Native Sqlite For Unity

The Future of Unity at today's prices. A lot of people have been asking for native sqlite support.


Summary

UniSqlite is the first and only native SQLite database admin tool written in javascript with support of SQLite3. Set up is very simple. Download the script from the asset store, click on
“WINDOW” on top of the screen, and select UniSqlite. UniSqlite1.0 is the only Sqlite editor that can manage Prefabs,audio clips, Textures, and (x,y,z) Position, rotation, and scale without having to write a single line of code. Even if you have no experience with database management. You’ll be able to learn the system that will soon revolutionize Unity3D. You’ll be able to search Prefabs by name or by using a primary key. That’s just only the first innovation that users are hoping to see in future versions of Unity3d. This is beta version 1.0.



Features
Add,Delete,edit,Browse records.
Add,Delete,edit table columns
Manage table indexes
GUI tools to manage prefabs, audio clips, Textures, date,time,ints,doubles,Position, rotation, and scale.
The presentation is very intuitive, easy to use, so that non-technical developers can hit the ground running.
We are actively working on version 1.1.

 

Hi when do you expect to see it available in the Unity Asset Store?

iByte

 

I just finished today. I will submit tomorrow. The submission process is so annoying. I will have an early adopter discount. $75. You'll be able to manage your prefabs, audio, Textures, Text, date and time, just like you do in iTunes and G-mail. The menus are context sensitive as you can see. The cells are able to calculate their own size. The cells are even smart enough not To take up too much space when the words get too long. For example: If you have three very long text: The screen will get divided three ways. The people have spoken, I've listened. I will have a Youtube demonstration soon. This is 4 months worth of work...

 

$75? Isn't that a bit expensive? (Not to mention it's the early adopter price!)

Oh and I'm curious if we can setup relationships in a WYSIWYG sort of way or not?

Have you tested this on iOS and Android or not?

 

$75 is very cheap, when was the last time you went to the Asset Store Brother Curious. Some of the best stuff on there are at least $100. Android and IOS bothe have native Sqlite support. Sqlite works on PC/MAC, IOS, Android, Websites, PS3 and XBOX 360. This is an editor. So that people who don't know anything about Sql syntax can hit the ground running and Create, Read, update, delete, create indexes for their content.
1)I'm laying the foundation for a evolved Unity Standard... Let me give you an example. At the present moment if you want to instantiate a prefab. You have to specify the name of the prefab. If you want to instantiate 10 prefabs, you have to specify all ten. This is known as Explicit Instantiation. I'm introducing a new term called Implicit Instantiation.
Sqlite Supports primary keys. So you are able to In a WYSIWYG formate attach primary keys to all of your prefabs. So if you have 10 prefabs with primary keys 1 through 10 you be able to say instantiate prefabs in such and such table with primary keys 1 through 10. It does not matter if you have 2,10, or 50 prefabs. Same about of code to instantiate them. You can see that in the attachment.
2) Take this one step further. In one Room you have prefabs with ids 1 through 20, next room you have primary keys 40-60, and so on. This has never been done b4 in the history on Unity. The reason it's only $75 instead of $200 like other stuff in the Asset store is because I'm targeting people lwho don't want to pay too much for a great product. Wait for the YouTube Video. You can attach ID to audio files, Texture2d, anything you want in a WYSIWYG fashion. Just do a search for SQlite in the forum and see how many frustrated people are looking for native SQlite support.
3)One last thing, you don't sent the editor to any other platforms, you send the database files...

 

Hi namoricoo,

Looking forward to the video.

