Unity Symbol File: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to debugging and troubleshooting issues with your Unity projects, having access to debugging symbols can be a game-changer. In this article, we will delve into the world of Unity symbol files, exploring what they are, how they work, and why they are essential for any developer working on a Unity project.

What are Symbol Files?

Symbol files are small files that contain information about your application's code, including function names, source file paths, and other debugging metadata. These files are used by debuggers to translate memory addresses into human-readable strings, making it easier to identify and debug issues in your code.

Types of Symbol Files

Unity generates three types of symbol files:

1. Libmain: This file contains the initial Unity engine loading logic.

2. Libil2cpp: This file contains C# scripts converted to C++ code.

3. Public: This small file contains a symbol table, which can be used for debugging.

Debugging Symbols

In some cases, debugging symbols may not be available. However, Unity always generates public symbol files at build time. These public symbol files contain full debugging information and a symbol table. To create these files, Unity uses the -only-keep-debug parameter.

Public Symbol Files vs. Debugging Symbol Files

Public symbol files are smaller than debugging symbol files because they only contain information that resolves function addresses to human-readable strings. In contrast, debugging symbol files contain full debugging information, making them more useful for advanced debugging tasks.

Using Symbol Files with Gradle

Gradle is an Android build system that automates several build processes. Unity generates libmain and libunity symbol files from the project converted to C++ code using Gradle.

Uploading Symbols Packages to Google Play Console

By uploading a symbols package to the Google Play Console, you can see human-readable stack traces on the Android Vitals dashboard. This process is called symbolication, which translates active memory addresses into information that can be used for debugging.

In conclusion, Unity symbol files are an essential tool for any developer working on a Unity project. By understanding how they work and what types of files are available, you can better debug and troubleshoot issues with your code. Whether you're using public symbol files or debugging symbol files, having access to this information can greatly reduce the time spent on debugging and improve overall development efficiency.

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