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Asset store download folder?

Discussion in 'Editor & General Support' started by arvzg, Mar 29, 2011.

  1. arvzg

    arvzg

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    Hey guys,

    When you download something from the asset store usually and choose NOT to import it to your project (so its not in your project assets folder) but it stays in the list of assets youve downloaded from the asset store and if you create a new project you are able to import those downloaded packages into the new project.

    My question is where is it copying the downloaded packages from? I can't seem to find it anywhere :confused: I'm sensing theres something Im totally missing
     
  2. arvzg

    arvzg

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    someone on irc answered it for me =)

    C:\Users\accountName\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store
     
  3. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Good to know... why the heck is it in that folder? I would expect to download stuff into my actual project folder...
     
  4. jonbonazza

    jonbonazza

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    If you choose to "Download and Import" rather than just "Download" it will place a copy in your project folder. Otherwise, the files are not tied to any particular project, so they are placed int he shared data folder on your local machine.
     
    Bahrd, PolyMad, TheSheepdog and 2 others like this.
  5. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Even better to know!!! :D :D :D
    Thank you :D
     
  6. citizen12

    citizen12

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    Yuck! What an awful place to store content assets! I've got a tiny SSD C: drive for fast OS, and a huge, RAID D: drive for all my work. I'd very much like to have a say in where assets are store, whether or not they're going to be used in my current project.
     
  7. arvzg

    arvzg

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    Perhaps you can raise a request to the unity team on our behalf =)
     
    CosmicOlorin likes this.
  8. pjezek

    pjezek

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    On a mac it's located under "~/Library/Unity/Asset\ Store".
    I guess you could symlink it to another location.
    On Windows that would be a NTFS symbolik link. (Attention: I did not try that yet)
     
  9. MarkcusD

    MarkcusD

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    They should allow us to set a preference for where we want it to download to or at least popup a message when it's done with the location.
     
    lilium66, Ammut88, Amir1360 and 7 others like this.
  10. woodygoody

    woodygoody

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    Thanks I need it ..
     
  11. psyclone

    psyclone

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    It is possible to change you profile storage location on Windows.
     
  12. Dreamora

    Dreamora

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    the point is to hide it actually, optimally it would be in an encrypted container to prevent illegal handing over as it happens now as you can simply copy and forward them
     
  13. malcolmr

    malcolmr

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    Well it seems you've succeeded in hiding them even from Unity. Surely the Unity app should know where these packages are and automatically include them in the list offered by "Include Package..."?
     
    andreyefimov2010 and mbbmbbmm like this.
  14. Crazy Robot

    Crazy Robot

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    I can't find the where Unity places the downloads on Mac Lion. I can't find the "~/Library/Unity/Asset\ Store" location anywhere. Not even a spotlight search came up with it.
     
  15. Xeir

    Xeir

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    If you haven't already found it, it is due to Lion hiding the user Library folder.

    You can easily bring it up by typing "open ~/Library/Unity/Asset\ Store" in a terminal window.
     
    sadjigfdsigfwk and aspasito like this.
  16. Dreamora

    Dreamora

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    or install totalfinder and make it show system folders and tada its there again :)
     
  17. leprasmurf

    leprasmurf

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    There's an awesome app for Steam that automates moving folders from one drive to another for the aforementioned SSD/RAID scenario. SteamMover also allows you to run the commands manually. When you select the folder, it spits out the following commands:

    xcopy /E /V /I /F /Y "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\<game name>" "D:\steam\<game name>"
    cmd /C rd /S /Q "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\<game name>"
    cmd /C mklink /J "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\<game name>" "D:\steam\<game name>"

    So that should give you an example of how you could "symlink" your asset folder.

    edit:
    Ran successfully.

    C:\Users\leprasmurf\AppData\Roaming\Unity>xcopy /E /V /I /F /Y "C:\Users\leprasmurf\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store\*" "D:\Unity\_Assets\"
    <snip>
    6 File(s) copied

    C:\Users\leprasmurf\AppData\Roaming\Unity>rd /S /Q "C:\Users\leprasmurf\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store"

    C:\Users\leprasmurf\AppData\Roaming\Unity>mklink /J "C:\Users\leprasmurf\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store" "D:\Unity\_Assets"
    Junction created for C:\Users\leprasmurf\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store <<===>> D:\Unity\_Assets
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2012
    paw9000 likes this.
  18. totti10

    totti10

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    there's no need to install totalfinder
     