My current workflow with sqlite is to manipulate my databases with Firefox (SQLite Manger). Being able to see my game data directly in the Unity editor would be nice. Does your editor display blob data if a hint was given? For example i have png data in one column, would i be able to see those graphics displayed in table view/edit mode?

iByte

 

Bobs are very inefficient, they take up a lot of space and they slow the database because the picture is broken up into binary. We all know that unity support Texture, Texture2d, Texture3d. So I trained UniSqlite to support Texture2d, you can see it in the picture. I called it Texture3d_uni. It's only a text reference to asset location. For example Asset/Resources/Texture2d_uni. I've invented a naming convention to educate Sqlite what to do with it. "@_Texture2d_@". When UniSqlite notices the naming convention, it will load the Texture and format it correctly. So Texture2d_uni is UniSqlite efficient Blob format.
And that's only one thing that other Editor's don't do. Firefox or any other Sqlite Editors don't known what to do with a prefab, audio file, Texture2d.... In one of the future versions I will add Video support. Video support in only available for Unity Pro.
Final note...This is the start of a new standard for Unity. I also have a date class and a time class. So if you're writing a game like assassin's Creed and you have all of these complicated dates and time you'll be able to do everything without going outside of Unity. For example date will be formated like 04/14/2011 AD, if you have some like a very old date you can do 01/12/0250 BC. Before Christ.

 

The first picture shows you Textures with IDs. You can see the database effects in the rows. In the second picture when you left click on a texture, the Update Mono Sqlite Field window will appear, and when you hit the select button. The select texture window appear where you can change the texture in the cell. When you finish, you hit update. The third picture will show to you a live preview of what happens when you click on a new image. The forth images shows you what you'll see when you are inserting a new line of data. The editor will guide you through the entire process.

 

Is there an easy way to set up a player's account information with this? Like storing login , password, and unlocks they have for a game? Or is more just managing assets?

 

Whatever you can do in a Regular Sqlite database, you can do with UniSqlite. All the information you described Brother Kheng is nothing more than Text. If there's a password involved you'll have to implement some type of encryption for the password. The reason I don't include encryption is because I would have to explain it to everybody. Then anybody would know how to hack-in and get the passwords. I'm finalizing the first Portion of the Youtube Vizio. I deal with Prefabs, audio, textures, and Integer Primary Keys... In the next Video I'll deal with things like Text,Int,Float,Date,Time, Etc.

 

He is the first of several youTube Videos.

 

Hi great product. Do you know any webbased admin tools that you can use for this. I have a client that wants to be able to change values for a product catalog....

 

Unity3d is not web based. However, Sqlite dabases will work in the browser. A lot of companies are using sqlite databases to store the information for their websites. For people who don't know. Adobe Acrobat uses SQlite. When you are searching the text in a PDF file. You're searching an Indexed Database. Itunes also uses SQlite.Core data for IOS and Mac also use Sqlite. I'm loading a higher resolution video to Youtube, the video was not as clear as I would I liked.

 

It looks nice! Can you show how easy it is to have the data be generated by a player and have it be stored to the database? Like in run time you ask the player for their name and you store that in the database. And how can you access the database in code?

 

Here is how UniSqlite will deal with Text,Int,float, date, time, Postion,Rotation, and scale....

 

Hi,
This looks great.
A couple of questions.

1. Why no C# version?
2. Is it fully cross platform? (win, max, ios, android, web via asset bundle?)
3. Release date?

ty!

 

Brother sonicviz

3)I submitted a very stable version of my code 04/17/2011 around 1:15PM eastern time. So now the Ball is in Unity’s court. The picture you see on top is what you should look for.

1) In response to why no C#, when I first started out back when were were still in Unity 2.6, I spent a month and a half looking for a way to get my code to work with C#. I contacted people, I even got in touch a person who worked on an older version of Mono. Back then, the only way I would have gotten a C# version was by using a DLL file. If I had used a DLL file I would have had to Upgrade to Unity Pro. So I asked a simple question. How can I get a database Management system to works with Unity Basic? I had given up for half a month. Unity 3.0 came out. Reviewing some of the update revealed some of the files I needed to get a javascript implementation. When the Asset Store became available, I had a lightbulb moment. I noticed everybody who was looking for the same thing. I became an Engineer so that I could solve complicated problems that other people run away from.
I put everything on hold so that I could work on the Future of Video games. As games get more complicated, we’re going to have at some point, “Database Driven Video games.” Users don’t invoke any of the Editor files directly. I’m working on public Javascript and C# functions that users will interact with. It may look simple on the Video. However, what you are seeing is, 4 month worth of work, boiled down to less than 10,000 lines of code. I had to invent the custom grid view, all the new naming conventions, and all of the other progress you’re seeing.
2) IOS, android, and Mac have Sqlite Built in. I know Sqlite can work on the web and Windows, How exactly, I don’t know yet. The key word, yet. The people in the community have been asking for this, for a long time. I’m the first person who listed. I wish Unity would work with me to bring about the change that everybody is looking for. Now, Unity is the 3rd best game Engine. If Unity Becomes a Database Driven Game Engine, Unity can become number 2 or number 1.

