[Package Manager] Failed to resolve packages: [Packages] directory does not exist.

Hi! Upon inspecting the build log, I see an unexpected assert failing before the package manager errors:

Assertion failed on expression: '!projectPath.empty()'​

This might explain the ensuing PackageManager error about not being able to create the manifest file, which is needed to run the package manager logic (now part of the Unity application flow).

Can you double-check the project path you provided exists and is valid? If it is, would you mind reporting this as a bug so we can investigate it further? (https://unity3d.com/unity/qa/bug-reporting)

 

Why can't you submit a bug report?
A proper bug report with the project and log files attached will drastically increase the chances of us fixing this.
https://unity3d.com/unity/beta/guide-to-beta-testing

 

Hi litefeel,

The package manager needs the (UnityProject)/Packages/manifest.json file to be present to work. If it doesn't find the file, it will create it with default values, then assume it is present. As a workaround, you could create a simple manifest.json file with just an empty JSON object as its content ("{}", without the quotes). (This file should be tracked in source control, if you use any.)

It's quite strange that it doesn't work on MacOS but works on Windows. Might be a permission issue, i.e. does the process running Unity have permission to create files and directories in the Unity project root directory? Another thing to check is to make sure the Unity project root directory is marked with a ReadOnly flag.

 

Hi litefeel,

As I suggested earlier, you could try the following as a workaround.

Create a directory named `Packages` in your project, then create a file named `manifest.json` in it. Edit this file and put the following content (without quotes): "{}"

This file should be tracked in source control, if you use any.

Let us know if this solves your problem.

 

Hi lifefeel,

I still see the following unexpected line in the logs:

This is very strange, because I also see that file in your project files... Unity should simply not be trying to create it. It's as if it has the wrong "current working directory" and cannot resolve the relative path to that file.

We'll clone your project from Github and try to see what we can find.

 

Hi litefeel,

I have been able to reproduce this issue. This will happen if you have not activated a license on the machine. Is there any way for you to connect remotely to the machine and set up the license?

 

Hi again litefeel,

After further verification, I have two more options for you.

If you use a Pro or Plus license, you can use the "-serial" command-line parameter with the license number (the full number, not the one ending with XXXX as shown in the About window). For a Personal license, you should be able to use the -username and -password options. These command-line options are documented at https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/CommandLineArguments.html.

Of course, the values passed to the -serial and -password fields are sensitive, and you should take care to not commit these sensitive values in your Github repo directly, nor should you log them in your builds. (Note that in the Unity logs, these command-line parameter values are obfuscated.)

 

Hi gigolo,

This is not the same problem. litefeel's issue was that he had no license enabled, and that prevented Unity from correctly setting the projectPath. (I reported this as a bug to the appropriate team; this should have resulted instead in a proper error message saying that no license was activated, and Unity shutting down rather than failing later on.)

Your issue is different, and may have to do with your network setup. Which beta version are you using? Do you have antivirus software running that may be preventing Unity from starting external processes? Do you have a proxy configured? Do you have any special firewall settings that could be relevant?

 

Hi gigolo,

Thanks for the info. We have observed the same on our end and are investigating. Can you open a bug report?

 

Hi @litefeel, your command line arguments look good. I am able to repro the issue on my side in 2018.1 so I will try to see what the problem is

 

Ok so it seems batchmode does require a -serial parameter for license activation to work properly (as far as I know serial numbers are only for Plus and Pro licenses). This is because personal license activation requires the user to declare they are not above the revenue cap, which cannot not be automated since revenues change over time. On top of that, it seems there may be a conflict between automated activation the -nographics parameter. I was able to make it work in 2018.1 with the following parameters (adding -serial and removing -nographics):

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMAND LINE ARGUMENTS:
/Applications/Unity/Unity.app/Contents/MacOS/Unity
-batchmode
-silent-crashes
-force-free
-username
(hidden)
-password
(hidden)
-serial
(hidden)
-logFile
/Users/me/temp/unity.log
-projectPath
/Users/me/unity/Unity-BitmapFontImporter-ci
-executeMethod
MyTest.Test
-quit
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure if the -nographics conflict with the activation is intended, need to dig a bit more

 

Activating in batch mode requires a Plus/Pro license.

Building in batch mode does not require a Plus/Pro license, but it does require that you previously activated.

 

No, I'm afraid there's no way to do that today. We're keeping it in mind for the next evolution of the licensing system, but for now your only option for ephemeral containers is to buy a Plus (or Pro) license.