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Creating and editing cables

Create and edit cables using Tether Editing Mode or Unreal Engine's standard spline tools.

Using Tether Editing Mode​

Tether Editing Mode lets you create cables and edit their points, slack, and tangents. Start a new cable or resume placement on an existing cable, then use the same controls to place points, adjust slack, and set tangents.

Activating Editing Mode​

Select Tether from Unreal Engine's Modes dropdown or use the appropriate shortcut keys.

Tether option in the Unreal Engine Modes menu

With Editing Mode active, use the mode panel to customize the properties of any new cables created from then on.

Starting a new cable​

If Auto Start Cable is true, clicking in the viewport will start a new cable, otherwise Start New Cable must be clicked first.

When a new cable is started, a Tether Cable Actor is created and the first point will be placed in the world at the location that was clicked in the viewport.

Resuming placement on an existing cable​

Select an existing cable to edit its spline points.

  • Reposition a point: Right-click a spline point and choose Edit Point. Tether enters Editing Mode with that existing point ready to reposition.
  • Continue the cable: Right-click a spline point and choose Continue Cable. Tether enters Editing Mode with a new point immediately after the selected point. Choose the final point to extend the cable, or an interior point to insert another point along its path.

Placing points​

While placing a point, adjust the segment's slack and the point's tangent before continuing or finishing placement.

Adjusting slack​

In Editing Mode, use the scroll wheel to adjust slack for the current segment before ending the segment. Hold Shift for finer adjustment.

Adjusting cable slack during placement

Adjusting point tangents​

In Editing Mode, click and drag when placing a point to specify the direction or tangent of the cable along the surface. Hold Alt to align the tangent to the surface normal, which makes the cable appear fixed to the surface.

Aligning a cable point tangent to a surface normal

Continuing or finishing placement​

Click a location in the viewport to place the current point and finish placement.

To continue with another segment, instead Shift-click a location to place the current point and start a new segment.

Placing connected cable points in the Unreal Engine viewport

Using Unreal's spline tools​

Select an existing cable to edit its spline points using Unreal Engine's standard spline tools. These methods do not require Editing Mode:

  • Move a point: Select a spline point and use the Move gizmo to reposition it.
  • Insert a point: Right-click the spline line and choose Add Spline Point Here. Unreal inserts a point on that segment near the cursor. Use the Move gizmo to position it.
  • Duplicate a point: Select a single spline point, then hold Alt and drag its Move gizmo to duplicate and position it.