Save and Load

[warm cobalt]

this is my current options script

[fallen anvil]

What's the next step you're wanting to do?

[warm cobalt]

this is the class

[warm cobalt]

as i said, i have no idea how to work with files

so maybe you could help me with that

[fallen anvil]

Give me some minutes, I'll create a simple example, just gotta boot my PC first 🙂

[warm cobalt]

sure

i have to store 3 variables:
bool musicIsToggled
bool effectsIsToggled
float masterVolume

or at least thats what i imagine it like

[fallen anvil]

sorry, took me a few minutes

it's not suited towards your use case, it's just a kinda generic example of how you could approach this.
probably best to import this into a fresh project just to test it out, should be easy to understand

[warm cobalt]

whats the point of OptionsData.cs

this

i think i got it

is it for this line?

why not just make 1 class

just options data

wouldnt it work

[warm cobalt]

also whats up with all the underscores

and m_

[warm cobalt]

also i have this different script for my slider + another one for fullscreen, i suppose i should put them all into the optionsUI script?

[fallen anvil]

OptionsData is the thing that's getting Serialized in Json, it's only responsibility is to hold the actual Values you're using throughout your different options.
It's also a matter of separation/organization, you don't want one big class that holds, modifies and saves data, but instead have a single class with the Data and another one that's working with it

[fallen anvil]

that's just a naming convention that i use, prefixing private members with m_

[fallen anvil]

I'd put them into the OptionsUI script, yes

[warm cobalt]

using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.UI;

public class OptionsUI : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private Slider slider;
    [SerializeField] private Image EffectsButtonImage;
    [SerializeField] private Image MusicButtonImage;


    private void Awake()
    {     
        EffectsButtonImage.color = Color.green;
        MusicButtonImage.color = Color.green;

        
        if (AudioManager.Instance.effectsSource.mute == true)
        {
            EffectsButtonImage.color = Color.red;
        }

        if ( AudioManager.Instance.musicSource.mute == true)
        {
            MusicButtonImage.color = Color.red;
        }
        
    }

    void Start()
    {
        AudioManager.Instance.ChangeMasterVolume(slider.value);
        slider.onValueChanged.AddListener(val => AudioManager.Instance.ChangeMasterVolume(val));
    }


    public void ToggleMusic()
    {
        ChangeColor(MusicButtonImage);

        AudioManager.Instance.ToggleMusic();
    }
    public void ToggleEffects()
    {
        ChangeColor(EffectsButtonImage);

        AudioManager.Instance.ToggleEffects();
    }
    private void ChangeColor(Image buttonImage)
    {
        if (buttonImage.color == Color.green)
        {
            buttonImage.color = Color.red;
        }
        else if (buttonImage.color == Color.red)
        {
            buttonImage.color = Color.green;
        }
    }

    public void SetFullScreen(bool isFullScreen)
    {
        Screen.fullScreen = isFullScreen;
    }
}

this is my OptinsUI script now after everything

i made these three additional values

and these methods

also instead of m_optionsData i called my variable just _optionsData

what am i supposed to do now

ig somehow link the variables from the optionsData class to my optionsUI script?

i really dont get all of this

perhaps something like this? its in Start, in OptionsUI script

[warm cobalt]

look at this

its reffering to this

@fallen anvil could you help because i cant build because of this error?

#💻┃unity-talk message

[fallen anvil]

Hey

[fallen anvil]

You gotta read the comments I left throughout the code

[warm cobalt]

yeah i read about replacing Aplication.dataPath with persitentDataPath

[fallen anvil]

The code I've written was an example of how you could approach stuff like saving options.

[fallen anvil]

Yes, do that, and then you can just delete the AssetDatabase line

That was purely so you can visualize your save file existing in the Editor

[warm cobalt]

well i copy pasted it 😬

[fallen anvil]

AssetDatabase refreshes the actual Contents under your "[Project]/Assets" Folder in the Editor

Which is where Application.dataPath stores stuff when using within the Editor

[warm cobalt]

alright

[fallen anvil]

A build doesn't need it, it's part of the UnityEditor namespace and any APIs from that namespace can't be included inside actual builds.

