So, now I understood, it is indeed better and more robust to use empty scripts as tags.
The layers theme isn’t so critical, as it is max of 32 and indexes remain even if the names are empty after bckp, everything works.
But seems it is better to use “script tag”, when applicable, which also frees you space to use layers what they are actually intended for - rendering and raycasts, etc.
= = = = =
Update:
= = = = =
Current list what to do for “Assets” folder only backing or version control:
Do not use tags, use empty scripts as them (this is also more flexible) or just save Tags & Layers preset more often in Assets.
Do not use variants for materials or other such link types (in my case one .glb stopped working = broken related mats and textures, though it didn’t had them, so not a variant saving the single color mat would’ve helped)
p.s.
is it possible to get “Tags & Layers” from a corrupted project (impossible to open, read) if it wasn’t saved to a preset?
Solution:
Fine, Git solution, it seems it also saves ProjectSettings folder, so the Tags & Layers won’t miss on (another) possible corruption (plus other useful stuff?):
Would be nice to know what exact file responsible for Tags & Layers if its still not been saved as preset
Just use any git and upload commits to its cloud (push), so it won’t corrupt entirely, if you keep all in one root folder or if your PC explodes. This way you also can continue working on different PC.
Remember that your Project is the root, do not make a new root or the default .gitignore will not work, 'cause of different hierarchy.
(I mean, if this: gitName/yourProject, do put it in yourProject, not gitName, also do it with hidden .git folder and .gitattributes and etc. if there is other from git)
Also do not forget this in your windows explorer in “View” section (see extensions, hidden files)
(other stuff is quite intuitive)
p.s.
accidentally edited reply with duplicate what to do, not description, on second update, lol.
As most of your stuff, excluding official \Library\PackageCache etc.
Is in that place and usually just importing Assets into new empty project can suffice good, if original project got corrupted to the state it can’t be opened, so you can’t even make a preset of “Tags and Layers”.
I do this - zip it (“Assets”) to .7z, move to my Backups, now i have a lightweight backup, just in case.
p.s.
(Yes i know, i could’ve used SCM (version control), but the project is solo, it makes little sense and also Plastic not working in my place i’d have to use external one’s)
Install GitHub Desktop (for Mac, Linux and Windows)
File > Add Local Repository
Push!
Of course, you don’t need to push everything to the git repo. Use a .gitignore file to avoid pushing unecessary files. Add this file to the root of your git project.
If you want a local copy of this, simply use a tool like FreeFileSync to automatically create a local backup.
There is no reason not to use VCS. I create a new git repo for EVERY single project I do, including simple stupid throwaway solo projects. It’s simply too good to ignore.
If you are not yet convinced, I don’t know what will.
well i’m kinda lazy to set it up and actually have some gigs on the HDD to not care about weight, the Assets folder backup is just so easy you right click it - zip, move, done, small size, though i also upload it to cloud Drive, so, yeah, kinda not much sense, i just do the git job manually and worse.
Btw, maybe do you know about compatibility of GitHub MIT license and asset store free asset?
I asked about CC’s ones and got such a negative answer from the official, that i don’t understand can a free GitHub coexist with free Unity Store Asset or not?!
(well here goes one of reasons why i dont use VCS for trivial tasks, i forgot or mistyped the exact password version and now new try only in few hours, lol… Okay, i just password resetted it and not waited much, but i forgot how exactly it works, seems like making rep in empty place not the thing in a local case, though i did it on junior pathway, lol)
You won’t be so lazy when your computer craps out and you realize you forgor to backup. Build the brain reflexes, your future self will thank you.
Btw, maybe do you know about compatibility of GitHub MIT license and asset store free asset?
You can add free Unity assets from the Asset Store to your public GitHub repo, no problem. See, I do it here with DOTween (free version from the asset store, not the pro version).
But even then, Free GitHub no longer means absolutely public repo. You can have unlimited private repos on the GitHub free tier.
seems like making rep in empty place not the thing in a local case,
okay i ignored everything below Assets, also freezed the hub because it was 32k+ stuff whole folder and now its committing slow, i guess i should’ve not been greedy making it in same SSD as the project (it is 1,72 TB free…), not separate HDD and it wasn’t a good idea to put whole folder, lol.
Btw, what if the corruption situation of the Unity project root happens with the github repo inside? Seems like in this case only online (cloud) version will survive.
P.S.
Would be nice to know what exact file responsible for Tags & Layers if its still not been saved as preset
Upd 2.
Here it is:
Upd. (+3)
Dubbing the core of right thing VCS, as forum auto-scrolls to latest and it can be problematic to view it:
Just use any git and upload commits to its cloud, so it won’t corrupt entirely, if you keep all in one root folder or if your PC explodes. This way you also can continue working on different PC.
Remember that your Project is the root, do not make a new root or the default .gitignore will not work, 'cause of different hierarchy.
(I mean, if this: gitName/yourProject, do put it in yourProject, not gitName, also do it with hidden .git folder and .gitattributes and etc. if there is other from git)
Also do not forget this in your windows explorer in “View” section (see extensions, hidden files)
Btw, what if the corruption situation of the Unity project root happens with the github repo inside? Seems like in this case only online (cloud) version will survive.
If anything goes wrong to your local repo, just re-clone it and start from there.
File responsible for Tags and Layers
Easy, it’s :
.\ProjectSettings\TagManager.asset
Remember that your Project is the root, do not make a new root or the default .gitignore will not work, 'cause of different hierarchy.
About root: i meant that at beginning ive put a project folder inside git repo and the .gitignore and stuff was in it, not the unity project folder itself (though maybe it will work. anyways it is a bit wrong)
About 32k files: i solved that already with official .gitignore which is in topic description (removed wrong way bunch of lines)
So pretty much the setup finished, thanks for the name of Tags & Layers file, btw.
Seems i missed it because didn’t scroll down or searched by Layers when it is TagManager.asset, lol.
Btw, about the license, i talked about own store asset + own MIT GItHub of it, not modifying a part of free one and making GitHub of it, which is allowed, read about it, dunno why this question in particular isn’t answered in FAQ, as even on creating a ticket, which official suggested, template says: “We have lot of questions about licensing…” and it takes eternity to recieve an answer, seems like i should’ve made last more direct and concrete question to him, not listening about tickets… (though i think i still can return to the topic where it happened and ask him in reply, but ok, not a hot need here, will wait the “right way”
(and anyways no one needs unity code, outside unity and GitHub indexing in search is dead, even my store reviews show off in it, but GitHub - nope.))
