Fields overview

Fields table

This is all fields types, BGDatabase currently supports (you can create your own field if it's needed.)

Field Group	Field name	Field Type	Comments
Primitives	int	int
	long	long
	float	float
	double	double
	bool	bool
	decimal	decimal
	short	short
	byte	byte
	guid	Guid
	string	string	single line text
	text	string	multiple lines text
Primitive nullable	int?	int?
	long?	long?
	float?	float?
	double?	double?
	bool?	bool?
	guid?	Guid?
Enum #5	enum	Enum
	enumByte	Enum
	enumShort	Enum
	enumList	List<Enum>
Unity Primitives	vector2	Vector2
	vector3	Vector3
	vector4	Vector4
	quaternion	Quaternion
	rect	Rect
	bounds	Bounds
	color	Color
	ray	Ray
	ray2d	Ray2D
	keyCode	KeyCode
	gradient	Gradient
	animationCurve2017	AnimationCurve	Field target Unity 2017. For Unity >= 2018, download field animationCurve2018 here
Unity Primitive nullable	vector2?	Vector2?
	vector3?	Vector3?
	vector4?	Vector4?
	quaternion?	Quaternion?
	color?	Color?
Unity Assets #6	unityTexture	Texture
	unityTexture2d	Texture2D
	unitySprite	Sprite	Can accept a single sprite, a sprite from a multiple sprite, a sprite from SpriteAtlas If you use SpriteAtlas, make sure to turn SpritePacker on (set Edit->Project settings->Editor->SpritePacker to "Always Enabled" and press on "Pack preview" button when you change your atlas)
	unityMaterial	Material
	unityPrefab	GameObject
	unityFont	Font
	unityAudioClip	AudioClip
	unityObject	Object	Starting with v.1.5.6 additional type constraint can be added. Code generators generate proper type (using type from constraint)
List of Primitives	listBool	List<bool>
	listDouble	List<double>
	listFloat	List<float>
	listGuid	List<Guid>
	listInt	List<int>
	listLong	List<long>
	listString	List<string>
List of Unity Primitives	listVector2	List<Vector2>
	listVector3	List<Vector3>
	listVector4	List<Vector4>
	listQuaternion	List<Quaternion>
	listColor	List<Color>
Dictionary	hashtable #4	Hashtable
Relations #1	relationSingle	BGEntity	reference to one single row from one single table
	relationMultiple	List<BGEntity>	reference to several rows from one single table
	manyTableRelationSingle	BGEntity	reference to one single row from several tables (use field's gear icon to define multiple tables). Not recommended, use viewRelationSingle instead
	manyTableRelationMultiple	List<BGEntity>	reference to several rows from several tables (use field's gear icon to define multiple tables). Not recommended, use viewRelationMultiple instead
	viewRelationSingle	BGEntity	reference to one single row from a view (several tables)
	viewRelationMultiple	List<BGEntity>	reference to several rows from a view (several tables)
	nested #2	List<BGEntity>	read-only
Unity Scene #3	objectReference	BGWithId	read-only
	objectListReference	List<<>BGWithId>	read-only
	objectListMultiValueReference	List<BGWithId>	read-only
Calculated #7	calculatedBool	bool	These fields calculate the value, when this value is requested, using graph editor tool
	calculatedString	string
	calculatedInt	int
	calculatedFloat	float
	calculatedObject	object
	action	Action	Action does not calculate any value, but change database values, create/delete rows.

Relational fields (#1)

Relational fields are used for referencing database row(s). Such fields store row's primary key(s) and when the value is requested it uses these keys to resolve and return database row(s). The simplest relational field (relationSingle) is like a single column nullable foreign key, referencing one single row from one single table. Here is an example: let's say you have Cities table and Countries table and Cities table has country relationSingle field, referencing Countries table.

Relational fields differ in terms of how many tables and rows they can reference (read this blog post for more details)

Starting with BGDatabase 1.7.5- viewRelationSingle and viewRelationMultiple fields are recommended over manyTablesRelationSingle and manyTablesRelationMultiple fields (read this blog post for more details)

Field (relation)	How many tables can be referenced	How many rows can be referenced
relationSingle	1	1
relationMultiple	1	n
manyTablesRelationSingle	n	1
manyTablesRelationMultiple	n	n
viewRelationSingle	n	1
viewRelationMultiple	n	n

Nested Field (#2)

Nested field is a special field, which creates a whole new meta (table), which has many-to-one relation to owner meta. It means, you can create a linked list with any fields that are supported by BGDatabase. It is a readonly field (to change it's value- delete or add nested Entities). To create a nested Entity use special method, which accept the owner of nested entity BGMetaNested.NewEntity(BGEntity owner). BGMetaNested is a class for nested tables (to be used instead of generic BGMetaRow)

Technically, it's a usual table with many-to-one relation to parent table with 2 distinct features:

1. To access nested rows you need to choose parent row first using parent table GUI
2. If you delete a parent row, related nested rows will also be deleted, cause they are considered as integral part of this parent row