If you're on Windows, when using persistentDataPath, you'll find the Files under AppData/LocalLow/YourCompany/YourProduct

[warm cobalt]

if i were to use this system for saving items in the players inventory for example, could the player go into the game files, edit the file and give himself items?

[fallen anvil]

Yes, definitely, JSON is a pretty readable text format und can be freely edited, to avoid this you could convert the Json into Binary or apply some Encryption, but if it's a Singleplayer Game and the player wants to cheat this way, let him do it! Only matters if it's online or including real money purchases that are cheatable from that

Encryption sounds harder then it actually is! 🙂

[warm cobalt]

i hope

[fallen anvil]

It shouldn't be more then 2-4 lines if code I think

After you got the jsonString from JsonUtility.ToJson you apply some kind of encoding/encryption to it before writing to file

And the other way around, when you get the contents from the file, you revert that encryption before passing the result to JsonUtility.FromJson

It could even be enough to just convert it into an array of bytes and back, no need for a real encryption

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.text.encoding?view=net-8.0

You want to use one of the encoding formats that you see fit, and then utilize GetBytes and GetString in the code, although i would recommend to implement this only after you understood the thing and are certain that it works as intended. It's quite valuable to be able to see the SaveData in plain Json throughout the Development

[warm cobalt]

i built it but it doesnt work

it doesnt save the data between sessions

[warm cobalt]

how did you send this as a unity package?

so i can send you the scripts

[fallen anvil]

I'm not on my PC right now, inside one of the Context menus at the top of the Editor, you have an "Export" option

[fallen anvil]

Are you sure?

Did you check AppData folder for the file?

Feel free to send me a Unitypackage, but it'll take some time until I'm back home and can take a look into it

[warm cobalt]

i found the file

[fallen anvil]

But the saving should definitely work

[fallen anvil]

Do the contents look alright?

[warm cobalt]

these arent even the settings set in the editor, idk where its getting it from

[fallen anvil]

Start the Build, change some settings, and check the file again, see if it updates correctly

[warm cobalt]

no it doesnt

it doesnt update

[fallen anvil]

Ok, I think it's because where the Options.Save is called (I think I put it in OnDestroy?)

[warm cobalt]

yep

[fallen anvil]

In the Options class

[warm cobalt]

in optionsUi

[fallen anvil]

In every SetXYZ method

Just add a .Save after the changes

Like

SetVolume(...)
{
    // ...
    Save();
}

And additionally, you can create a Constructor for the OptionsData to apply sane default values

OptionsData()
{
  Volume = XYZ;
  IsFullScreen = XYZ;
}

etc

[fallen anvil]

You are not using the Options class at all?

[warm cobalt]

i made a Save method

down below

[fallen anvil]

You save it, but you never change any values of it

SetFullscreen should hook into the Options class, which would then change the OptionsData and call Save

For example, in your ChangeColor, what do you expect to be saved there?

[warm cobalt]

actually i dont think i need to save anything in change color since i have this in awake

i just need to save the state of the effects and music source

[fallen anvil]

Yes, exactly, you don't have anything to save within SaveColors 😄

[fallen anvil]

Yes! But where do you do it?

[warm cobalt]

here perhaps

[fallen anvil]

That is the code I've written, that will save the OptionsData

[warm cobalt]

obviously no since youre asking

[fallen anvil]

Where is the code you have written to change the OptionsData

[warm cobalt]

its in start tho

this sets the values to the value from the previous session i think

[fallen anvil]

That's where you're getting the values, but where are you changing them according to your UI

If your slider changes, for example

You want to call ```
Options.SetMasterVolume(...);
Options.Save();

And do you call Options.Load() before accessing it?