 

Hi namoricoo,
Thanks for the reply.

So basically you are saying it only works on platforms with inbuilt sqlite?

I agree with your point re: db driven. Would be great to also use http://developer.db4o.com but the licensing is either GPL or commercial/unit volume, so nothing really conducive to indy development...atm.

 

I did not say it only works on platforms with built-in sqlite. I know you can use sqlite on xbox 360, see this link for some games that uses sqlite. http://xbox360superstore.codeplex.com/. The Sqlite is only 100k in size. It's lighting fast. I just say I don't know how to do it yet. I'm on the outside trying to start a movement. So we have a big discount for people who want to support the movement. As I learn new things I add them to the database. On the video, you don't see or hear me talking about managing script files in a database. However, on Saturday I made it happen. In the script I've added to the Asset store you'll be able to manage all of you mono sqlite scripts in a database. So, I'm learning as I'm going. Think about it. When iPhone 1 came out it was great at the time. iPhone 4, blows iphone 1 out of the water. That's how UniSqlite is. I had to rewrite the entire thing 7 times before I reached version that does not crash, that works correctly, can undo, same, and do everything visually. That's why I have that eye shape in the design. You don't use code Javascript or CSharp, you use the User Interface. I know if Unity works with me. We'll be able to bring Sqlite Inside with all of the other files like:Audio,Textures,Javascript.
The promise of Unity is to Unite. Simple games work fine with Unity the way it is. However, if you have a big game like GTA, Assassin's creed, you'll need a database to manage all of that information. If there's a legal way to do it. I'll find it because that's what I do. I'm the Engineer you call when you have a complicated problem and time is not an issue. I'll post new videos with the remaining features this week.

 

After Brother sonicviz posted his good messages. I spent several hours investigating the missing links. I'm proud to say that I discovered the bug. I filled out a bug report today and submitted the problem to Unity. Let's just hope that they do something soon to resolve the problem. Until they do. People will still be able to use my editor as if the error was not there. The problem only exits outside the editor folder. Not inside the editor folder. I sent several screen shots to Unity. It should be a simple fix, now that they know exactly what's causing the problem.

 

i like your work. And there is quite interesting idea DB (especially work on web) for Unity3D. I mention that How is the capacity of UniSqlite ? Can i warehouse millions of data ?

In most specificaly, i make scene which includes total model of poly 1000. There are 25 or 35 building or smth like that.I mean that can we store the gameobjects with UV or animations , textures as a cell of data? When we call the data from sqlite by coding , does the gameobject appear on the scene with its UV,textures or animations? Is that possible ?

 

Brother cemC, thank you for your post. You'll be able to store anything in UniSqlite. The reason that is, you're not storing the object itself in the database. You're just storing a reference to the object. It's all text. That's what makes it fast. That's also why we don't support Blob because a blob is binary and takes up a lot of space. When you are instantiating an object you might say something like. Resources.load(cat). Where cat is a picture in the resources folder. so the name cat is the only thing that you need. The object itself does not matter. It's all about the name, not the object. I've contacted the Asset store about missing files in Unity that current make it impossible to Unity basic user to invoke "import Mono.Data.SqliteClient" outside of the editor folder. So I'm half way done re-writting the program in C#, using other libraries that are a little faster that Sqlite. I'm half way done. I will have it up on my own website, if the Asset store keeps dragging their feet with the submission process. It's been over a week and still nothing. I did not even get an e-mail confirmation if they got my submission.

