---
uid: addressables-api-build-player-content
---

# Build scripting

There are a few ways in which you can use the Addressables API to customize your project build:

* Start a build from a script
* Override an existing script
* Extend [BuildScriptBase] or implement [IDataBuilder]

When you customize a build script to handle different asset types or handle assets in a different way, you might also need to customize the [Play Mode Scripts] so that the Editor can handle those assets in the same way during Play mode.

### Starting an Addressables build from a script

To start an Addressables build from another script, call the [AddressableAssetSettings.BuildPlayerContent] method.

Before starting the build, you should set the active [Profile] and the active build script. You can also set a different [AddressableAssetSettings] object than the default, if desired. 

There are a few pieces of information that BuildPlayerContent takes into consideration when performing the build: the [AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject], [ActivePlayerDataBuilder], and the `addressables_content_state.bin` file.

#### Set the AddressableAssetSettings

The settings defined by [AddressableAssetSettings] include the list of groups and the profile to use.

To access the settings that you see in the Editor (menu: __Window > Asset Management > Addressables > Settings__), use the static [AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings] property. However, if desired, you can use a different settings object for a build.

To load a custom settings object in a build:

[!code-cs[sample](../Tests/Editor/DocExampleCode/BuildLauncher.cs#getSettingsObject)]

<!--
```csharp
static void getSettingsObject(string settingsAsset)
{
    // This step is optional, you can also use the default settings:
    //settings = AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings;

    settings 
        = AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath<ScriptableObject>(settingsAsset) 
            as AddressableAssetSettings;

    if (settings == null)
        Debug.LogError($"{settingsAsset} couldn't be loaded.");
}
```
 -->

 #### Set the active Profile

A build started with BuildContent uses the variable settings of the active Profile. To set the active Profile as part of your customized build script, assign the ID of the desired profile to the [activeProfileId] field of the [AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings] object.

The [AddressableAssetSettings] object contains the list of profiles. Use the name of the desired profile to look up its ID value and then assign the ID to the [activeProfileId] variable:

[!code-cs[sample](../Tests/Editor/DocExampleCode/BuildLauncher.cs#setProfile)]

<!--
```csharp
static void setProfile(string profile)
{
    AddressableAssetSettings settings 
        = AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings;
        
    string profileId = settings.profileSettings.GetProfileId(profile);

    if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(profileId))
        Debug.LogWarning($"Couldn't find a profile named, {profile}.");
    else
        settings.activeProfileId = profileId;
}
```
-->

#### Set the active build script

The BuildContent method launches the build based on the current [ActivePlayerDataBuilder] setting. To use a specific build script, assign the index of the IDataBuilder object in the [AddressableAssetSetting.DataBuilders] list to the [ActivePlayerDataBuilderIndex] property.

The build script must be a ScriptableObject that implements [IDataBuilder] and you must add it to the [DataBuilders] list in the [AddressableAssetSettings] instance. Once added to the list, use the standard [List.IndexOf] method to get the index of the object.

[!code-cs[sample](../Tests/Editor/DocExampleCode/BuildLauncher.cs#setBuilder)]

<!--
```csharp
static void setBuilder(IDataBuilder builder)
{ 
    AddressableAssetSettings settings 
        = AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings;
    
    int index = settings.DataBuilders.IndexOf((ScriptableObject) builder);

    if (index > 0)
        settings.ActivePlayerDataBuilderIndex = index;
    else
        Debug.LogWarning($"{builder} must be added to the " +
                         $"DataBuilders list before it can be made " +
                         $"active. Using last run builder instead.");
}
```
--> 

#### Launch a build

After setting the profile and builder to use (if desired), you can launch the build:

[!code-cs[sample](../Tests/Editor/DocExampleCode/BuildLauncher.cs#buildAddressableContent)]

<!--
```csharp
    static bool buildAddressableContent()
    {
        AddressableAssetSettings.BuildPlayerContent(out AddressablesPlayerBuildResult result);
        bool success = string.IsNullOrEmpty(result.Error);

        if(!success)
        {
            Debug.LogError("Addressables build error encountered: " + result.Error);
        }
        return success;
    }
```
-->

To check for success, use BuildPlayerContent(out AddressablesPlayerBuildResult result). result.Error contains any error message returned if the Addressables build failed. If string.IsNullOrEmpty(result.Error) is true, the build was successful.

#### Example script to launch build

The following example adds a couple of menu commands to the Asset Management > Addressables  menu in the Editor. The first command builds the Addressable content using the preset profile and build script. The second command builds the Addressable content, and, if it succeeds, builds the Player, too.

Note that if your build script makes setting changes that require a domain reload, you should run the build script using Unity command line options, instead of running it interactively in the Editor. See [Domain reloads and Addressable builds] for more information.