[warm cobalt]

yes

[warm cobalt]

in my mind im supposed to do something like OptionsData.masterVolume = slider.value;

but that doesnt work

[fallen anvil]

You aren't, you don't want to talk with the OptionsData directly, you want to use Options as a middle men

[fallen anvil]

This looks correct, no issues there

[warm cobalt]

but i dont have Set methods only Get

[fallen anvil]

In the package I've sent, there was a SetVolume_Master() method afaik?!

You can easily create your own Set methods by following the example

[warm cobalt]

i removed it cuz i already had a script for my slider

[fallen anvil]

Aaaaah

So you removed the ability to change the OptionsData via your Options

And are wondering why the data doesn't change

😃

[warm cobalt]

im supposed to have something like this in the methods right?

[fallen anvil]

Options.SetFullScreen(...)

Options.SetVolume(...)

Options.SetMusicState(...)

etc

[fallen anvil]

And the Options class will pass the values to the OptionsData it's holding

[fallen anvil]

Yes

And after that line, put a .Save

[fallen anvil]

Yes, exactly! You don't need to put Options. tho because you are already in the Options class

[fallen anvil]

You can remove the Save method inside your UI if it's still there

You only have to Set the values in options when something changes and it'll be saved automatically because Options itself does the call to the internal Save method

[warm cobalt]

oh yeah

[fallen anvil]

Next thing is, actually setting the stuff via your UI

And then it should work fine

[warm cobalt]

this is it

only thing thats worrying me is the master volume "script" being in start

we'll see i guess

[fallen anvil]

Still not really the preferred architecture, but at least it should work

Also, in your Start

You want to already apply the settings for fullscreen and all the other stuff

Why are you setting Options.SetMasterVolume(slider.value) on start?

You want to do slider.value = Options.GetMasterVolume, not the other way around

Since your UI should reflect the Options and not vice versa

[warm cobalt]

i have good news and bad news

it seems to be changing some stuff in the files

[fallen anvil]

slider.value = GetMasterVolume

toggle.value = GetFullscreen

etc

[warm cobalt]

and the master volume doesnt work

like it doesnt save

[warm cobalt]

thats where the stuff for my slider was at at the beggining

[fallen anvil]

The master volume doesn't work because you do AudioManager.Instance.ChangeMasterVolume(slider.value) probably.

You want AudioManager.Instance.ChangeMasterVolume(Options.GetMasterVolume())

[warm cobalt]

i had a slider script and it was in start

[fallen anvil]

https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/AssetPackagesCreate.html

Send me the Package if you like, will be home soon

[warm cobalt]

you dont get it, thats not where i load the master volume value, its just that the code that operates the slider is in start

alright

[fallen anvil]

I don't get it? 😃
My example was really simple, and you changed stuff without actually understanding the code and then wondering why it doesn't work..

[warm cobalt]

i think

because i had to move all my scripts for the options into one script

[warm cobalt]

im sorry if i offended you

thats not what i meant to do

[fallen anvil]

It's ok, you didn't! Don't worry

If you Load the Options, you still need to apply the values to the related UI elements

As in

Options.Load();
slider.value = Options...
fullscreenToggle.value = Options...

etc

IDK if you did that, but it doesn't look it

[warm cobalt]

i gotta go anyways, ill be back in 2-3 hours

[fallen anvil]

Oki, you'll have a working UnityPackage when you come back 😄
And then you should really study the code and try to fully understand what is doing what and why!