 

In the end, what you provided is a nice UI for non database individuals, as far as SQLite goes, it is slow on initial connection but fast on reads, there are also limitations to consider with it and Unity, but besides that, it is a decent medium for small games. Utilizing a reference system is also good logic for people to get a grasp on, at the very least you made a decent learning tool from everything I have seen, kudos.

I know I have posted up in the threads elsewhere all of the libraries individuals need to make SQLlite work, but if I recall, there was issues when trying to build and deploy the programs, I forget all of the problems I ran into, haven't played with it in months so not sure if they are all resolved. You can do a lot in the editor that you simply can't build and deploy with. Good job on the decent editor.

 

Brother Zumwalt, the future of gaming is Database Driven Video games. I'm just ahead of my time. In order to get there, we have to separate the content from the presentation. When I could not get what I wanted from Sqlite, I experiment with Linq, The best linq libraries are not present in Unity either. I think I did see the list you talked about in your post.
The current version of Unity is stuck in .Net 2.0. I have the Sqlite DLL files, However, Only Unity pro users will be able to use it, the way my code was.since i have a great UI, I started re writing the code to address all of the current short comings on Databases in the current version of Unity. Remember that my UI can be adapter to work with any database system or library. It's only a matter of how many items people need to store. In one of the attachments I have bench marks from a post in "http://www.python-forum.org/pythonforum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=21506", somebody asked a question, SQLite vs list or dictionary. Sets ended up taking the first place, dictionary took second place, sql was at the end in terms of speed. We know that Sqlite not strongly typed. you can put anything, anywhere. You have to set it up. People want something they don't have to set up, easy to use, and fast. Armed with this information, I re writing my code to work the dictionary framework. As more powerful libraries become available I can update my UI to work with Linq, MySql, or any database that will behave. One last note. We know that after you close the connection to a dictionary the data is lost. So I solve the problem, by inventing a naming covention that was inspired by XML. Why didn't I just use XML. The current version of Unity does not support XML the way I need.
To conclude, the redesigned code is able to bring the data inside the resources folder by using a text file. We only use the text to save data and achieve data persistance. So we don't waste any resources. It's the same UI. The Same steps in the front End, even though the code is now C# instead of Javascript. And finally when newer technology becomes available, we can Update the current UI to take advantage of it.

 

Brother namoricoo
Please cut the nonsense and misleading selfpromotion. Videogames are already driven by databases, in even far deeper way, than you hint at. Your integration of sql browser with unity gui is novel, if superfluous. All in all a nice Unity beginner exercise and you deserve gratitude for learning Unity in a nice way and managing integration of external libraries with gui. However, your idea of selling your beginner project is almost offensive.
If you need money however, please go do something useful.
Like coding custom assets loader and integrating that with a database, that will store real data, not references(which, by their nature, fit to lists and dicts easily). If you do this, big loads of money will rain on you in such heaps, you will risk drowning if you accept cash.

 

Tarrago, I can see you don't understand what I've done. I never said any of the things you are implying. My vision goes beyond what you are saying of simply referencing. When I talk about database driven video game. The way Unity is at the moment. If you have 10 prefabs. You'll have to hard code the name of all 10 , or you might add them to the inspector. Now come come my product. You have 10 cars. Each car has a primary key attach to it. Instead of saying something like Resources.load(car1)... you'll be able to say InstantiateItemWithKeyBetween(1,10); Where 1 and 10 will refer to the primary key attach to the Prefab. Same number of step regarless of if you have 10 or 150 prefabs in that scene. Now that's database drive. That's what I believe to be the future. When the data is separate from the presentation of the data. That's progress. If you wants to spend hours hard coding your content. Good for you. but people who want to instantiate a large number of prefabs with one line of code will appreciate what I've accomplished. If that's not you. Just don't buy my product. What I've done is, I looked at the most popular complaints and I create a product to address those complaints. Show me another product out there that will let people instantiate a large number of Prefabs with one line of code: "InstantiateItemWithKeyBetween(1,120); " . And that just one aspect of the code.That's my definition of a database driven game. The data is separate from the presentation...