[!code-cs[sample](../Tests/Editor/DocExampleCode/BuildLauncher.cs#doc_BuildLauncher)]

<!--
```csharp
#if UNITY_EDITOR

using UnityEditor;
using UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Build;
using UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings;
using System;
using UnityEngine;

public class BuildLauncher
{
    public static string build_script = "Assets/AddressableAssetsData/DataBuilders/BuildScriptPackedMode.asset";
    public static string settings_asset = "Assets/AddressableAssetsData/AddressableAssetSettings.asset";
    public static string profile_name = "Default";
    private static AddressableAssetSettings settings;

    static void getSettingsObject(string settingsAsset)
    {
        // This step is optional, you can also use the default settings:
        //settings = AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings;

        settings 
            = AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath<ScriptableObject>(settingsAsset) 
                as AddressableAssetSettings;

        if (settings == null)
            Debug.LogError($"{settingsAsset} couldn't be found or isn't a settings object.");
    }

    static void setProfile(string profile)
    {
        string profileId = settings.profileSettings.GetProfileId(profile);
        if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(profileId))
            Debug.LogWarning($"Couldn't find a profile named, {profile}, using current profile instead.");
        else
            settings.activeProfileId = profileId;
    }

    static void setBuilder(IDataBuilder builder)
    {
        int index = settings.DataBuilders.IndexOf((ScriptableObject) builder);

        if (index > 0)
            settings.ActivePlayerDataBuilderIndex = index;
        else
            Debug.LogWarning($"{builder} must be added to the " +
                             $"DataBuilders list before it can be made " +
                             $"active. Using last run builder instead.");
    }

    static bool buildAddressableContent()
    {
        AddressableAssetSettings.BuildPlayerContent(out AddressablesPlayerBuildResult result);
        bool success = string.IsNullOrEmpty(result.Error);

        if(!success)
        {
            Debug.LogError("Addressables build error encountered: " + result.Error);
        }
        return success;
    }

    [MenuItem("Window/Asset Management/Addressables/Build Addressables only")]
    public static bool BuildAddressables()
    {
        getSettingsObject(settings_asset);
        setProfile(profile_name);
        IDataBuilder builderScript 
            = AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath<ScriptableObject>(build_script) as IDataBuilder;

        if (builderScript == null)
        {
            Debug.LogError(build_script + " couldn't be found or isn't a build script.");
            return false;
        }
            
        setBuilder(builderScript);

        return buildAddressableContent();
    }

    [MenuItem("Window/Asset Management/Addressables/Build Addressables and Player")]
    public static void BuildAddressablesAndPlayer()
    {
        bool contentBuildSucceeded = BuildAddressables();

        if (contentBuildSucceeded)
        {
            BuildPlayerOptions playerSettings 
                = BuildPlayerWindow.DefaultBuildMethods.GetBuildPlayerOptions(new BuildPlayerOptions());

            BuildPipeline.BuildPlayer(playerSettings);
        }
    }
}
#endif
```
-->

#### Domain reloads and Addressables builds

If your scripted build process involves changing settings that trigger a domain reload before it makes an Addressables build, then you should script such builds to use the Unity Editor [command line interface] rather than interactively running a script in the Editor. These types of settings include:

* Changing the defined compiler symbols
* Changing platform target or target group

When you run a script that triggers a domain reload interactively in the Editor (using a menu command, for example), your Editor script finishes executing before the domain reload occurs. Thus, if you immediately start an Addressables build, both your code and imported assets are still in their original state. You must wait for the domain reload to complete before you start the content build.

Waiting for the domain reload to finish is relatively straightforward when you run the build from the command line, but can be difficult or impossible to accomplish reliably in an interactive script (for a variety of reasons). 

The following example script defines two functions that can be invoked when running Unity on the command line. The `ChangeSettings` example sets the specified define symbols. The `BuildContentAndPlayer` function runs the Addressables build and the Player build.

[!code-cs[sample](../Tests/Editor/DocExampleCode/BatchBuild.cs#doc_BatchBuild)]

