Create with Unity Course project on a Mac building and running fully, but does not deploy to Quest 2

I am using the Create with Unity Course with some of my students. My students are using Mac laptops (believe M2 chips) with Unity 2022.3.5f1 (tried both intel and mac chipsets installs) as specified by the course.

They have been able to create their scenes, build them, but they do not deploy to our Quest 2’s. They just see whatever Unity files was previously deployed (typically just the base plane and the open world). I have combed through all of the threads and nothing is working.

In project settings, we have specified the XR Plugin Management to be Open XR for both android and pc. The Quests are in developer mode and are selected as the device on our build settings. We build and run completely (shows finished in the console), but when they put on their headset, unity does not automatically open up and when they click on the app, they see whatever was previously on the quest.

More interestingly, I was able to create and deploy a scene using a Windows PC in our makerspace on a spare Quest 2. However, when I try to build and run a scene from the Windows PC on one of the quests that the students had already tried to deploy to, I get the same result (says build is complete, but nothing gets deployed). If I factory reset the Quest 2, I am again able to properly build and run scenes from the Windows PC onto the quest, until a student tries to build and run (which requires another factory reset).

To add insult to injury, my own school laptop (Mac M1) has an even bigger issue preventing me to quickly debug this issue on my own time. I was able to create, build, and run scenes this summer from my house when I took the Create with VR course to prep. Now at school, whenever I try to build, I get a Gradle error. Again tried all of the youtube tutorials (directly loading more up to date SDK’s from android studio) and nothing has worked. Worried that it was a wifi/ firewall issue, I tried building and running at home with my computer and I still get the gradle issue. Because I am not able to build my own scenes, I have to debug the process on their computers which is a slower process and has yet to lead to any promising results.

if you remove old app first, does it then deploy it?

can you attach editor.log from successful build?
and whats the gradle error?

could also try deploying manually from commandline:

adb install -r your.apk

and launch it,

adb shell monkey -p com.yourpackage.name 1

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I am fairly new to unity, so will probably need to ask a few follow ups before properly answer your questions.

  1. I did not need to remove the app when building with the windows pc. I was able to consecutively build in order to test the scene as I was creating it. How would I remove the Unity VR room app on the quest before trying to build/ run the new file? I see it on the bottom toolbar, but it only allows me to open it. I am not seeing it in the apps (including looking for it using the search bar on the quest).
  2. I will need to wait until Monday when I can share some of my student’s logs. How do I get the editor.log?
  3. Here are the gradle error headings from my console.

I can copy and paste the more detailed description for the Java-tool and command invocation but did not want to clutter this response. I can also share images of my unity file folders in case something is missing/ the path is wrong.

  1. For the commandline question, are you refering to something in Unity or through my laptops terminal?
  1. Yeah, i don’t remember having to uninstall apps either, from android it does happen sometimes (if previous build used different package name?) https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/quest/articles/in-vr-experiences/oculus-apps/uninstall-apps-from-quest/
  2. can see log folders here Unity - Manual: Log files reference
  3. ok, hard to see the full error, so better check from the log file
  4. yes, outside unity (so command prompt in windows, terminal in mac probably)

Here is the full error messages for my gradile error. And is these what you meant by editor logs, or something else? When I go to the console (explained in the resource you sent me), I do not see the option to select “Open Editor Log” unless the checks I have is already doing it.

`Thanks again for all of your help.

Better delete those api keys from log, if they are used somewhere!

in that forum post i mean, in case they are secret keys.

ok that log file looks clear, no errors, so if you try to build and then copy editor.log, it should contain more info.

(post deleted by author)

So I figured out a few things. My computer’s gradle issue was due to the fact that I could not connect to the Daemon. My laptop was running ESET, which based on this forum post caused some issues. I updated about a month ago, which makes sense why it was working over the summer but not now. I believe ESET has come out with an new update fixing this issue because after updating ESET, I was finally able to build.
I still was not able to open the app on my Quest 2, but there are errors stating that I was unable to install on device.

Here is the warnings text. I can send over the entire editor log if it helps, but was worried to post the full thing since it includes some api keys.

Snip not showing proper Error, error lies in log message indicating after what went wrong.
So DM or share your full log error message + updating the SDK API or export project and make build through Android Studio. You can use custom Gradle version as per requirement of the plugin.

ADB will download custom gradle version which you will define in Android Project Structure.
Android Project overview structure

seems like the app name has changed (so that could be one issue),
so try to delete existing app (or use same package id)

adb: failed to install /Users/rbliss/Documents/Unity VR/Create-with-VR_2022LTS 2/VR Room-Ryan/Build/ryan_room_build_1.6.apk: Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE: Package com.com.Unity.CreateWithVR.VRRoom signatures do not match previously installed version; ignoring!]

I decided to just do a factory reset my quest because it was easier than deleting the app (but now know how to uninstall after doing some digging. Also based on Sheikh’s advice, I also installed newer sdk files (34) based this video (though I was not sure how to set up the device to run the highest sdk around 2:35).

It was successfully able to build and I got no errors (log files below). It tried loading (get the 3 white dots with the black screen) but then closes before actually showing out the scene. Here is some of the editor log. I could not include all of it without my tab freezing after converting it to code format.

@mgear and @Basim-Afzal thank you for your help. With your help and testing a bit over break, everything has worked out and my students are now able to view what they are creating.

  1. My Gradle error preventing me to build my code was caused by my school/ computer’s firewall ESET (only on my device not my students). A recent ESET update (sometime late 2024) created the Gradle error and then an even newer update fixed it. I’m able to build and run without an issue.

  2. Sometimes when trying to install a Unity project onto an Oculus it will be unable to if there already is a different Unity Project on it with a different name. Finding the Unity VR app in the Library> Unknown Sources and then deleting it prior to building and running your new project solves this issue (Thanks @mgear).

  3. Finally, I believe my students’ rooms were not showing properly primarily because we messed something up when creating and initializing the scene. Starting over with a new project and following the VR Basics course again (I believe I tried walking them through the process myself) has allowed them to now view their work on the oculus. Following the directions the first time can help prevent a lot of problems.

Thanks again, I was pulling my hair out trying to solve this problem before the two of you began responding.

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