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Default packages

Discussion in 'Package Manager' started by Baste, May 5, 2018.

  1. Baste

    Baste

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2013
    Posts:
    6,292
    Whenever I make a new project, a few packages gets automatically included:

    - Adds
    - Analytics
    - Analytics standard events
    - In app purchasing
    - Package manager UI.

    I get why the first one is there, but what's the deal with the first four? I've turned analytics off, yet there's two packages there. I'm not making mobile games, but there's two mobile app packages.

    It's not a big inconvenience to have to remove these, but it feels kinda iffy that Unity seems to assume that most new projects will want to have the whole free to play mobile setup from the get-go. Maybe there should be a template for that instead?
     
  2. Deleted User

    Deleted User

    Guest

    they trying to sell it
    its lame lol
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 6, 2018
    amiel_ace likes this.
  3. DanielTG

    DanielTG

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2018
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    Hi guys,

    Thanks for the feedback. There are no evil intentions for including those packages by default I swear.

    What you're seeing in the 2018.1 Package Manager UI is just the first set of previously built-in Editor features / modules / services migrating over to the new package format and delivery system. There are actually several other module under the hood that are shipping as packages but not (yet) exposed in the Package Manage UI and project manifest). If you're running the 18.x beta releases of the Editor, you'll start to see more packages of this nature come installed by default.

    In the spirit of full disclosure , the choice was made primarily for two reasons.
    1) To keep discoverability of Editor features/ Unity services on par with before Package Manager UI was available
    2) Release testing - although, not a major issue with the Packages listed in 18.1, we are still refining are test cases for the various package combinations that can be on/off in a project. (please stay tuned for more updates related to Package Lifecycle and the direction we are heading towards)

    The goal is to leverage templates and improve the new project creation flow via the Hub so the experience with Packages will be additive (e.g. only install what's required for a given workflow, platform) and not subtractive as is today.

    As more Packages become exposed in the upcoming releases we want to make sure templates handle those default as best as possible. Please continue to share your feedback.

    Thanks
    Daniel
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2018
  4. elbows

    elbows

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    Nov 28, 2009
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    2,502
    I thought of this thread when I saw the following in the release notes for 2018.2b4.

    But I cant say I've noticed much difference, any detail?
     
  5. newPublicVoid

    newPublicVoid

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2014
    Posts:
    2
    should be configurable, it takes time to remove them
     
  6. newPublicVoid

    newPublicVoid

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    it takes little time to remove them from an otherwise empty project,
    much more if your loaded up already
     
  7. SonicBloomEric

    SonicBloomEric

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2014
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    As a user I would like the following checkbox option in the New Project workflow:

    Type: Checkbox
    Text: Do not pre-install packages
    Alt-Text: By selecting this option, no packages will be pre-installed with the exception of the Package Manager. You can always load packages to your project using the Package Manager at a later date.​

    Something like that would be very useful. As it is right now, having to uninstall them all the time is annoying.

    Side note: That "Analytics Library" is installed when you explicitly turn off Analytics in the UI is confusing.
     
  8. okcompute_unity

    okcompute_unity

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    @elbows This release note relates to the *Built-in packages* feature. Before this change, users could remove modules that had no benefits to do so (ex: no runtime size improvement) but in return could break projects.

    Regards,

    Pascal
     
  9. okcompute_unity

    okcompute_unity

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    @ballz, @SonicBloomEric. As @DanielTG explained above, we are aware this user experience is not perfect for everyone. We are working hard to improve project creation flow through the new Hub. This will take some time though.

    Regards,

    Pascal
     
  10. SonicBloomEric

    SonicBloomEric

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    Please do not restrict the creation flow enhancements to the Hub. As a user and Asset Store Developer, I do not use the Hub, but launch specific versions of Unity directly and use that version's launcher to create a project.
     
    Socrates likes this.
  11. DanielTG

    DanielTG

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    Hi @SonicBloomEric,

    Why not use the Hub? Legitimate question and curious to know if there are any specific blockers preventing you from using it for your needs.

    Thanks
    Daniel
     
  12. SonicBloomEric

    SonicBloomEric

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    Two reasons:
    1. Alpha (and, from what I can tell, experimental) builds are not distributed through the Hub.
    2. When running on macOS High Sierra (and newer) and needing to support legacy Unity versions (we go as far back as 4.5.0), we need to install at least some versions of Unity on an external HD. As I work on a laptop, I have newer versions of Unity installed on the internal drive so that I can use them on-the-go. I keep over half of the versions of Unity that we need installed on an external HD that is only plugged in some of the time.
    Again, I'm an Asset Store Developer. Unless the Hub can be updated to work with the above two scenarios I would very much prefer that the project creation flow enhancements also make their way into new Unity version launchers directly.
     
    Harinezumi and cxode like this.
  13. suhayrid6

    suhayrid6

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    Jul 16, 2018
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    Hello...I'm Dahir. I downloaded and installed Unity 2018 successfully but I couldn't find any of the default packages under "Import Packages". Please help!
     
