Windows Scripting ... stinks?

Unity Engine
1

Warning, I am a 3d artists trying to learn the basics of scripting in Javascript. I have taken a few CS classes in college and have taught myself actionscript 3 for flash. I am a hacker when it comes to coding. So if my question is silly, or stupid; just bare in mind that I am trying to get better…

I use windows, and the IDE for unity in windows is nearly unusable for me. I can’t find a way to debug my program without saving, exiting, running, checking the log, reopening, changing, saving, closing, and re running the program. If I make a mistake, I can’t undo it because I had to close the IDE so my usual coding workflow is all but lost in Unity.

So my questions are:
1)What is a better workflow for coding in Unity 3d for Windows?
2)Is there a better/free IDE that I can use to make the process go faster, and be more pleasant? All the tutorials I have watched on coding in Unity have featured color coded, auto fill, beautiful IDEs; and I am stuck with a painful alternative that makes me cry.

2

That workflow is the same on both platforms. The windows one out of my view is actually much superior to the one on osx as Scite beats smultron with its hands on the back due to folding etc.

  1. No, you will always return to the editor for running the code. If you want autocomplete and basic syntax checking, use Visual C# or MonoDevelop which comes with unity

  2. they were likely done with VC# or MonoDevelop

3

Sorry, but I don’t see any advantage for UniScite over Unitron, in fact I would argue the opposite. But rather than argue, I will flatly say that neither is a very good editor for Unity Javascript. MonoDevelop really wasn’t designed for Javascript, so I can’t recommend that either. I do, however, highly recommend you take a look at the UnityScript editor. It is, without question, the best Javascript editor for Unity 3.x currently available in my opinion.

4

Thats unhappily true, for UnityScript they aren’t that great.

But I doubt he saw many UnityScript based tutorials that showed him any editor than UniScrite / Unitron as the only other one worth noting (as you linked it too) available is windows only.

Also I doubt that this windows only one is up on UnityScript 3.x level so lacking all the new stuff added with U3 Beta 6 (unsure if UniScite / Unitron is either)

5

If with your background you are comfortable with FlashDevelop, the FlashBang studio folks have a version of it that supports code completion and a slew of other goodies.

http://technology.blurst.com/unitydevelop-javascript-editor/

6

That’s more a C# vs Unityscript thing than a Windows vs Mac thing. When I use Monodevelop for C# on either platform I get color-coding and auto-completion. On Windows Visual Studio’s also a good option.

7

Thanks so much, I am currently downloading some of these and will let you know how it goes. Also I am going to try out Monodevelop, as I didn’t know that even came with Unity.

Thanks again.