In #17-CustomEditorWindows we discussed how we could create a custom editor displaying a button that once pressed, executes a function within the component’s script. Personally I like the simplicity of a button inside the inspector, however if one only needs to execute a function from the editor, then writing a custom editor for the component is overkill. One alternative is to use the component’s context menu.

When we click on the gear icon in the top-right corner of a component, we are present with a dropdown menu of options where the component can be copied, pasted, pasted as new etc. By using the [ContextMenu] attribute, we can add commands to this menu.

public class MyComponent : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private int myInt = 100;

    [ContextMenu("Print to Console")]
    public void PrintToConsole()
    {
        Debug.LogFormat("myInt = {0}", myInt);
    }
}

Now when we select the component’s context menu, the option Print to Console will be available, while clicking on this option will execute the associated function. Note that this function must be non-static.

Another approach is to add a context menu direct to a property field by using the ContextMenuItemAttribute to execute a named function.

public class MyComponent : MonoBehaviour
{
    [ContextMenuItem(name: "Reset this value", function: "Reset")]
    [SerializeField] private int myInt = 100;
    public void Reset()
    {
        myInt = 0;
    }
}

Now when we right-click on the property, we are presented with the option to execute the custom command.

Conclusion

Context Menus are one approach when one needs to execute a method from the editor without resorting to write a custom editor. Although they are quite useful, they aren’t as visible as a GUI button and the end user would need to be notified that they actually exist.

50 Unity Tips #24: Context Menus

Context Menu

Context Menu Item

Conclusion

Further Reading