How to get intellisense in visual studio code for unity functions names? (2023)

Visual Studio Code (VSCode) is a popular code editor used by many developers. It provides various features to make coding easier, such as IntelliSense. IntelliSense is an autocompletion feature that provides suggestions for functions, variables, and other elements in the code as you type. This feature can be very useful in speeding up the coding process, especially for developers who are working with large codebases.

However, some developers who are working with Unity game development may encounter issues with IntelliSense in VSCode when trying to access Unity functions and classes. In this case, they may not get the desired IntelliSense suggestions, and they might find it challenging to access Unity functions and classes.

Method 1: Installing Unity Debugger Extension

Unity is a popular game engine that uses C# as its primary programming language. When developing Unity projects in Visual Studio Code, it can be helpful to have intellisense for Unity functions to speed up coding and avoid errors. In this tutorial, we will show you how to install the Unity Debugger Extension, which provides intellisense for Unity functions.

Step 1: Install Unity Debugger Extension

The first step is to install the Unity Debugger Extension. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Visual Studio Code
2. Click on the Extensions tab on the left-hand side of the screen
3. Search for "Unity Debugger" in the search bar
4. Click on the "Install" button next to the Unity Debugger Extension

Step 2: Open Unity Project in Visual Studio Code

The next step is to open your Unity project in Visual Studio Code. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Unity
2. Open the project you want to work on
3. Click on "Assets" in the top menu bar
4. Click on "Open C# Project"

This will open your Unity project in Visual Studio Code.

Step 3: Enable Unity Debugger Extension

The final step is to enable the Unity Debugger Extension. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on the "Debug" tab on the left-hand side of the screen
2. Click on the "Create a launch.json file" button
3. Select "Unity Attach" as the debug configuration
4. Save the launch.json file

This will enable the Unity Debugger Extension and provide intellisense for Unity functions in Visual Studio Code.

Here is an example of how to use intellisense for Unity functions in Visual Studio Code:

using UnityEngine;public class Example : MonoBehaviour{ void Start() { Debug.Log("Hello, World!"); }}

In this example, we are using the Unity function "Debug.Log" to print a message to the console. With the Unity Debugger Extension enabled, Visual Studio Code will provide intellisense for the "Debug" class and its functions, making it easier to write code and avoid errors.

Method 2: Updating C# extension

To get intellisense in Visual Studio Code for Unity functions names, you can update the C# extension. Here are the steps to do so:

1. Open Visual Studio Code.
2. Go to the Extensions tab on the left-hand side.
3. Search for "C#".
4. Click on "C# for Visual Studio Code" extension and click on "Install".
5. Once the installation is complete, click on "Reload" to reload Visual Studio Code.
6. Open your Unity project in Visual Studio Code.
7. In the top left corner, click on "File" -> "Preferences" -> "Settings".
8. In the search bar, type "Omnisharp: Use Global Mono" and check the box to enable it.
9. Save the changes and close the settings tab.
10. Open a C# script in your Unity project.
11. Type in a Unity function name, such as "Debug.Log".
12. You should now see intellisense suggestions for Unity function names.

Here is an example code for using the Debug.Log function:

using UnityEngine;public class Example : MonoBehaviour{ void Start() { Debug.Log("Hello World!"); }}

In this code, we are using the Debug.Log function to print "Hello World!" to the console.

Another example code for using the Transform.Translate function:

using UnityEngine;public class Example : MonoBehaviour{ void Update() { transform.Translate(Vector3.forward * Time.deltaTime); }}

In this code, we are using the Transform.Translate function to move the object forward over time. The Vector3.forward is a shorthand for (0, 0, 1) and the Time.deltaTime is the time between the current and previous frame.

Method 3: Installing Unity Code Snippets

To get Intellisense in Visual Studio Code for Unity function names, you can install Unity Code Snippets. Here are the steps to do so:

1. Open Visual Studio Code and go to the Extensions tab on the left-hand side.
2. Search for "Unity Code Snippets" and click Install.
3. Once installed, open a C# script in Visual Studio Code and start typing a Unity function name, such as "Debug.Log".
4. You should see the function name appear in a dropdown list, along with any relevant parameters.
5. Press Tab to insert the function name and parameters into your code.

