Just submitted On-Demand BuiltData. This editor plugin helps to optimize both network data and disk space usage while working on an Unreal Engine 4 project. It provides tools to omit BuiltData files while syncing to the newest version of the project from source control and then syncing them (or not) only when they are needed.
Depending on the size of the project and workflow of your team you’ll be able to save gigabytes, tens of gigabytes, or more of your network data usage and disk space, not to mention all the time spent waiting on the project to sync.
Currently works only with Perforce source control system.
Features:
Automatic syncing of BuiltData to the **exact **version of its map, not only the newest revision.
Support for the **Perforce **source control system, including Content Browser, P4V, UnrealGameSync, and custom scripts.
Can work automatically in the background, but allows for fine-grained control over which files to sync.
Can sync BuiltData during **cooking **or other commandlets that run in unattended mode.
Changelog:
1.3
Add support for asynchronously loaded levels
1.2****
Change some log errors to warnings for better cook support
Better error handling in P4V tools
1.1
Fix handling of files that are writeable but not checked out in the source control system.
Fix handling of files that are opened by some other process and cannot be synced.
Fix handling BuiltData files with a revision that is newer than its map.
We had some very useful bug reports from our early adaptors!!! With their help, we were able to prepare version 1.1 of the On-Demand BuiltData plugin. Thanks!!!
How much time can you save with the On-Demand BuiltData plugin?
With the raging pandemic, many game development studios are working remotely. It means that developers have to use their home network connection, which typically is many times slower than the one available in the office.
In a project, I’m working on, the Content folder has 178.23 GB, of which 55.62 GB is BuiltData. Each morning there are up to 16.19 GB of assets to sync, with 15.10 GB being BuiltData (9.62 GB with 8.78 GB on average).
Assuming a network speed of 100 Mbps, sync of 16.19 GB takes 22 minutes 14 seconds. On-Demand BuiltData can reduce it to 1.15 GB, which will take only 1 minute 33 seconds to sync.
Some of the remaining 15.10 GB of BuiltData can (but doesn’t have to) get automatically synced later. If a developer is working on a map that had the lighting build, they will have an additional 1 GB or so to sync (1 minute 22 seconds). On the other hand, if the map didn’t have the lighting build or the lighting is not needed (e.g., when working on gameplay), the fast morning sync will be the only one performed.
**It means you can easily save more than **20 minutes each morning!!!
But it does not end here. During the whole day, there’s up to 60.71 GB of assets submitted to the repository, with 55.38 GB being BuiltData (25.33 GB with 23.20 GB on average). If a developer has to sync frequently (e.g., a game designer of an animator working closely with a gameplay programmer), the On-Demand BuiltData plugin can save them over 1 hour 15 minutes!!!