[fallen anvil]

There it is.
I even tested it in a Build and it's definitely working, everything else is up to your part of the implementation 🙂

[warm cobalt]

omg why did i use normal buttons for toggling my music and effects

i just realized now that i looked at your code

[fallen anvil]

idk, but i've done the same thing in the past 😄

it's just easier to modify when using a Toggle, you can replace the Checkmark with a blank Image and color that one

[warm cobalt]

yeah

i have a bunch of buttons so im just gonna replace the green one with a red one

what do the comments here mean

[fallen anvil]

the comments are where you're supposed to apply your changes to your AudioManager and/or the Screen

it wasn't included in the package and i didn't want to create a placeholder one so i've just written those comments

i'll be afk for some minutes, but feel free to ask any further questions

[warm cobalt]

im fucking confused

[warm cobalt]

not just by this, by everything

[warm cobalt]

alright, heres the plan, im gonna wait till i have 1 -2 hours of free time and im gonna implement your scripts since i dont have a lot of time rn

i wanna do this as a whole yk

not split it up into different parts cuz then im gonna lose focus and its gonna be bad

i made a copy of my project currently just to be sure

[warm cobalt]

@fallen anvil what are the comments here for?

also does this mean that once i start working on my game in unity i should uncomment this and let it run once then comment it again?

[fallen anvil]

Hey.

As I already said yesterday, those are the spots where you want to apply the Options to the things that care about them

[warm cobalt]

which one are you replying to

which ss

[fallen anvil]

Both Screenshots are basically doing the same thing.
Applying Options to whoever wants to know about them.
The only difference is that one method applies all option to everything that needs them (at start of your game when loading the Options for the first time) while the other ones only apply the option that's related.

As example

When you call SetVolume, you set the Value of the OptionsData and you apply that Value to your AudioManager.
It would be preferred to use some kind of Callbacks/Events so the AudioManager could query it's needed Values by itself whenever the Options change, but I tried to keep this Example as simple as possible

[warm cobalt]

why are the commented

[fallen anvil]

Check yesterday's last message of mine

There wasn't an AudioManager in the Package you sent, and I didn't want to write a Placeholder one

If those lines weren't commented, you'd simply get Compile Errors because the Type doesn't exist

[warm cobalt]

oh yeah mb i didnt even realize i asked the same question yesterday

lmao

[fallen anvil]

After all, this is supposed to be an example, not a solution!

[warm cobalt]

alright i got it now

sure

[fallen anvil]

Also, quick sidenote.
Idk if it works for you, but in my attempts to use Screen.fullScreen it didn't work as one would expect and I would recommend to use Screen.SetResolution instead.

That one takes in the resolution, the fullScreenMode and the refreshRate as arguments and, from my experiments, will actually change the Window as you'd expect it to happen

https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/Screen.SetResolution.html

[warm cobalt]

you mean when i build it?

[fallen anvil]

I mean, don't use Screen.fullScreen, use Screen.SetResolution

[warm cobalt]

ok

[fallen anvil]

it's not mandatory, you can use whatever you like, but i think that one is more straightforward.
It's of course hard to test anything Screen related in the Editor, that should be done in a Build

[warm cobalt]

should value here be changed to _optionsData.masterVolume for example?

[fallen anvil]

Oh sorry, stupid me

Yes

You want to use the Values from OptionsData there

[warm cobalt]

because this is called on the start of every session and you load up the values from the file, right?

from the file to the script

[fallen anvil]

It won't actually load the values, they already got loaded in the Load method.
It will apply those loaded values to all the related Objects, hence the name ApplyAllOptions.
But yes, it's called once at the start of every session!

Basically, the Load method will load the OptionsData from a file and apply it to the Objects

[warm cobalt]

here if i turn the prettyPrint bool to false will it be harder to read and therefore harder to manipulate the settings through the file?

the second one which u said was used to make the text readable

[warm cobalt]

alright so it does save and load the settings but

it doesnt save and load the state of the buttons

for example

ill use the music button as an example

at the start its green and the music is on

then u turn the music off and now its red

then u exit the game

then u open it back up

now the button is green again but the music is still off

do i have to make a different variable in the optionsdata class for that?

or i could probably do a check if the musicSource is muted and set the state of the toggle button based on that

[warm cobalt]

@fallen anvil which option do you think is better?

[fallen anvil]

well, you need to change the button of the color to what you want it to be

button.targetGraphic.color = ...

[warm cobalt]

its not a button anymore, its toggle