<!--
```csharp
#if UNITY_EDITOR

using System;
using UnityEditor;
using UnityEditor.AddressableAssets;
using UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Build;
using UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings;
using UnityEditor.Build.Reporting;
using UnityEngine;

public class BatchBuild
{
    public static string build_script = "Assets/AddressableAssetsData/DataBuilders/BuildScriptPackedMode.asset";
    public static string profile_name = "Default";
    public static void ChangeSettings()
    {
        string defines = "";
        string[] args = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs();

        foreach (var arg in args)
            if (arg.StartsWith("-defines=", System.StringComparison.CurrentCulture))
                defines = arg.Substring(("-defines=".Length));

        PlayerSettings.SetScriptingDefineSymbolsForGroup(EditorUserBuildSettings.selectedBuildTargetGroup, defines);
    }

    public static void BuildContentAndPlayer()
    {
        AddressableAssetSettings settings 
            = AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings;

        settings.activeProfileId 
            = settings.profileSettings.GetProfileId(profile_name);

        IDataBuilder builder 
            = AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath<ScriptableObject>(build_script) as IDataBuilder; 

        settings.ActivePlayerDataBuilderIndex 
            = settings.DataBuilders.IndexOf((ScriptableObject) builder);

        AddressableAssetSettings.BuildPlayerContent(out AddressablesPlayerBuildResult result);

        if(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(result.Error))
            throw new Exception(result.Error);

        BuildReport buildReport 
            = BuildPipeline.BuildPlayer(EditorBuildSettings.scenes, 
            "d:/build/winApp.exe",EditorUserBuildSettings.activeBuildTarget, 
            BuildOptions.None);

        if (buildReport.summary.result != BuildResult.Succeeded)
            throw new Exception(buildReport.summary.ToString());
    }
}
#endif
```
-->

To call these functions, use [Unity's command line arguments] in a terminal or command prompt or in a shell script:

```
D:\Unity\2020.3.0f1\Editor\Unity.exe -quit -batchMode -projectPath . -executeMethod BatchBuild.ChangeSettings -defines=FOO;BAR -buildTarget Android
D:\Unity\2020.3.0f1\Editor\Unity.exe -quit -batchMode -projectPath . -executeMethod BatchBuild.BuildContentAndPlayer -buildTarget Android
```

> [!NOTE]
> If you specify the platform target as a command line parameter, you can perform an Addressables build in the same command. However, if you wanted to change the platform in a script, you should do it in a separate command, such as the `ChangeSettings` function in this example.

<!-- Ideally we would have more examples for build scripting in the following sections -->

### Overriding an existing script

If you want to use the same basic build as the default, but want to treat specific groups or types of assets differently, you can extend the default build script and override the functions within it. If the group or asset the build script is processing is one that you want to treat differently, you can run your own code, otherwise you can call the base class version of the function to use the default algorithm.

See the [Addressable variants project] in the [Addressables-Sample] repository for an example.

### Extending BuildScriptBase or implementing IDataBuilder

You can extend [BuildScriptBase] or implement [IDataBuilder] to substantially change the Addressables build system. To understand how the Addressables system builds content, first examine the default build script, `BuildScriptPackedMode.cs`, which you can find in the Addressables package folder, Addressables/EditorBuild/DataBuilders.

#### Save the content state

If you support [remote content distribution] and update your content between player releases, you must record the state of your Addressables groups at the time of the build. Recording the state allows you to perform a differential build using the [Update a Previous Build] script.


See the implementation of the default build script, `BuildScriptPackedMode.cs`, for details.

[Addressables-Sample]: https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/Addressables-Sample
[Addressable variants project]: https://github.com/Unity-Technologies/Addressables-Sample/tree/master/Advanced/Addressable%20Variants
[ActivePlayerDataBuilder]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings.AddressableAssetSettings.ActivePlayerDataBuilder
[ActivePlayerDataBuilderIndex]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings.AddressableAssetSettings.ActivePlayerDataBuilderIndex
[activeProfileId]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings.AddressableAssetSettings.activeProfileId
[AddressableAssetSetting.DataBuilders]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings.AddressableAssetSettings.DataBuilders
[AddressableAssetSettings.BuildPlayerContent]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings.AddressableAssetSettings.BuildPlayerContent*
[AddressableAssetSettings]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings.AddressableAssetSettings
[AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject
[AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.AddressableAssetSettingsDefaultObject.Settings
[command line interface]: xref:CommandLineArguments
[BuildScriptBase]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Build.DataBuilders.BuildScriptBase
[CachedAssetState]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Build.CachedAssetState
[ContentUpdateScript]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Build.ContentUpdateScript
[DataBuilders]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Settings.AddressableAssetSettings.DataBuilders
[Domain reloads and Addressable builds]: #domain-reloads-and-addressables-builds
[IDataBuilder]: xref:UnityEditor.AddressableAssets.Build.IDataBuilder
[List.IndexOf]: xref:System.Collections.Generic.List`1.IndexOf*
[Play Mode Scripts]: xref:addressables-groups#play-mode-scripts
[Profile]: xref:addressables-profiles
[remote content distribution]: xref:addressables-remote-content-distribution
[Unity's command line arguments]: xref:CommandLineArguments
[Update a Previous Build]: xref:addressables-content-update-builds#building-content-updates
[command line interface]: xref:CommandLineArguments