  19. aodry

    aodry

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    For windows users:
    1. open file explorer (WinKey + E)
    2. type %APPDATA% for the path, then click ENTER
    3. Select Unity folder and goes to Asset Store..

    or simply type this into the file explorer

    %APPDATA%\Unity\Asset Store
     
    JonSolo0504, Jinkel92, Sioui and 13 others like this.
  20. marnes

    marnes

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    I myself have limited space on my OS harddrive. Rather than buck the system, what you can do is actually change where your APPDATA is stored. http://www.windows-commandline.com/2009/07/change-application-data-location.html

    The best workflow for including packages is by creating a new project and checking off the things you want (listing everything you've downloaded from the asset store). But once your project is created and you want to bring in something else that you've already downloaded, there doesn't seem to be a nice way to do it without manually pointing to this hidden directory. If there is, please let me know as that is what drove me here.
     
  21. cpw1986913

    cpw1986913

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    I have found it.Thank you!
     
    reemaRaven likes this.
  22. brice392

    brice392

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    Above, where the path is, there you must write the path for the folder to open.
     
  23. voblivion

    voblivion

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    In the Asset Store, when you gave downloaded something, you can 'Open Folder' on its page ;)
     
  24. TokyoDan

    TokyoDan

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    Or just click and hold on the Finder Go menu (next to View) and while the drop-down menu is showing, press the keyboard option key. "Library" will appear in the Go->drop down menu. Select Library and the Library folder will open and you will see the Unity folder
     
  25. goat

    goat

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    Why would they encrypt or hide it? The buyer has bought and paid for the assets they have.

    You can create a hard link from the hidden folder to your D: drive. Google 'NT filesystem hard link', and of course you can do the same in osX with ln but without the need to google and download special purpose software.
     
  26. rapidrunner

    rapidrunner

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    I find it annoying that the packages are not downloaded in a selectable destination....after all I don't get the point of encrypting, since you can just save the whole project, zip it and give it away. I don't believe that there is a concern about piracy of items sold on the store, since each of the seller has a list of username and purchase receipts, so if you are in doubt, you can always ask the person using your assets, for their info to check their license.

    The problem with the packages and assets is that if you have a small internal HD, you are forced to import all, save the project on the external drive and open a new one, with the result that you get a ton of single files that defy the purpose of a Unity package.

    As much as I love the idea of having folders that I can explore, would be maybe time to make something different, so we kill 2 birds with one stone.

    I envision a package with assets and code, in the same way as an OOP library/DLL/Framework is used: include it, use what you need from it and be done...altho chances are that we will never get to this point, unless someone with a lots of degrees and well known, speaks up and make it happen.
     
  27. bigzer

    bigzer

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    RendCycle likes this.
  28. rapidrunner

    rapidrunner

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  29. VataRaven

    VataRaven

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    With all these replies...no one simply said

    Unhide the folder (thought your Control Panel and Folder Option) and move the folders to your wanted area
     
  30. rapidrunner

    rapidrunner

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    The problem is how to fix the issue of not having a selectable download folder...there are various work around.

    Is not a deal breaker, doesn't take the sleep away at night for sure (compared to the other problems that I deal with, especially code wise), but would be nice to see it fixed
     
  31. eagleeyez

    eagleeyez

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    I do it like this. All Assets from Unity are all updated and seen on another drive and C drive is free, you just have a link in c that points towards the new location.

    Move Asset Store, not copy but move to your desired drive.
    Example C:\Users\Chris\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store

    to

    D:\
    Asset Store is now directly under drive D:

    Now open the command line as shown below.

    Press Windows start buttom or click start and type cmd and press return.
    Then type cd\ and press return again.

    Now link Asset Store with this command. Using your User name.
    G: is where I moved Asset Store to.
    C: is where it was.

    mklink /j "C:\Users\Chris\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store" "G:\Asset Store"

    Press return
    FINISHED
     
    Erisbv, recursion1122 and zeb33 like this.
  32. rapidrunner

    rapidrunner

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    Thanks for the hint, but keep in mind that many, me included, works on both Mac and Win, which means that if you want a shared dir, it is quite a mess.

    On Mac I just made a symlink, and I am working like that, downloading things one at time, renaming them accordingly, and moving them in specific folders (like for the tutorials, where you have also the pdf files and not only the package).

