Overview
The vhAssetsPackage is a redistributable Unity3D Engine package file that contains functionality for allowing Smartbody and VHMsg to work from within the Unity3D engine.
The Toolkit uses Unity as it's primary rendering engine. It can run in Unity Free or Unity Pro. For Unity Free, we interface with Smartbody using 'bonebus mode'. For Unity Pro, we access Smartbody directly using a .dll.
Some additional functionality that the vhAssetsPackage contains is:
- An extension of MonoBehaviour that allows order-dependent initialization and updates
- Smartbody interface
- VHMsg interface
- VHCL Audio interface
- Asset Post-processors that ease pipeline integration
- Resolution independent UI classes
- Interactive Debug Panel
- Customizable Free Mouse Look
- Ini file configuration
- Loading Screen
- Performance time demo tests
- File Parsing
- Application setup point
- Customizable build process
- Fps and Memory Debug Info
Any of these optional components are available when installing the vhAssetsPackage
Quick facts:
- Shared location: https://svn.ict.usc.edu/svn_vh/trunk/
- Toolkit's vhAssets Package Location: \\vhbuild2\VHToolkit-Builds (sort by Date)
- vhAssets Package Source Location: https://svn.ict.usc.edu/svn_vh/trunk/lib/vhunity
- Project location(s): Toolkit (https://svn.ict.usc.edu/svn_vhtoolkit/trunk)
- Main developers: Ed Fast, Adam Reilly
Unity
Unity is available within ICT. The latest version is available through SVN here:
https://svn.ict.usc.edu/svn_vh/trunk/core/Unity
This location has the latest up-to-date version of Unity, with the documentation pruned for space.
The entire Unity distribution is available here.
https://svn.ict.usc.edu/svn_vh/vendor/unity/current
Also, all previous versions of Unity are tagged in this vendor branch as well.
Please note that you need a Serial # for Unity Pro. Please contact Helpdesk for a Serial #.
For projects, it is recommended to use the version of Unity in SVN. It is virtually the same as installing Unity from the web site*. But you get the bonus of:
- Knowing that every person on the project is using the exact same version of Unity.
- Upgrading to a newer version is as easy as updating the svn external. No need to uninstall, distribute the installer, etc.
- Allows different projects to use different versions of Unity, depending on their timetables. Very useful when working on multiple projects on the same machine.
* The only difference in installing Unity vs using SVN is that certain file associations are not registered (in Windows). So, double-clicking on a .unitypackage will not open it. But right-click->Import New Package works fine.
More internal Unity documentation can be found here: Unity
Using vhAssets
Location
vhAssets is distributed via the vhAssetsPackage.unitypackage. It is built regularly by our build server, so it will always contain the latest code. It can be found, along with all of our other Unity packages here:
\\vhbuild2\VHToolkit-Builds (sort by Date)
The source for this package is stored here at https://svn.ict.usc.edu/svn_vh/trunk/lib/vhunity
First Time Installation
- Bring the .unityPackage file inside of your Unity project Assets folder
- Double click it
- Click Import
- Add all the imported files into svn
Upgrading
Upgrading .unitypackage files is a little more difficult. This quote from the Unity docs explains it:
"For the cleanest possible upgrade, it should be considered to remove the old package contents first, as some scripts, effects or prefabs might have become deprecated or unneeded and Unity packages don't have a way of deleting (unneeded) files (but make sure to have a security copy of the old version available)."
The easiest way I've found is to use the approach the SVN docs recommend for vendor branch upgrades.
- remove all files from the folders you are upgrading (leaving the .svn folders)
- install the .unitypackage as normal
- bring up the SVN Commit dialog. Then SVN Add all 'non-versioned' files, and SVN Delete all 'missing' files.
Users
Through the Unity Editor, many variables of vhAssets script components can be customized
DebugConsole
Captures all Smartbody and Unity log ouput and display it to user. Also can be used to send commands. Type '?' for a list of available commands.
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage Of Screen | The amount of vertical space that the debug console GUI will span | float 0 - 1 |
FreeMouseLook
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Axes | Specifies which axes the camera can rotate around | MouseX, MouseY, MouseXAndY |
| Sensitivity X/Y | Angular velocity for camera rotation | float |
| Movement Speed | Linear velocity for camera movement | float |
| Secondary Movement | Linear velocity for camera movement when holding the left shift key | float |
| Maximum X//Y | Max angle the camera can rotate on an axis before being clamped | -360 to +360 |
| Minimum X/Y | Min angle the camera can rotate on an axis before being clamped | -360 to +360 |
| Camera Rotation On | Enables/Disables camera rotation from mouse movement: True or False | True/False |
| Move Keys | Allows specification for which keys are used to make the camera move up, down, left, right, forward, backward, and toggle rotation on/off | KeyCode |
Loading Screen
Provides functionality for full screen image
VHBehaviour
Allows for control of the call ordering of all MonoBehaviour messages sent from Unity.
