Unity ADB Logcat

Introduction

When developing games or apps using Unity, it is essential to debug and track information related to the app, such as error messages, warnings, and logs. A useful tool for this purpose is the ADB logcat, which allows developers to retrieve system messages and debugging information from their Android devices or emulator.

What is ADB logcat?

ADB logcat is an Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool that captures and displays messages sent to the Android system log. These messages may include log messages from the Unity engine, scripts, plugin code, and other applications running on the device.

How to use Unity ADB logcat

To use Unity ADB logcat, you will need to have the following tools installed:

• ADB (Android Debug Bridge)
• Unity Remote 5 (optional)

Connect your Device to the Computer

Before using ADB logcat, ensure that your Android device is connected to your development computer via USB. Make sure that USB debugging is also enabled on your device.

Launch Unity Remote 5

If you have Unity Remote 5 installed on your device, launch it and select your device from the Unity editor.

Open the Command Prompt

To access ADB, open your command prompt or terminal window on your computer.

Navigate to the ADB Directory

Navigate to the directory where you installed ADB on your computer. This path could vary depending on where you installed the SDK.

Start the ADB logcat

To start capturing log messages, type the following command in your terminal or command prompt window:

adb logcat Unity:I *:S

This command tells ADB to capture all messages with a tag containing the word "Unity." The wildcard character "*" sets the log level to silent for all other tags.

View the Logcat Output

ADB logcat will start outputting the log messages, including the Unity engine’s log. These messages will show up in the terminal or command prompt window. Alternatively, you can also view the logcat output from within Unity: select "Window" from the top menu, then "Analysis" -> "ADB Logcat," and Unity will display the logcat window.

Conclusion

Unity ADB logcat is an essential tool for Unity developers to debug and track issues on Android devices. By following these steps, you can access crucial debugging information that can help you identify and fix issues quickly. ADB logcat can be particularly useful for identifying issues that occur only on devices and not in the Unity editor.