    Altho once you move them, the store has no clue if you download it already or not, which makes a bit messy the process of updating packages, when a new version is out. That's why I would rather prefer a native solution: you set in the editor where the stuff goes, and the store knows what did you download, where it is and organize/update it accordingly.
     
  33. zxprince

    zxprince

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    C:\Users\accountName\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store ----> Note: here AppData is a hidden folder
     
  34. inafield

    inafield

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    ericpug likes this.
  35. robby setiawan

    robby setiawan

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  36. Damon_live

    Damon_live

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    Thanks :*
     
  37. rahulthakur319

    rahulthakur319

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    Thanks it was helpful
     
  38. rapidrunner

    rapidrunner

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    The issue is still there; any hope for a customized location for the asset store download? The amount of packages is getting quite unmanageable now; especially using small SSD
     
  39. eagleeyez

    eagleeyez

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    If you do it like I said further up in this thread you will have your complete assets folder on another drive and yes Unity can still check for asset updates and even if you delete an asset it will know and let you download it again. I then use Grab Yer Assets to do everything else with my assets within Unity.
     
  40. MetalPower

    MetalPower

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    a great solution to SSD users (not only for unity, for all folders) is to install http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/linkshellextension.html
    with this, move folder to another drive and then with right click pick as origin link, then on previous (original) location right click and put "destination link" and you have a linked folder that windows think that are same folder.

    Not a tool for a regular user, but with little knowledge of what are you doing it is a really good tool :)
     
  41. eagleeyez

    eagleeyez

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    Thanks for that.It looks very good and I will give it a go later on another system. It does then what I mentioned, but makes it more automatic and easier for many folders. As Unity 5 stil has this asset ssd problem, people are going to have to get use to using something like this and lern what a hard link is.
     
  42. arizaldinasty

    arizaldinasty

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    Thanks..
     
  43. eagleeyez

    eagleeyez

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    You now have 2 Asset Store Folders
    - Asset Store
    - Asset Store-5.x

    So you are going to have to make a new hard link for the new folder as I described further up.
    It will look like this

    mklink /j "C:\Users\Chris\AppData\Roaming\Unity\Asset Store-5.x" "G:\Asset Store-5.x"

    remember to first move (not copy) but move the Asset Store-5.x folder to your new drive before doing the hard link command.

    As you see I moved my folder to drive G
     
    RenanRL and razzraziel like this.
  44. rapidrunner

    rapidrunner

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    Fascinating that after almost 5 years, this is still an issue :)

    SSD are cheaper, but still I dislike to have packages hidden in service folders, without being able to manage the destination. Even Poser is finally able to customize where the packages are downloaded, so there is hope for Unity too :)
     
  45. halcyonideals

    halcyonideals

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    Thanks eagleeyez that was very helpful
     
  46. dangelAdamacs

    dangelAdamacs

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    for me, my directory is ~/Library/Unity/Asset Store/Unity Technologies/Unity EssentialsSample Projects/downloaded.unitypackage I doesn't know your computer, think this could help you
     
  47. the_motionblur

    the_motionblur

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    Yes - I had the same problem a few months ago. It's always been this folder so far and apparently it does not bother enough people to raise enough attantion for Unity to consider making changes.

    Personally I'd also love to have the folder be changeable like the GI cache.

    And yes - even after 5 years this still seems to be an issue. ;)
    Didn't even notice how old this thread was.
     
    ericpug likes this.
  48. Wraylewis2

    Wraylewis2

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    This is a serious issue for me as well. It doesn't take long to have the asset store hidden folder reach VERY large sizes. Why can't Unity let us pick another drive to store these files? iTunes lets us do this, for example, and Apple is pretty concerned with copyright etc.
     
  49. TRNogger

    TRNogger

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    The reason why assets are stored in C:\Users\[AccountName]\AppData\Roaming\ respectively in the User Application Library on Mac is: because it belongs there. It is data related to an application, and to that one application only, so it belongs into the application data storage. The "store data wherever you want"-policy of older Windows system actually creates a huge mess and now Microsoft struggles hard to get people away from it. Other OS have been more restrictive for a good reason. So actually, Unity is doing it right.

    If you want to have a clean system install on an SSD, for example, than you should not move single files or folders around, messing up the system logic, you should move the whole users folder to another drive.
     
  50. Gunhi

    Gunhi

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    Asset Store Foler on Mac for Unity 5

    ~/Library/Unity/Asset Store-5.x/
     
    iansp and jamessa like this.