Here are some examples of Unity functions you can use with Intellisense:

• Debug.Log("message"): Prints a debug message to the console.
• transform.position: Gets or sets the position of an object in the scene.
• GetComponent<T>(): Gets a component of type T from the game object.
• Input.GetAxis("Horizontal"): Gets the value of the horizontal axis input.
• Instantiate(prefab): Creates a new instance of a prefab in the scene.

By using Unity Code Snippets, you can save time and improve your coding efficiency by easily accessing and using Unity functions within Visual Studio Code.

Method 4: Creating a csproj file

To get intellisense in Visual Studio Code for Unity function names, you can create a csproj file.

1. Create a new folder in your Unity project called "Editor".
2. Create a new file in the Editor folder called "Assembly-CSharp.csproj".
3. Add the following code to the csproj file:

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk"> <PropertyGroup> <TargetFramework>netstandard2.0</TargetFramework> <LangVersion>7.3</LangVersion> </PropertyGroup> <ItemGroup> <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Unity.Analyzers" Version="1.0.0" /> </ItemGroup> <ItemGroup> <ProjectReference Include="..\Library\ScriptAssemblies\Assembly-CSharp.dll" /> <ProjectReference Include="..\Library\ScriptAssemblies\Assembly-CSharp-Editor.dll" /> </ItemGroup></Project>

4. Save the file and close it.
5. Open Visual Studio Code and navigate to your Unity project folder.
6. Open the "Editor" folder in Visual Studio Code.
7. Open a C# script in the "Assets" folder.
8. You should now have intellisense for Unity function names.

Note: You may need to restart Visual Studio Code for the changes to take effect.

Explanation:

• Step 1: Create a new folder in your Unity project called "Editor". This is where we will store our csproj file.
• Step 2: Create a new file in the Editor folder called "Assembly-CSharp.csproj". This is the name of the csproj file.
• Step 3: Add the code to the csproj file. This code tells Visual Studio Code where to find the Unity assemblies and adds the Microsoft.Unity.Analyzers package for better code analysis.
• Step 4: Save the file and close it.
• Step 5: Open Visual Studio Code and navigate to your Unity project folder.
• Step 6: Open the "Editor" folder in Visual Studio Code. This is where our csproj file is stored.
• Step 7: Open a C# script in the "Assets" folder. This is where our C# scripts are stored.
• Step 8: You should now have intellisense for Unity function names. This means that when you type a Unity function name, Visual Studio Code will suggest the correct function name and provide information about the function.

Note: This method only works for Visual Studio Code. If you are using another code editor, you may need to use a different method to get intellisense for Unity function names.

Method 5: Setting up VSCode workspace settings

To enable intellisense for Unity functions in Visual Studio Code, you can set up your workspace settings as follows:

1. Open Visual Studio Code and navigate to the workspace settings by clicking on "File" > "Preferences" > "Settings".
2. In the search bar, type "omnisharp" and click on "Edit in settings.json".
3. Add the following lines to your settings.json file:

"omnisharp.enableUnityProjects": true,"omnisharp.unity.projectPath": "${workspaceFolder}/<Your Unity Project Name>"

Replace <Your Unity Project Name> with the name of your Unity project folder.

4. Save the settings.json file and close it.
5. Restart Visual Studio Code.

Now, you should have intellisense for Unity functions in Visual Studio Code.

Here are some examples of Unity functions that you can use with intellisense:

// Instantiate a new GameObjectGameObject newObject = new GameObject("New Object");// Get the Transform component of a GameObjectTransform objectTransform = newObject.GetComponent<Transform>();// Set the position of a GameObjectobjectTransform.position = new Vector3(0, 0, 0);// Load a sceneSceneManager.LoadScene("SceneName");// Get the current timefloat currentTime = Time.time;// Play an audio clipAudioSource audioSource = GetComponent<AudioSource>();audioSource.clip = audioClip;audioSource.Play();

These are just a few examples of the many Unity functions that you can use with intellisense in Visual Studio Code. With intellisense, you can easily see the available functions and their parameters, making it easier to write code and avoid errors.