unity-yaml-editing

name

unity-yaml-editing

description

Unity YAML text serialization editing workflow. Use when Codex needs to directly inspect, modify, create, or repair Unity serialized YAML files such as .unity scenes, .prefab assets, .asset ScriptableObject/config files, .mat, .controller, or other text-serialized Unity assets, especially when AIBridge inspector/prefab/scene APIs do not support the requested Prefab, Scene, ScriptableObjectTable, or custom asset operation

Unity YAML Editing

Load this Skill only after considering Unity/AIBridge APIs. UnityYAML is fragile, and direct text edits are the fallback for unsupported serialized asset operations, deterministic repair work, and rare text-serialized asset authoring that AIBridge/Unity APIs cannot express

Decision Order

1. Prefer aibridge Inspector/SerializedProperty commands for single readable field edits on scene objects, prefab assets, and .asset files
2. Prefer inspector set_properties for small batched field edits on one target
3. Prefer aibridge-prefab-patch for complex Prefab child/component/property/array/reference edits it supports
4. Prefer Unity Editor scripts when generating high-level assets that Unity can create more safely than text
5. Use direct UnityYAML editing when AIBridge/Unity APIs cannot express the operation, for example:
   • Scene .unity structure/object creation or unsupported scene edits
   • New Prefab asset authoring, paired .meta creation, or Prefab/Variant structures not covered by prefab patch
   • ScriptableObjectTable, custom ScriptableObject .asset, .mat, .controller, or other serialized assets requiring unsupported structural changes
   • Repairing malformed text serialization while preserving existing IDs and references

Required Workflow

1. Read references/unity-yaml-reference.md before editing
2. Inspect a same-project example for every Unity component/class you will create; never write component schemas from memory
3. Make a small, reviewable patch; preserve ordering, indentation, document headers, anchors, m_Script, GUIDs, and local fileIDs unless a new object must be created
4. For new assets, create or preserve the paired .meta file and ensure its GUID does not already appear in the project
5. For new MonoBehaviour/ScriptableObject documents, resolve the script .meta GUID first and use it in m_Script
6. For new documents, allocate local fileIDs that do not exist in the same file and update every owning reference consistently
7. Validate with Unity import/compile and targeted AIBridge hierarchy/properties inspection when possible

Hard Rules

• Do not use generic YAML formatters or parsers to rewrite UnityYAML files
• Do not change %YAML, %TAG, --- !u!<classID> &<fileID> headers, class IDs, GUIDs, or fileIDs without a clear reference update plan
• Do not invent Unity schema fields. Copy shape from an existing nearby object of the same class/component/script when possible
• Prefer decimal floats in hand edits. Avoid editing Unity-generated hexadecimal float values unless preserving existing text unchanged
• Keep .meta GUIDs stable. Creating a new asset requires creating/retaining the paired .meta file through Unity when possible
• When adding Prefab nodes/components, update all reciprocal references in the same patch: parent m_Children, child m_Father, GameObject.m_Component, and component m_GameObject

Reference

• references/unity-yaml-reference.md: detailed UnityYAML format, editing patterns, safety checks, and validation checklist