Software Installation

Software Installation

Here you will find recommendations for software to use and instructions on how to install it.

Don't worry; it is mostly installing Unity. Installing a code editor and Git is optional.

You will find a YouTube video explaining the steps here.

Unity (Hub)

Go to the download section of Unity and download Unity Hub. Choosing Unity Hub and not an extra version allows you to switch between Unity versions and download additional modules more easily. In case you are asked to choose a payment plan, go to "Individual" and choose either "Personal"- or "Student"-Plan - whichever fits best.

In Unity Hub, download the Version recommended for this project (Currently: 2022.3.24f1), which can be found at the main README file of ExPresS XR. Choosing a different version than the recommended version might cause some components to not work.

(Recommended) Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code (Short: VS Code) is a source-code editor that can be used for editing code for Unity (and much, much more). It is not to be confused with Visual Studio, a full IDE, which has lots of features that are not required for our purposes. Using extensions, we can customize VS Code to fit our preferences much better than Visual Studio.

These instructions are based on VS Code's guide for development with Unity.

1. Install the atest .NET SDK then log in and out or restart your PC.

2. Then download and install VS Code or any code editor of your choice.

3. Go to "File > Settings > Settings" (or press Ctrl + ,) and search for 'omnisharp.useModernNet' and disable "Omnisharp: Use Modern Net".

4. Install the following extensions ("Four Squares"-Symbol in the left sidebar):

    - (Required) C# (from Microsoft)     - Code Spell Checker (from Street Side Software)     - Unity Tools (from Tobiah Zarlez)     - Unity Code Snippets (from Ycleptic Studios)     - Unity Snippets (from Ram)     - (Optional) German - Code Spell Checker (from Street Side Software)     - (Optional) German Language Pack for Visual Studio Code (from Microsoft)     - (Optional) Rainbow CSV (from machatroner)     - (Optional) Edit csv (from janisdd)

5. Open the root folder of your project in VS Code by going to "File > Open Folder..." (or Ctrl + K, then Ctrl + O) and selecting the folder. Not doing so will not enable IntelliSense, e.g. the Code Completion for VS Code.

6. In Unity, go to "Window > Package Manager" and make sure that all packages are up-to-date and the "Visual Studio Code Editor"-Package is installed. You will also need to set VS Code as Unity's default editor. Go to "Edit > Preferences ... > External Tools" where you have to select VS Code as "External Script Editor". Also, click "Regenerate Project Files" and you are good to go!

Note: The project is already setup for custom Unity warnings as described in the VS Code Guide.

(Recommended) GitHub Desktop

Git is the version control system for your project and allows you to collaborate with multiple users. A short introduction series can be found here and a Guides to GitHub Desktop if you are new to Git. While not necessary, using Git is recommended, as it provides features to back up the code, revert or merge changes in the code by different people.

For simplicity, GitHub Desktop can be used, as it displays the most frequently used features of git with an easy UI.

Getting GitHub Desktop is as easy as creating an GitHub Account and downloading and installing GitHub Desktop.

(Optional) Git LFS

Depending on your project size and the quality of your models, the maximum file size of your repo might be exceeded. To push larger files, Git LFS must be used. GitHub provides a small amount of additional storage for free and larger amounts for subscriptions. You can also host your own git on your server, circumventing the problem of having to buy additional storage.

Steam VR (if using Valve Index)

If you are developing or planning in using the Valve Index headset, you will need SteamVR as well as a Steam account.

1. Create a Steam account.

2. Download and install the Steam Client, then log in using your account.

3. Locate SteamVR in the store and download it (for free).

4. After the installation, SteamVR can be started and stopped by pressing the VR-Symbol in the top right of the Steam Client.

5. After starting, you will be greeted with a guide on how to connect and configure your Index. Once completed, you are ready to go.

After these steps, when entering PlayMode in Unity and the Steam Client running in the background, SteamVR will be started automatically.

Oculus and Android, iOS (if used)

1. Install the additional modules in Unity Hub, by clicking "Installs", selecting the gear icon of your version of Unity, and clicking "Add modules". The required modules are "Android Build Support", "Android SDK & NDK Tools" and "OpenJDK" for Android; "iOS Build Support" if using iOS.

2. Further steps for the Oculus can be found here. You might also want to install the Oculus Developer Hub when developing with an Oculus device.

(Optional) Blender

If you are planning on creating your own models or Converting Real-World Objects to 3D Models, you might want to download and install Blender.