VFX Toolbox - Detailed Description
Overview
VFX Toolbox is a Unity Editor extension toolkit designed specifically for VFX artists. It provides 5 functional
modules accessible via Tools → VFX Toolbox, helping VFX artists significantly reduce repetitive manual operations.
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Five Major Features
1. Material Cloner
- Function: Batch clone and replace materials on selected GameObjects.
- Supported Renderers: MeshRenderer, SkinnedMeshRenderer, ParticleSystem, TrailRenderer, LineRenderer, VFX Graph
(VisualEffect).
- Naming Modes: By GameObject Name + suffix, keep Original Name + _Clone, or Custom name.
- Material Selection: Supports "All materials" or "Custom index" to specify individual material slots.
- Highlights: Automatically creates output directories, supports Undo, one-click batch processing with output path and
naming settings persisted via EditorPrefs.
2. Particle Batch Edit
- Function: Batch modify ParticleSystem parameters for multiple selected GameObjects.
- Modifiable Parameters: Duration, Loop, Start Delay, Start Lifetime, Start Speed, Start Size, Max Particles, Gravity
Modifier, Start Color.
- Three Modify Modes: Set (replace value), Add (add to current value), Multiply (multiply by current value).
- Scope Control: Optional "Include Child Particle Systems" option.
- Highlights: Right panel shows current parameter range (min-max) for all selected ParticleSystems in real time,
providing a clear overview before modification. Supports Undo batch operations.
3. VFX Preset System
- Function: Save, preview, manage, and spawn VFX presets.
- Save Preset: Select any GameObject with ParticleSystems in the scene, and save as a Prefab with one click. Materials
are automatically cloned into a separate _Materials subfolder, ensuring preset independence.
- Preview System:
- Renders in an isolated Preview Scene, independent of Scene/Game views.
- Built-in grid display (X axis red, Z axis blue) for spatial reference.
- Mouse drag to rotate camera, scroll to zoom.
- Toolbar: Play/Pause, Replay, Reset View, Loop toggle, Resolution scaling (1x-3x), Background color adjustment.
- Displays current preview preset name and simulation time.
- Supports Timeline (PlayableDirector) driven effects.
- Camera settings (angle, distance) and preview parameters are persisted across sessions.
- Preset Management: Double-click to rename (with Enter/Esc key support), drag to reorder, Spawn to Scene
(instantiates at selected object's position with matching parent/transform), Locate in Project, Delete Preset
(simultaneously removes prefab and materials folder).
- Highlights: Material automatic cloning ensures preset self-containment; preview render uses URP camera; preset order
persists via EditorPrefs; selected preset state also persists across sessions.
4. Batch Rename
- Function: Batch rename selected assets or GameObjects.
- Four Modes: Prefix (add prefix), Suffix (add suffix), Sequence (Prefix_BaseName_Number_Suffix format, supports start
number, step, digit count configuration), Replace (find and replace text).
- Highlights: Real-time preview of old name → new name mapping, supports both Hierarchy GameObjects and Project window
assets, supports Undo, changes automatically mark scene as dirty.
5. Asset Collector
- Function: Collect (copy or move) materials and textures used by GameObjects into organized folders.
- Material Collection:
- 4 naming modes: Keep Original, RenameByGameObject (supports sequence numbering + find/replace), CustomPrefix,
CustomSuffix.
- Copy or Move operation modes.
- In Copy mode: optional "Redirect to GameObject" to update original GameObject's material references to new copies.
- Texture Collection:
- 4 naming modes: Keep Original, CustomPrefix, CustomSuffix, RenameAll.
- Copy or Move operation modes.
- In Copy mode: optional "Redirect to Material" to update texture references in copied materials.
- VFX Graph Support: Accesses VisualEffect components via reflection, no hard dependency.
- Highlights: Preview panel displays all to-be-collected materials and textures (with thumbnail) with editable names;
finds all texture properties on materials via ShaderUtil; displays progress bar during collection; automatically opens
output folder upon completion.
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General Highlights
- Bilingual Support: English/Chinese one-click switch, settings persist across sessions.
- Settings Persistence: All module settings are saved via EditorPrefs, maintaining consistent experience across
sessions.
- Undo Support: All modification operations support Unity Undo, reducing misoperation risks.
- Auto Path Creation: Output directories are automatically created recursively, no manual folder creation needed.
- No External Dependencies: VFX Graph support via reflection, does not affect usage when the package is not installed.
- Compatible with Unity 2021.3+.