  14. MrDude

    MrDude

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    1. It is an always running app that serves no purpose once I've started Unity and I simply do not like always running apps and close whatever I can find. Meaning I use the hub exclusively to download Unity without having to download new download mangers all the time
    2. The hub sucks at downloading components. I installed 2018.2 in about an hour but it took me another 4 days to install the documentation, 5 days to install Android build support etc.

    With the normal download managers I select the stuff I want and a few hours later my downloads are done and Unity is installed. With the HUB components fail and when I look after a few hours I just see a window telling "Oops. This component failed to install for some reason. I've been sitting here doing nothing waiting for you to click me.Now that you have seen me, click me to close then start the download all over again. Have fun" ...and 5 days later I finally have Unity installed.

    So what was that you asked? "Why not use the HUB?".... In the words of Doctor Evil: "Riiiiiiiight" :(
     
    Socrates and cxode like this.
  15. _karl

    _karl

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    Feb 6, 2017
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    If you want a work around for the moment, you can simply change the list of pre-installed packages in this file in you Unity installation dir:
    Editor\Data\Resources\PackageManager\Editor\manifest.json

    There is a section "defaultDependencies", but make sure you do not remove com.unity.package-manager-ui, I think its necessary.
     
  16. Deleted User

    Deleted User

    Guest

    Just updated Unity, and at least for me, this whole package deal is a big nuisance – though to be fair, I don't have the best computer at the moment. Anyways, for now I'll just go back to using 2017 Unity to get away from all this package bamboozlery
     
  17. elbows

    elbows

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    I'm guessing Unity would really like to know more about what sort of nuisance it was for you. eg slowing down initial creation of new projects, causing confusion in some specific ways, or something else?
     
    phobos2077 likes this.
  18. andyz

    andyz

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    I have just seen the changes in 2018.2 after 2017 and...

    I don't get why they were included before rather than being assets or something - I see messages about the ad system in 2017 sometimes and I'm wondering what on earth that has to do with my project that doesn't use them!

    Also the way the packages are displayed in the project view now not hidden in the package manager window seems weird to me - because you can change the code (edit - can't because read only)

    Package Manager is good but kind of needs an intro and this is why x, y, z was done explanation!
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2018
  19. elbows

    elbows

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    Packages arent just code, they can be all sorts of other things, some of which it is quite important to be able to have access to in the project browser for all the usual Unity reasons.
     
  20. andyz

    andyz

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    Yes of course, but it is strange because they are all read only - so you can reference the stuff in your project but not modify it. Ok fine - no problem on updates then.
    But since you can read all the code in many and open other assets (e.g. images), you then can not fix any issue or tailor to your uses without copying all out of the package space.

    I get it, but what if you want to maintain a modified package - is there any support or thought for that?
     
  21. elbows

    elbows

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    They have spoken a few times in the past on the forum about the concept which I think they called 'embedded packages', where you can make a local copy of a particular packages files for a particular project. There are already a few ways to do this yourself manually (eg by playing with your own file paths in manifest file) but when I mentioned this stuff in the past they didnt seem too confident about whether it was fully and properly supported yet without unintended consequences. I mostly tried this myself in the past in relation to the HD render pipeline package, but its been a while since I did it and I dont know all the possible consequences.
     
    andyz likes this.
  22. pedro_unity

    pedro_unity

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    Jan 16, 2017
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    Hello @elbows: There is indeed a way of including your own packages in the manifest of your project. Please take a look at the documentation, it will give you a good idea on how to accomplish that: https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/com.unity.package-manager-ui@2.0/manual/index.html#extpkg. It's under "Understanding how Package Manager works", "Manifests", "Project Manifests".

    There isn't really many consequences, apart from the fact that Packages are compatible with a specific version or versions of Unity and might no longer work as you update Unity's kernel. Apart from that, there is always the potential for your package not being properly formed, but that is fairly easy to notice by the user since the console will be red with compilation issues ;).

    Let me know if you have more questions.
    Cheers,
    Pedro
    Unity STE
     
    elbows likes this.
  23. mathieumaker

    mathieumaker

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    Sep 5, 2014
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    hey looks like an old thread but just updated unity to 2019 nd first time i see packages (been away for awhile :))
    my biggest complaint: projects folders jump from 80MB to 600MB. each one of them that were re-opened with the newer version of unity. not acceptabe. have 20 projects going.. x600MB!?
     
  24. elbows

    elbows

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    Looks like there has been a change of some relevance to this thread:

    New 2019.2.0b5 Entries since 2019.2.0b4
    Backwards Compatibility Breaking Changes
    • Package Manager: Removed the Ads, Analytics, and Purchasing packages from default dependencies in order to avoid loading them with all Projects.
      This is a new issue, not seen in any released version.
     
