UE5-Modular-Game-Framework/docs/blueprints/06-ui/50_WBP_JournalDocumentViewer.md

WBP_JournalDocumentViewer — Widget (Document and Journal Viewer)

File: Content/Framework/UI/WBP_JournalDocumentViewer Parent Class: UUserWidget Dependencies: BPC_DocumentArchiveSystem, BPC_JournalSystem

Purpose: Displays collected documents, notes, and the player journal. Supports text scrolling, page turns, and image plates. Read-only presentation — never modifies game state.

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Variables

Name	Type	Description
ActiveDocument	S_DocumentEntry	Currently displayed document
DocumentList	Array of S_DocumentEntry	All collected documents for sidebar navigation
ActiveJournalEntry	S_JournalEntry	Currently displayed journal entry
JournalEntryList	Array of S_JournalEntry	All journal entries for sidebar navigation
bShowPageTurnAnim	Bool	Enable page turn animation
FontStyle	E_DocumentFontStyle	Handwritten, Typewritten, Digital
ViewMode	E_DocumentViewMode	Document, Journal, or Combined
DocumentTitleText	TextBlock	Active document title
DocumentBodyText	RichTextBlock	Scrollable document body
DocumentImage	Image	Optional plate/figure image
SidebarList	ListView	Navigation sidebar

Enums

E_DocumentFontStyle
{
    Handwritten,
    Typewritten,
    Digital,
    BloodScrawled
}

E_DocumentViewMode
{
    DocumentsOnly,
    JournalOnly,
    CombinedTimeline
}

Functions / Events

Name	Inputs	Outputs	What it does
OpenDocument	DocumentTag: GameplayTag	—	Loads document from archive, displays with font style
CloseDocument	—	—	Returns to document list
OpenJournal	EntryTag: GameplayTag	—	Loads journal entry, displays
NextDocument	—	—	Selects next document in list
PreviousDocument	—	—	Selects previous document in list
NextPage	—	—	Scrolls body text to next page
PreviousPage	—	—	Scrolls body text to previous page
SetViewMode	Mode: E_DocumentViewMode	—	Switches between document/journal/combined
MarkAsRead	DocumentTag: GameplayTag	—	Sets bIsRead on document entry
RefreshList	—	—	Rebuilds sidebar from archive and journal systems
SortByChapter	—	—	Sorts documents/entries by discovery chapter
SortByType	—	—	Sorts documents by type, entries by date

Event Dispatchers

Name	Parameters	Fired when
OnDocumentOpened	DocumentTag: GameplayTag	Player opens a document
OnDocumentClosed	—	Player closes document viewer
OnDocumentRead	DocumentTag: GameplayTag	Document marked as read

Blueprint Flow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[Player opens Journal/Documents] --> B[ViewMode = CombinedTimeline]
    B --> C[RefreshList from BPC_DocumentArchiveSystem + BPC_JournalSystem]
    C --> D[Populate SidebarList]
    D --> E[Wait for selection]

    E --> F{Item selected?}
    F -->|Document| G[OpenDocument with DocumentTag]
    F -->|Journal Entry| H[OpenJournal with EntryTag]

    G --> I[Set ActiveDocument = entry from archive]
    I --> J[Display title, body text, optional image]
    I --> K[MarkAsRead]

    H --> L[Set ActiveJournalEntry]
    L --> M[Display heading, body, timestamp]

Communications With

Target System	Method	Why
BPC_DocumentArchiveSystem	Direct read	Get all found documents
BPC_JournalSystem	Direct read	Get all journal entries
WBP_InventoryMenu	Parent navigation	Open from inventory tab
SS_UIManager	Push/Pop	Menu stack management

Reuse Notes

• The E_DocumentFontStyle enum lets each project set the visual tone per document type
• ViewMode can be restricted to DocumentsOnly for games without a journal
• The page-turn anim is optional; disable for performance or minimalist UI
• RichTextBlock supports markup — use for emphasis, different speaker colours, or lore highlight