Unity integration with Package Manager

[Kronoxis]

The current setup of the git repository does not support pulling the code from git URL using the Unity Package Manager.

[Package Manager Window] Cannot perform upm operation: Unable to add package [https://github.com/Dreamteck/splines.git]:
[https://github.com/Dreamteck/splines.git] does not point to a valid package. No package manifest was found. [NotFound].

I think it would be best to convert this so that I can pull from any branch using the Package Manager git URLs, however I don't know how difficult this will be considering you have the Utilities in a separate repo.

Thoughts?

[f007ch]

That's the reason we have it set up like that - the utilities being separated. We could remove the submodule but then managing updates to the utilities will become more challenging.

[Kronoxis]

I understand why it's separated and it would be ideal if it could stay that way, it's just that I don't know how well this works with Unity's package manager. I have no experience setting that up.

[Kronoxis]

I believe, based on the Unity documentation, it should be possible to add a package.json to both the utilities and splines repos, and make splines depend on the utilities. That way, the utilities package will be added to the project whenever splines is added through the package manager.

However, the structure of the git repo has to change significantly for package manager to work:

• package.json must be available at root
• /Assets/Dreamteck/Splines/ would move to /Runtime/
• /Assets/Dreamteck/Splines/Editor/ would move to /Editor/
• Assembly definitions may need to change to remain functional. Not sure
• Tests are strongly recommended (if not required), available under /Tests/Runtime/ and /Tests/Editor/
• Samples would have to be unpacked to /Samples~/
• A dev branch would be preferable, so that all changes can be gathered on dev first, before eventually being pushed as a version on main, together with a changelog summary in README.md at root

[ErnSur]

However, the structure of the git repo has to change significantly for package manager to work:

I'll clarify this since it's not entirely true.

• package.json must be available at root

• It doesn't have to be in the repository root.
• It has to be in a folder that contains all of the package assets

Users are able to specify the package path when installing a package from git url. More info here

• /Assets/Dreamteck/Splines/ would move to /Runtime/
• /Assets/Dreamteck/Splines/Editor/ would move to /Editor/

While it would be nice to stick to the standard, it's not a requirement.

• Assembly definitions may need to change to remain functional. Not sure

Assembly definitions are simply required, scripts that are not part of any assembly definition will simply not be compiled.

• Tests are strongly recommended (if not required), available under /Tests/Runtime/ and /Tests/Editor/

Not required, it's up the the developer what they do with the tests.

• Samples would have to be unpacked to /Samples~/

Same as above, would be nice to stick to the standard but it's not a requirement.

• A dev branch would be preferable, so that all changes can be gathered on dev first, before eventually being pushed as a version on main, together with a changelog summary in README.md at root

This is also nice-to-have, users are able to install specific commit, branch or tag. More info here.

Summary

• The root Package folder needs a package manifest

{
    "name": "io.dreamteck.splines",
    "displayName": "Dreamteck Splines",
    "version": "3.0.6",
    "dependencies": {
        "io.dreamteck.utils": "1.2.3"
    }
}

• Any dependences would preferably also become UPM compliant to install them in the same manner
• Package folder must be immutable. If any editor script is adding/removing/modifying assets inside the package folder then it's not compliant.
• All absolute paths to the package assets must be updated to point to the new package location: "Packages/name.of.the.package/..."