Editor Compile in Background?

Is there any way to have the editor recompile the project in the background on file change in an external IDE?

Currently, I have to focus on the editor to kick off a recompilation.

This would really help coding workflow.

 

You can certainly compile from a command line https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/CommandLineArguments.html

 

Interesting, you're saying that I can access the running editor instance via command line and trigger an editor recompile? I don't want to do a full build. I just want to code in my external IDE and then have the editor already building or ideally ready to run when I tab back over to it.

 

Rider/Resharper's Unity plugin has a toggle for "automatically refresh assets in Unity", which does what you're asking. Maybe VS' plugin has something similar?

 

No, I was referring to a command line build.

 

saw this while ago, havent tested yet but sounds useful,

"You can start compiling without having to return focus to the Unity editor after changing the script"
https://github.com/baba-s/unity-compile-in-background

 

Yeah, I'd noticed that as well. Looks like it launches a monitoring program that polls for file metadata updates (e.g. time updated) and then kicks off an asset refresh. Seems like a reasonable approach. I was just a bit nervous about running a pretty unknown quantity like this. I'm also on osx for now, and it utilizes an exe for the monitoring program. Could potentially be rebuilt for osx.

Maybe I'll roll my own that uses an explicit system event sent from Visual Studio vs polling for file changes if I get around to it.

 

It seems VS2019 + Unity 2019.1 do that out of box

 

That's great, however, it binds you to to Visual Studio, some developers are on Visual Studio Code or other IDEs that are less bloated, so they cannot enjoy this feature. Also, it will not work for other types of assets that you edit in another software.

However, I have a solution to this that I will share, once my tests are complete.

 

Haha. Came here because I just installed VS 2019 Community (but with Unity 2018.3.x) and now I want it to STOP compiling in background. (I don't want it to start every time I save a file!). Any ideas?

 

Exact same thing here. I need it to stop and am considering going back to 2017. It makes editing code so incredibly sluggish when it's constantly compiling and recompiling and re-recompiling. Is there any hack to disable it before we (hopefully) get an option to do so?

 

Same here! I've just created a new folder in the Solution window and it vanished instantly (stopped being included) before I had time to insert any scripts there.

 

@charlie_sbg @laeusnb I might have just found a solution! in Visual Studio go to Tools -> Options



It seems that it helped What a relief

 

I actually love the compilation in the background, unfortunately very often, it doesn't want to stay in the background and the editor comes to the top, stopping me from writing the code. This is very annoying - is there a way to prevent the editor from popping up?

 

This feature does not work properly for me. It keep reloading the project in Visual Studio, freezing VS for good 5-10 seconds.

 

If you are using visual studio you can manually recompile in it and unity doesn't need to recompile again when you focus to editor. You just need to use ctrl+shift+b instead of ctrl+s

 

Thank you, exactly what the team needed.

 

@JeffDUnity3D is there any existing method or plans to enable background compiling for VS Code?
Can the same method being used by Rider and the complete Visual Studio be used by VS Code?

 

Seconded!

 

That would be a dream!

 

Any news on this?
I'd love to see a workaround to this issue...

 

+1 for background compiling.

 

+1
Just switched to VSCode and would love a more generic support for this

 

Thanks for pointer to new option, I've turned it off.
It was causing Unity to reimport as soon as I tabbed, but the reimport prevented the editor from foregrounding.
I just want a big fat progress bar so I can see when it's done TBH instead of clicking things to see if the editor responds yet...

 

So I'm a little confused. New computer, new 2020.1.8f1 Unity install + Visual Studio 2019. I'd really like to try the compile in the background--but I have to give the Editor window focus before it refreshes the database and starts compiling.

I have the Refresh Unity's Asset Database on Save set to true in the Unity Tools in VS. I also have Auto Refresh set to true in Unity preferences. Player Run In Background is also true, though I don't know if this affects the Editor itself.

I've opened VS via Unity, and everything seems connected correctly. From some googling, the sense is that this should 'just work', and most of the posts are about how to turn it off. Yet on my end, I make a code change, save, and even if VS was a small window overtop of of the editor I need to enter the editor before it starts working and compiling.

There is some mention of the Editor needing to be running in the background, but I don't know if this is different than the Player Settings game centric one and or how to set this.

I am aware of building in visual studio, etc--I just want to try this new build-in-background-feature. Any idea how to turn it on?

 

I was able to achieve similar behavior with FileSystemWatcher and some hacks. Here is the script, if anyone is interested: https://gist.github.com/Elringus/e5b982166f27dc466297e3e11ffa33ba

 

Have you found a solution in the meantime?

Your post describes exactly what I'm experiencing. However it works in the beginning when freshly opening Unity 2020.2 + VS Community 16.7 and then suddenly just stops background compiling when saving in VS.

It's driving me mad, because I really love theoretically not having to tab back forth all the time. Cause I can see the Editor changes on second monitor, while still having focused VS.

I have checked all settings and have them exactly like you. However it just randomly stops behaving like it should, until I restart Unity.

 

I'm seeing the same behavior as you. If I restart Unity and Visual Studio, I am able to compile in the background after I save in Visual Studio a few times and then it just stops working for no apparent reason. I really prefer to have Visual Studio compile in the background as soon as I save my code in Visual Studio. But ultimately I just wish it were consistent. I'm using Unity 2020.2.2 and VS 16.8.4

 

@Elringus 's script works fine but also utilizes 10% of the CPU nonstop. Adding to a solution list; I have made a script that creates TCP Server and invokes AssetDatabase.Refresh() when client sends any message. I used Python/watchgod package to watch files, you can use Nodejs or other language.