 

In database design 101, we learn that binary files take up a lot of space and slow down the database when you're running a search. Apple uses Core Data. In Core data and any other serious data management system we learn that the intelligent thing to do is to reference a database instead of putting large amount of Binary files in a database. That just a fundamental database principles. Why create a copy of something you already have. It Does not make sense. Why waste Disk space.If you have a zombie prefab and the prefab's name if Zod. You'll say something like Instantiate(zod).

 

namoricoo,

I see your not a fan of blobs and thats fine but I don't undertand why you don't have support for them in your editor. blobs are a supoprted sqlite type and there is data outside of Unity types that needs to be managed. Without full support for all sqlite types I won't be using your product.

Cheers

iByte

 

iByte
these are the file formats that Unity support. Unity made the decision not to support it. So that's the number two reason I don't support blobs. The number one reason I don't support blobs is because they slow down search in any database files. Any image you have should be in the following format:Image Formats
Photoshop .psd and .tiff are imported with layers automatically flattened.
JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TGA, IFF, PICT and many other image formats are supported. So if the image imports into Unity and shows up the the inspector. It will work with my program.

http://unity3d.com/unity/features/asset-importing.

 

?? A blob is simple a datatype field that holds up to a 2 gig byte array
Reference: http://www.sqlite.org/limits.html
Has nothing to do with what Unity supports or does not support, the difference is the data is stored in the database in that field vs in the file system, not that I see a point in putting actual files IN a sqlite database which seems counter productive to me, but it has nothing to do with sqlite vs unity file types in general.

Anyway, keep chugging away at your editor development, should be very useful to non-db people.

 

If i was to replace SQLEditor which I am currently using in FireFox with UniSqlite as strictly a table editor/browser from within Unity then it should really support all sqlite data types. I am not sure why you want to limit what a customer wants to do?

In my own case I load the database via other methods and create textures on the fly outside of unity. Putting small blobs (icons) in a table vs managing hundreds of individual files (in the device document directory) works for me (personally). I do need to dip into the db and pull out a few records from within Unity and since the DB is strictly for storing application data vs Unity game data that too works fine for me.

The editor should support the basics then build your extensions and value on top of that.

Just my perspective on things.

iByte

 

ibyte
in my book the customer is always right. As an Engineer, I can caution the buyer that blobs are in-efficient. It they want to use it, I should provide it. I can give you an analogy. People know cigarettes are bad. That does not stop some people from smoking. The Way the code is at the moment, it will only work for Unity Pro users. I have a variation I'm working on for everybody else. I will work with the Asset Store one more time tomorrow to see if we can get the code up and running.

 

Zumwalt, I know what a blob is. I did not include them because of how slow they are. check out some of these posts.
http://old.nabble.com/Insert-speed-of-BLOBs-td20206273.html ,http://www.mail-archive.com/sqlite-users@sqlite.org/msg37406.html, you can also do a google search to read all about it.

 

Thanks for your answer.

 

cemC , I talked to the Asset store manager and we just have to resubmit. For the javascript and sqlite, I'll include dll files. Those Dll files will work only with Unity Pro. The editor will work on all version of Unity 3d beyond Unity 3.0. They just won't be able to compile it to any device.
The C# version is 70% finished. It will do everything you saw in video one and two. It will be lighting fast for all unity users. I've taken everything I learned from Sqlite, LINQ, XML, and invented a type of database that's optimized for the Uni environment. I've also been in touch with Unity to find out why they don't support SQlite for all. Based on all the research, we know that Sqlite can slow down the editor, That's because the OnGUI is called 2-3 times per second. I'll be releasing next week, UniSqlite and UniDDatabase where people will have to choose what they want. UniDDatabase will address all of the current limitations of Sqlite, MySql, and Linq on Unity. All of the wall will be broken and every body with Unity3d who owns my product will be able to start separating there data from the presentation of the data.