You can read more about nested table concept here

Unity Scene Fields (#3)

Referencing scene GameObjects using objectReference/objectListReference/objectListMultiValueReference fields is implemented with the same technique, which is used in this example Unity project, by adding additional component (component name under components menu is "BansheeGz/Id", C# class is BGWithId) with unique ID. BGWithId is a MonoBehaviour component, to access GameObject- use gameObject property. On Awake method object is added to the internal cache and On OnDestroy method object is removed from this cache. The result depends on which objects are loaded and which objects are not and can differs during play session. Here is a table, describing fields features:

Feature ↓\Field →	objectReference	objectListReference	objectListMultiValueReference
Purpose	Return the first loaded GameObject with specified ID	Return all loaded GameObjects with specified ID	Return all loaded GameObjects with specified IDs
Internal value	Single ID	Single ID	Multiple ID
Comments		These 2 fields differ in terms of how many IDs are used to reference multiple GameObjects. objectListReference field uses the single ID value and returns all loaded GameObjects with this ID. objectListMultiValueReference field uses multiple IDs values and returns all loaded GameObjects with these IDs.

Hashtable (#4)

Hashtable is a dictionary without generic parameters. Following types are supported as keys: int, string, bool, Guid, custom fields. Following types are not supported as values: Unity assets, relations, hashtable, nullable structs. Null values are also not supported.

Enum/enumList (#5)

With enum/enumList fields you can reference your own enumerations. Important notes:

1. You need to provide correct C# enum type name while creating enum field. If you can not figure out the correct C# type name for your enum, use Type.FullName property to print enum type name to the console Debug.Log(typeof(MyEnum).FullName);
2. Once you created your own enum field, you can not change enum type name, namespace or underlying type, cause they are stored inside database. If you want to rename enum type or namespace, follow this guide. If you want to change underlying enum type (int, short, byte), follow this guide.
3. Values are stored exactly as C# store them- with numeric value. You may consider adding numeric values to your constants so constants reordering does not affect values
   

Enums with [Flags] attribute has special GUI, allowing to select multiple constants

Unity Asset Fields (#6)

All these fields are read only. You can reference any Unity asset (UnityObject can be used to reference any asset).

Available loaders

	Resources	Asset Bundles (obsolete)	Addressables	Addressables by Guid
Recommendations	Use it only if an amount of assets is small. Unity does not recommend to use it (more info)	not recommended under any circumstances	use it if you want database to store asset's address	use it if you want database to store asset's Guid.
How asset is loaded	using Resources.Load	using AssetBundle.Load	using Addressables.LoadAssetAsync
Prerequisites	asset should be placed under one of Resources folder	asset should be included to one of asset bundles	Addressables package should be installed asset should be included to Addressables BGDatabase plugin for Addressables support should be installed
Stored value	path, relative to Resources folder	path within asset bundle	asset address	asset Guid
Limitations after asset was added to database (otherwise you need to reassign the value)	path/name can not be changed	name can not be changed	asset address can not be changed, but you can freely move/rename asset	asset Guid can not be changed (it's stored in corresponding meta file), but you can freely move/rename asset
More information	Read more about Resources folder and asset bundles here		Read Unity's Addressables manual here. To add support for addressables, please, download our plugin and follow setup/use manual at our download page

Third-party YooAsset loader is also available as a plugin

Sprite field and complex assets

Sprite and UnityObject fields support complex assets (when multiple assets are stored in one single file). Sprite field support spritesheets/atlases. UnityObject field should support other asset types (like FBX file etc.) if you assign correct "Asset Type" parameter while creating UnityObject field. "Asset Type" parameter accepts valid full C# class name (for example UnityEngine.Material)

Optional L2 cache

Asset fields support optional additional cache on top of Unity API. If this cache is enabled Unity API is used to load the object for the first time and all subsequent reads use the cache to retrieve the object instead of using Unity API. To enable the cache use this code: BGAssetsCache.Enabled = true;

Calculated Fields (#7)

Calculated fields store a graph, which is used for calculating result value. Graph is edited using graph editor.

Fields can have a default graph (edit via gears icon under "Configuration" tab) and a list of public variables

Each row can 1) override any public variable of default graph and 2) can have it's own graph. The alternative and more efficient way to overriding variables is to use database fields values instead. You can access the current row by using "Special/Get current entity" node.

Action is a special calculated field, which does not return value, but can change database values. To invoke the action- use Invoke method on field value

Collection values

Collections fields may return the result (the list/hashtable) by reference or by value

1. By reference means, that the value, stored inside database is returned. So changing collection values will actually change database value without setting a new value
2. By value means, that the new collection is created when value is accessed and it can be modified without changing database value

The current strategy is to return a collection by reference if it's possible, and to return the collection by value only if returning value by reference is not possible (to avoid GC and performance hit)

Field(s)	Basic API	CodeGen addon
Lists with primitive values (List<string> etc.)	by reference	by reference
Hashtable	by reference	by reference
Multiple relational fields (Lists with rows values)	by value	by value
Enum list	by value	by reference