Use at your own risk. May not work if you are behind firewall. Tested on Windows 10/Unity 2019, Unity 2020
https://gist.github.com/arcv/d1269e6480629a015dedd6a50621f79f

 

Thanks for sharing! I didn't initially notice that, as Unity's profiler not showing other threads, but indeed, the watcher thread seem to be in constant heavy usage. Not sure why this is happening, though. I believe watcher shouldn't consume anything while there are no tracked changes happening.

I've noticed github for Unity also utilizes the watcher (https://github.com/github-for-unity...ub.Api/IO/Watches/FileSystemWatcherWrapper.cs) and it doesn't seem to impose that constant load. I wonder how they're achieving that...

 

For those experiencing issues with VS and the Refresh Asset Database feature, please report it using Visual Studio > Help > Submit Feedback > Report a Problem. Include as much detail about the issue as possible so we can investigate. Thank you!

 

Up vote if you agree
https://developercommunity.visualst...-d2019-does-not-trigger-unity3ds-reco/1379103

 

I have encountered this problem all the time and I have placed my vote.

 

I've altered the file-watcher script from above a little bit - and it is now consuming ~1,5% of my CPU. As long as the refresh is broken I'm totally fine with this "price".

Simply put it in any "Editor" script directory in your project, add the full path to your scripts into "ScriptPath" and you are ready to go.

Happy compiling.

Code (CSharp):

1.  
2. using System.IO;
3. using System.Threading;
4. using UnityEditor;
5.  
6. [InitializeOnLoad]
7. public class FileWatcher
8. {
9.     public static string ScriptPath = "PATH TO YOUR SCRIPTS";
10.     public static bool SetRefresh;
11.  
12.     static FileWatcher()
13.     {
14.         ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(MonitorDirectory, ScriptPath);
15.         EditorApplication.update += OnUpdate;
16.     }
17.  
18.     private static void FileSystemWatcher_Changed(object sender, FileSystemEventArgs e)
19.     {
20.         SetRefresh = true;
21.     }
22.  
23.     private static void MonitorDirectory(object obj)
24.     {
25.         string path = (string)obj;
26.  
27.         FileSystemWatcher fileSystemWatcher = new FileSystemWatcher();
28.         fileSystemWatcher.Path = path;
29.         fileSystemWatcher.IncludeSubdirectories = true;
30.         fileSystemWatcher.Changed += FileSystemWatcher_Changed;
31.         fileSystemWatcher.Created += FileSystemWatcher_Changed;
32.         fileSystemWatcher.Renamed += FileSystemWatcher_Changed;
33.         fileSystemWatcher.Deleted += FileSystemWatcher_Changed;
34.         fileSystemWatcher.EnableRaisingEvents = true;
35.     }
36.  
37.     private static void OnUpdate()
38.     {
39.         if (!SetRefresh) return;
40.  
41.         if (EditorApplication.isCompiling) return;
42.         if (EditorApplication.isUpdating) return;
43.  
44.         AssetDatabase.Refresh(ImportAssetOptions.ForceSynchronousImport & ImportAssetOptions.ForceUpdate);
45.         AssetDatabase.ImportAsset(ScriptPath, ImportAssetOptions.ForceSynchronousImport & ImportAssetOptions.ForceUpdate);
46.         SetRefresh = false;
47.     }
48. }
49.  

 

I've found that the high CPU usage is due to cross-directory watching. If you disable `IncludeSubdirectories` and instead spawn a watcher instance per directory, there won't be any noticeable CPU load at all (with the same number of dirs/files watched). I've ended up doing that and additionally filtering watched dirs based on whether the target file types are present inside. This also requires re-spawning the watchers when a file of watched type is added/removed, which can be hooked with Unity's AssetProcessor (https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/AssetPostprocessor.html). Here is an example: https://gist.github.com/Elringus/7c0fcf0fdcaa3d0ffa4a5408209d8f10

 

This is awesome!
I can now 'hot reload' my unit tests by adding the following code:

Code (CSharp):

1.     [UnityEditor.Callbacks.DidReloadScripts]
2.     private static void OnScriptsReloaded()
3.     {
4.         Debug.Log("running all tests");
5.         var testRunnerApi = ScriptableObject.CreateInstance<TestRunnerApi>();
6.         var filter = new Filter()
7.         {
8.             testMode = TestMode.EditMode
9.         };
10.         testRunnerApi.Execute(new ExecutionSettings(filter));
11.     }

 

Baste, I can not find the aformentioned option within the vscode plugin



Using Unity 2020 lts and visual studio 2022.

 

It's either VSCode or Visual Studio! Not the same program.

Also I wrote that it was in Rider/Resharper, and that maybe it's in VS' plugin. I didn't know if it was or not.

I haven't touched vanilla Visual Studio for anything serious for years - it's garbage bloatware. The only reason I have it installed is that some consoles requires it to be around. And before you ask me "what do you use instead" - I don't know of any free code editors for C# that are actually decent.

 

My bad, totally meant Visual Studio, is that I normally use VScode for my other than Unity coding needs...

BTW Visual studio 2022 works way faster than previous versions...

 

Modify the version to be directly available from @Elringus, monitor all folders containing C# scripts under assets, and directly copy them to any directory under assets
https://gist.github.com/Asuta/8c95cbd13c6c0aa7cd23c93d05e85edf

 

It's not really compiling in the background tho.

What would be really useful is having an option so the compilation is truly done in a background thread so I can use the editor while it is compiling and not have to wait for it when I want to edit a scene. Does that exists?

 

Unfortunately no. Because once script compilation done, whole editor/inspectors also refreshed.

I was in the impression that UIToolkit enabled editor would allow that kind of behaviour but it didn't. I use Playmaker as much as I can. Unity's Visual Scripting also has massive performance issue/spike during enabled state.