 

Awesome work,
I remeber working with SQLite before, not in a game project mind you but it was a real joy. And yes, when dealing with huge amount of data, XML isn't enough.

 

Brother tatoforever, it's always nice to see somebody who appreciates progress. I'm 90% finished.

 

For everybody who's been waiting. I've just submitted The UniDDatabase to the Asset Store and it was they did get it. I'm still working on removing some final bugs from UniSqlite. UniDDatabase will A totally native experience. It will need Zero configuration to deploy to Xbox,PS3,iPhone,iPad,iPodTouch,Android. Videos are comming soon.

 

classic. Perhaps you're so far ahead you have returned to the beginning . I would start by getting an artist to update/recreate that hideous logo so you can at least brand your world revolution in style. Just stirring the pot .. enjoy.

 

whats UniDDatase? stupied question maybe

 

Hey namoricoo,

I have a question for you
Where does the database that you create is stored ?
Can I for example, create a database with this plugin, put the database in a server, and then from a Ipad remotely connect to the database,
and read it ?

Thanks

 

Brother tictox, I did notice the logo needed to be worked on. You do my own graphic design work, in addition to doing the coding.So After I saw your post I worked on an updated design. Here is it. You see a 3d representation of a database casting the big shadow. All of the other objects are what you'll be able to manage with the database. You see a movie cube. Movies are only available on Unity pro, so I did not include it in Version 1.0.

 

Hi namoricoo,

Have you changed the name from UniSqlite to UniDDatabase or is there now two products?

iByte

 

UniDDatabase, let me break it down. Unity3d, Dictionary, Database, So it's a combination of those three words. Unity3.0 does not give Unity basic Users a way to manage their data. I have Unity basic. If I want to use Sqlite, or Network access I would have had to pay over $2,400 to update to Unity pro,IOS pro. I had a lightbulb moment. I believe, Unity basic users should have enough resources to make enough money to update to Unity Pro. Because UniSqlite will not work for Unity Basic, I wrote a custom class to help people manage their data. I'm using technology. no sqlite . You can click on the link to go to wikipedia to read more about it http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NoSQL. Unity basic is stuck in .Net 2.0. Sqlite also uses a NoSql approach. UniDDatase It will be fast,reliable, and you'll be able to compile it to any unity supported environment without have to do any configuration.

 

Brother IByte, they are two different products. I did mention in a previous post that I submitted UniDDatabe; but I'm still working on UniSqlite. Only Unity pro users are able to use sqlite. Anybody will be able to use the editor inside Unity. However,Sqlite will not compile to mobile environments. UniDDatabase will work for everybody. You know that in order to use Sqlite, you currently have to set it up yourself. With UniDDatase, there is Zero configuration. The library works 100% inside unity. I'm thinking about creating a new post when I get ready to post a video demonstration. I'm hoping to have UniSqlite done by next week. I'm working on the documentation at the moment.

 

Brother BigB, it will not work how you are saying. Network access requires Unity Pro. Unity has the WWW class, that's already doing what you are asking about. My class is to help game developers manage their data.

 

I did not realize that access to System.Data was not available to Unity Basic users as I have Pro already and was access sqlite database from C#

iByte

 

A lot of things are left out by design from Unity Basic. In order to encourage people to upgrade to Unity Pro. I'm a capitalist. So I will have a range of product. Some of Unity Pro users, some for Unity Basic users. There are more Unity Basic Users than Unity Pro Users. My avatar will change depending on which product I'm releasing at the moment.

 

Can anybody see a mistake with my folder structure.Looks good to me. The Lady in the store sent me the following e-mail. "Hi there,

Thanks very much for your submission to the Asset Store!

Looks like the folder structure is a bit wrong.

Please make sure that the AssetStore folder _only_ contains information generated by the package manager and screenshots. Your actual content should be above that folder."

 

I think the "Assets" folder needs to be named after your exact package name. From the manual: