof(InputActionReference).Name}", searchFolders);
+
+            // To find all the InputActionReferences, the GUID of the asset containing at least one action reference is
+            // used to find the asset path. This is because InputActionReferences are stored in the asset database as sub-assets of InputActionAsset.
+            // Then the whole asset is loaded and all the InputActionReferences are extracted from it.
+            // Also, the action references are duplicated to have backwards compatibility with the 1.0.0-preview.7. That
+            // is why we look for references withouth the `HideFlags.HideInHierarchy` flag.
+            var inputActionReferencesList = new List<InputActionReference>();
+            foreach (var guid in inputActionReferenceGUIDs)
+            {
+                var assetPath = AssetDatabase.GUIDToAssetPath(guid);
+                var assetInputActionReferenceList = AssetDatabase.LoadAllAssetsAtPath(assetPath).Where(
+                    o => o is InputActionReference &&
+                    !((InputActionReference)o).hideFlags.HasFlag(HideFlags.HideInHierarchy))
+                    .Cast<InputActionReference>().ToList();
+
+                inputActionReferencesList.AddRange(assetInputActionReferenceList);
+            }
+            return inputActionReferencesList;
+        }
+
         // Add item to plop an .inputactions asset into the project.
         [MenuItem("Assets/Create/Input Actions")]
         public static void CreateInputAsset()
         {
             ProjectWindowUtil.CreateAssetWithContent("New Controls." + InputActionAsset.Extension,
-                InputActionAsset.kDefaultAssetLayoutJson, (Texture2D)EditorGUIUtility.Load(kAssetIcon));
+                InputActionAsset.kDefaultAssetLayoutJson, InputActionAssetIconLoader.LoadAssetIcon());
         }
     }
 }

Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/AssetImporter/InputActionImporter.cs

@@ -86,8 +86,16 @@ private static InputActionAsset CreateNewActionAsset()
                 }
             }
 
-            // Create sub-asset for each action. This is so that users can select individual input actions from the asset when they're
-            // trying to assign to a field that accepts only one action.
+            CreateInputActionReferences(asset);
+
+            AssetDatabase.SaveAssets();
+
+            return asset;
+        }
+
+        private static void CreateInputActionReferences(InputActionAsset asset)
+        {
+            var maps = asset.actionMaps;
             foreach (var map in maps)
             {
                 foreach (var action in map.actions)
@@ -97,10 +105,51 @@ private static InputActionAsset CreateNewActionAsset()
                     AssetDatabase.AddObjectToAsset(actionReference, asset);
                 }
             }
+        }
 
-            AssetDatabase.SaveAssets();
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Updates the input action references in the asset by updating names, removing dangling references
+        /// and adding new ones.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="asset"></param>
+        internal static void UpdateInputActionReferences()
+        {
+            var asset = GetOrCreate();
+            var existingReferences = InputActionImporter.LoadInputActionReferencesFromAsset(asset).ToList();
 
-            return asset;
+            // Check if referenced input action exists in the asset and remove the reference if it doesn't.
+            foreach (var actionReference in existingReferences)
+            {
+                var action = asset.FindAction(actionReference.action.id);
+                if (action == null)
+                {
+                    actionReference.Set(null);
+                    AssetDatabase.RemoveObjectFromAsset(actionReference);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Check if all actions have a reference
+            foreach (var action in asset)
+            {
+                var actionReference = existingReferences.FirstOrDefault(r => r.m_ActionId == action.id.ToString());
+                // The input action doesn't have a reference, create a new one.
+                if (actionReference == null)
+                {
+                    var actionReferenceNew = ScriptableObject.CreateInstance<InputActionReference>();
+                    actionReferenceNew.Set(action);
+                    AssetDatabase.AddObjectToAsset(actionReferenceNew, asset);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    // Update the name of the reference if it doesn't match the action name.
+                    if (actionReference.name != InputActionReference.GetDisplayName(action))
+                    {
+                        AssetDatabase.RemoveObjectFromAsset(actionReference);
+                        actionReference.name = InputActionReference.GetDisplayName(action);
+                        AssetDatabase.AddObjectToAsset(actionReference, asset);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
 }

Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/ProjectWideActions/ProjectWideActionsAsset.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+// Note: If not UNITY_INPUT_SYSTEM_PROJECT_WIDE_ACTIONS we do not use a custom property drawer and
+//       picker for InputActionReferences but rather rely on default (classic) object picker.
+#if UNITY_EDITOR && UNITY_INPUT_SYSTEM_PROJECT_WIDE_ACTIONS
+
+using UnityEditor;
+using UnityEditor.Search;
+
+namespace UnityEngine.InputSystem.Editor
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Custom property drawer in order to use the "Advanced Picker" from UnityEditor.Search.
+    /// </summary>
+    [CustomPropertyDrawer(typeof(InputActionReference))]
+    internal sealed class InputActionReferencePropertyDrawer : PropertyDrawer
+    {
+        private readonly SearchContext m_Context = UnityEditor.Search.SearchService.CreateContext(new[]
+        {
+            InputActionReferenceSearchProviders.CreateInputActionReferenceSearchProviderForAssets(),
+            InputActionReferenceSearchProviders.CreateInputActionReferenceSearchProviderForProjectWideActions(),
+        }, string.Empty, SearchConstants.PickerSearchFlags);
+
+
+        public override void OnGUI(Rect position, SerializedProperty property, GUIContent label)
+        {
+            // Sets the property to null if the action is not found in the asset.
+            ValidatePropertyWithDanglingInputActionReferences(property);
+
+            ObjectField.DoObjectField(position, property, typeof(InputActionReference), label,
+                m_Context, SearchConstants.PickerViewFlags);
+        }
+
+        static void ValidatePropertyWithDanglingInputActionReferences(SerializedProperty property)
+        {
+            if (property?.objectReferenceValue is InputActionReference reference)
+            {
+                // Check only if the reference is a project-wide action.
+                if (reference?.asset?.name == ProjectWideActionsAsset.kAssetName)
+                {
+                    var action = reference?.asset?.FindAction(reference.action.id);
+                    if (action is null)
+                    {
+                        property.objectReferenceValue = null;
+                        property.serializedObject.ApplyModifiedProperties();
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#endif

Packages/com.unity.inputsystem/InputSystem/Editor/PropertyDrawers/InputActionReferencePropertyDrawer.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+#if UNITY_EDITOR && UNITY_INPUT_SYSTEM_PROJECT_WIDE_ACTIONS
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using UnityEditor;
+using UnityEditor.Search;
+using UnityEngine.Search;
+
+namespace UnityEngine.InputSystem.Editor
+{
+    internal static class SearchConstants
+    {
+        // SearchFlags: these flags are used to customize how search is performed and how search
+        // results are displayed in the advanced object picker.
+        // Note: SearchFlags.Packages is not currently used and hides all results from packages.
+        internal static readonly SearchFlags PickerSearchFlags = SearchFlags.Sorted | SearchFlags.OpenPicker;
+
+        // Search.SearchViewFlags : these flags are used to customize the appearance of the PickerWindow.
+        internal static readonly Search.SearchViewFlags PickerViewFlags = SearchViewFlags.DisableBuilderModeToggle
+            | SearchViewFlags.DisableInspectorPreview
+            | SearchViewFlags.ListView
+            | SearchViewFlags.DisableSavedSearchQuery;
+    }
+
+    internal static class InputActionReferenceSearchProviders
+    {
+        const string k_AssetFolderSearchProviderId = "AssetsInputActionReferenceSearchProvider";
+        const string k_ProjectWideActionsSearchProviderId = "ProjectWideInputActionReferenceSearchProvider";
+
+        // Search provider for InputActionReferences for all assets in the project, without project-wide actions.
+        internal static SearchProvider CreateInputActionReferenceSearchProviderForAssets()
+        {
+            return CreateInputActionReferenceSearchProvider(k_AssetFolderSearchProviderId,
+                "Asset Input Actions",
+                // Show the asset path in the description.
+                (obj) => AssetDatabase.GetAssetPath((obj as InputActionReference).asset),
+                () => InputActionImporter.LoadInputActionReferencesFromAssetDatabase());
+        }
+
+        // Search provider for InputActionReferences for project-wide actions
+        internal static SearchProvider CreateInputActionReferenceSearchProviderForProjectWideActions()
+        {
+            return CreateInputActionReferenceSearchProvider(k_ProjectWideActionsSearchProviderId,
+                "Project-Wide Input Actions",
+                (obj) => "(Project-Wide Input Actions)",
+                () => InputActionImporter.LoadInputActionReferencesFromAsset(ProjectWideActionsAsset.GetOrCreate()));
+        }
+
+        private static SearchProvider CreateInputActionReferenceSearchProvider(string id, string displayName,
+            Func<Object, string> createItemFetchDescription, Func<IEnumerable<Object>> fetchAssets)
+        {
+            // Match icon used for sub-assets from importer for InputActionReferences.
+            // We assign description+label in FilteredSearch but also provide a fetchDescription+fetchLabel below.
+            // This is needed to support all zoom-modes for an unknown reason.
+            // Also, fetchLabel/fetchDescription and what is provided to CreateItem is playing different
+            // roles at different zoom levels.
+            var inputActionReferenceIcon = InputActionAssetIconLoader.LoadActionIcon();
+
+            return new SearchProvider(id, displayName)
+            {
+                priority = 25,
+                fetchDescription = FetchLabel,
+                fetchItems = (context, items, provider) => FilteredSearch(context, provider, FetchLabel, createItemFetchDescription,
+                    fetchAssets, "(Project-Wide Input Actions)"),
+                fetchLabel = FetchLabel,
+                fetchPreview = (item, context, size, options) => inputActionReferenceIcon,
+                fetchThumbnail = (item, context) => inputActionReferenceIcon,
+                toObject = (item, type) => item.data as Object,
+            };
+        }
+
+        // Custom search function with label matching filtering.
+        private static IEnumerable<SearchItem> FilteredSearch(SearchContext context, SearchProvider provider,
+            Func<Object, string> fetchObjectLabel, Func<Object, string> createItemFetchDescription, Func<IEnumerable<Object>> fetchAssets, string description)
+        {
+            foreach (var asset in fetchAssets())
+            {
+                var label = fetchObjectLabel(asset);
+                if (!label.Contains(context.searchText, System.StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
+                    continue; // Ignore due to filtering
+                yield return provider.CreateItem(context, asset.GetInstanceID().ToString(), label, createItemFetchDescription(asset),
+                    null, asset);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Note that this is overloaded to allow utilizing FetchLabel inside fetchItems to keep label formatting
+        // consistent between CreateItem and additional fetchLabel calls.
+        private static string FetchLabel(Object obj)
+        {
+            return obj.name;
+        }
+
+        private static string FetchLabel(SearchItem item, SearchContext context)
+        {
+            return FetchLabel((item.data as Object) !);
+        }
+    }
+}
+#endif