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Priority | The ordering in which this script will be called compared to other VHBehaviours. A lower number entails a higher priority. i.e. priority 0 behaviours get processed before priority 10 behaviours | int |
VHBehaviourManager
The control system that allows for correct processing order of VHBehaviours. This object MUST be present in order for VHBehaviours to work
VHWayPointNavigator
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Linear movement rate at which you move between waypoints | float |
| Turn Towards Target | Turn to face your next waypoint target. | True/False |
| Ignore Height | Only move to next waypoint along the x/z axes | True/False |
| Immediately Start Pathing | Start Pathing: As soon as the scene starts, start moving | True/False |
| Loop Type | Action to take upon reaching the last way point of the path | Loop, Ping Pong, Stop |
| Pather | The gameobject that will do the moving | GameObject |
| WayPoints | The list of transforms that will be used as waypoints for the pather to move along | GameObject |
VHTimeDemo
Works with VHWayPointNavigator and FpsCounter to track performance along a specified path in the scene and then uploads fps/performance data to a database
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Time Demo Name | Identifying name of this time demo. Used for starting a specific time demo through the console or command line | string |
| Performance Log Name | The filename for the output log from unity's performance tracking | string |
| Project Name | Specifies the project this demo is used for | string |
| Time Demo Length | The amount of time it will take for the time demo to complete once started | positive float |
| Fps Sampling Rate | How often the fps will be sampled during the time demo | positive float |
SmartbodyManager
Interfaces with smartbody.dll to provide smartbody character animation to unity
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Path To SBM Files | The directory in which smartbody should look for initialization files. Starting directory is the current unity project folder | string |
| Character Load Path | Project subdirectory in which character prefabs should be instantiated from | string |
| Position Scale | Units of measurement between smartbody and unity can sometimes be different based on how the art was exported. If there is a difference, it can be mitigated with this variable | positive float |
| Display Log Messages | Toggle for allowing smartbody LOGs to be output to unity. | True/False |
| All Facebone Characters | Toggle for making all unity smartbody driven characters facebone drive or not | True/False |
| Cam Settings | Used for the SBMonitor to duplicate the renderer viewport and camera | positive float |
| Initial VHMsgs to Send | VHMsgs that will get sent as soon as smartbody is initialized | string |
UnitySmartbodyCharacter
Works with SmartbodyManager to have a smartbody driven character inside of unity
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Bone Parent Name | Child gameobject name path that will lead to the skeleton root | string |
| Is Face Bone Driven: | Toggle that informs smartbody whether or not this character is face bone driven | True/False |
VHMsgManager
Interfaces with VHMsg that allows communication via strings between processes
| Variable Name | Purpose | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Use Specified Host and Port | If checked, the Host and Port specified will be used on connection, otherwise localhost and 61611 will be used | True/False |
| Host | Host to connect to | string |
| Port | Port to connect to | positive int |
Developers
All vhAssets code can be modified directly in the repository https://svn.ict.usc.edu/svn_vh/trunk/lib/vhunity/vhAssets
Here are some examples for common functionality that is modified on a per project basis
DebugConsole
Add a new command callback for an arbitrary command
m_Console.AddCommandCallback("some_command", new DebugConsole.ConsoleCallback(HandleConsoleMessage));
void HandleConsoleMessage(string commandEntered, DebugConsole console) {
if (commandEntered.IndexOf("some_command") != -1)
// Do Something
}
To use the console, at run-time hit the ~ key. Type '?' and hit enter to see a list of commands. If you used the code above in your script, you should see "some_command" in the list. Note, you can pass additional arguments with these commands.
Send arguments with a command while typing in the console
vhmsg someMessage
VHMsgManager
Subscribe to a certain type of message
vhmsg.SubscribeMessage("someMessage");
Subscribe to all vhmsgs
vhmsg.SubscribeMessage("*");
Send a vhmsg
vhmsg.SendVHMsg("someMessage someParam1");
Handle a message
vhmsg.AddMessageEventHandler(new VHMsgBase.MessageEventHandler(VHMsg_MessageEvent));
void VHMsg_MessageEvent(object sender, VHMsgBase.Message message) {
string [] splitargs = message.s.Split( " ".ToCharArray() );
if (splitargs[0] == "someMessage")
// Do Something
}
Build Process
You can customize the build process by creating and modifying a BuildSettings.xml file.
- Inside the assets folder in your unity project, create a file called BuildSettings.xml
In the same folder as the Assets folder within your Unity project create a .bat file with the following lines
@setlocal
set PROJECTPATH=%CD%
pushd ..\Unity
call runEditorBatch.bat -projectPath %PROJECTPATH% -batchmode -nographics -quit -executeMethod UnityStartup.PerformWindowsBuild
popd
@endlocal
Use the following template for custom modification
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<BuildSettings xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns="http://www.cpandl.com">
<ExternalAssetsPaths>
<string>Assets/SomeDirectory</string>
<string>Assets/SomeOtherDirectory</string>
</ExternalAssetsPaths>
<BuildOutputPath>Builds/YourProject/YourProject.exe</BuildOutputPath>
<PostBuildScript>somePostBuildScript.bat</PostBuildScript>
<ConfigFiles>
<string>Assets/config.ini</string>
</ConfigFiles>
</BuildSettings>
BuildSettings.xml Format
| Field | Desrcription |
|---|---|
| ExternalAssetsPaths | Array of folder names that will be copied to the BuildOutputPath. (OPTIONAL) |
| BuildOutputPath | Path specifying the name and location of the .exe for your build (REQUIRED) |
| PostBuildScript | A .bat or .exe that will be run after the build process is completed. (OPTIONAL) |
| ConfigFiles | Array of file names taht will be copied to the BuildOutputPath. (OPTIONAL) |
Config File Parsing
You can create a config .ini file in your project and read it using the IniParser class
m_ConfigFile = new IniParser(configFileName);
m_ConfigFile.GetSetting("SomeSetting") // returns a string with the value of that setting, if it exists
Known Issues
Either list of common known issues and/or link to all Jira tickets with that component name.
FAQ