  25. Steve-Tou

    Steve-Tou

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    Aug 4, 2018
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    Recently updated to 2019.2.0f1 from 2017.1.0p4, Personal. The Packages folder contains subfolders- Custom NUnit, Package Manager UI, Rider Editor, Test Framework, TextMesh Pro, Unity Collaborate, Unity Timeline, Unity UI, and Visual Studio Code Editor. I use Visual Studio Community as my script editor. If I delete the entire Packages folder, will it be problematic? Besides VS, (and maybe UI) nothing else sounds familiar for my uses. If I discover a use, can I load them back in later? Thanks.
     
  26. manu73

    manu73

    Unity Technologies

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    Aug 22, 2014
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  27. kalmdown3D

    kalmdown3D

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    Is there a GUI for selecting what packages I want in "New" projects?
     
  28. Harinezumi

    Harinezumi

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    Jan 7, 2013
    Posts:
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    Hello!
    Could we maybe have an option at the creation of a new project what packages we want to add? Or at least make it possible to remove multiple packages at the same time, because recompiling after every one takes several seconds, even with an empty project.
    Thanks!
     
    amiel_ace and KarlGG like this.
  29. QFSW

    QFSW

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    Mar 24, 2015
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    I find that a new project has much too many packages by default and it seems like half the time when I update Unity random packages get added for no reason (sometimes I update an Asset project to test on a new unity ver, then downgrade and lo and behold it doesn't work on the old unity ver because a new package has been added out of nowhere)
     
    amiel_ace and Socrates like this.
  30. Murgilod

    Murgilod

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    Nov 12, 2013
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    Better yet, I'd prefer being able to make package profiles that I could use to import multiple packages at once both at project creation or later on. For instance, it's pretty rare I only need one of the 2d packages, why not let me select a profile I've created that'll bring all of them in?
     
    andyz and Socrates like this.
  31. Socrates

    Socrates

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    Mar 29, 2011
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    I would very much like to at least see a way within Unity Editor to set up my preferences so that I can choose which packages are installed by default. I know one can modify the manifest, but as pointed out above this can cause issues when things update.

    A check box for, "Install nothing and let me choose when I actually need something so I don't have to spend time on every small project I make for testing removing all that extra garbage" would be great too. Though perhaps with a shorter name. ;)
     
    amiel_ace and andyz like this.
  32. steego

    steego

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    A lot of the pain would be alleviated if we could batch select any number of packages to add/remove in one go, having to install or uninstall them one by one and then having to wait for a re-import every time takes ages. If I could just tick some boxes to select everything I want at once, and then hit apply and only have to wait for a single re-import, I wouldn't really mind which packages were installed by default.
     
    AliceWasNeverHere and Socrates like this.
  33. QFSW

    QFSW

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    Yeah it's painful enough that I open package.json and remove them myself there because that does it in batch
     
  34. UnityMaru

    UnityMaru

    Community Engagement Manager PSM

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    Hey folks,

    From what I have been advised, Batch operations are on the roadmap, there is no ETA yet but shouldn't be too much longer. We'll be sure to announce this to everyone when it is ready.

    As for selecting which packages to install on project creation, this is something that we are considering but it is still very far down the road. There are certain other features that will alleviate project creation time indirectly, batch operations being one of them.
     
  35. SonicBloomEric

    SonicBloomEric

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    Can you at least provide an Empty Project Template that starts up a new project with ZERO packages?

    That way we can start by building rather than carving.
     
  36. Baste

    Baste

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    I mean allowing us to select which packages to include in a new project should be pretty trivial - a set of checkboxes that defines how the manifest.json file is set up in the new project. It's also a pretty obvious thing to do.

    The problem is, as with all of these things, that it involves adding something to the Hub, which means that something that should take a single developer a day takes a team a year. I know you don't have the power to do anything about it, but Unity as an organization needs to realize that the Hub team has an immense problem where it's just not getting anything done. Ever.
     
    amiel_ace, TextusGames and Socrates like this.
  37. borrougagnou

    borrougagnou

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    Oct 6, 2019
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    finally I found something usefull to remove ads an analytic package !
     
  38. Parspsq

    Parspsq

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    I think this would be good also instead of needing to select the packages one at a time after creating the project.
     
  39. amiel_ace

    amiel_ace

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    Oct 25, 2014
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    Unity sucks, almost every aspect of it has bugs, I encountered, new input, slow reload of scripts, package manager re importing all assets, and now this simple thing
     
  40. cecarlsen

    cecarlsen

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    Jun 30, 2006
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    Since the PackageManager was introduced I've seen this topic pop up several times in different sub forums. I wish someone at UT would take it seriously. It takes forever to remove unwanted packages (which for me is most of them) in new projects. Editing the PackageManager manifest file manually for every Unity version is just not viable. Creating your own project template for Unity Hub is possible but cumbersome and overkill. Please provide a UI for default packages in UnityHub.
     
    gnurk, pioj, bdovaz and 1 other person like this.
  41. modernator24

    modernator24

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    Apr 7, 2017
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    Those damn default packages slow down initial project creation and loading time a very long. Don't you guys even think about the final users? And most default packages you guys put in are useless to me. What's the point?