[dotnet] Godot4: supporting the transition from mono to dotnet6

[GeorgeS2019]

We the Godot .NET community, are still gathering feedback, what is written here is still work in progress

🔵 Background and the latest Godot4 mono custom build

Reference from the Godot proposal: From embedding Mono to Godot as a library and the future; in a more narrow sense this comment

I just recently confirmed that it is possible to take the recent Godot4 master branch and compile the mono version using MSVC

This Godot 4.0.alpha mono custom built is based on the commit 01efb9384

Mono JIT compiler version 6.13.0 (Visual Studio built mono)

Regression: 12.05.2022 see

//copy_mono_root=yes no longer default
scons -j6 p=windows tools=yes module_mono_enabled=yes mono_glue=no copy_mono_root=yes
bin\godot.windows.tools.64.mono --generate-mono-glue modules/mono/glue
scons -j6 p=windows tools=yes module_mono_enabled=yes mono_glue=yes copy_mono_root=yes

Generate vsproj VS Projects: Don't include mono_reg without its module

# SConstruct
_helper_module("mono_reg_utils", "modules/mono/build_scripts/mono_reg_utils.py")

# method.py
 # import modules.mono.build_scripts.mono_reg_utils as mono_reg 
import mono_reg_utils as mono_reg 

[100%] Adding 'godot - debug|Win32' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - debug|x64' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release|Win32' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release|x64' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release_debug|Win32' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release_debug|x64' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - debug_[mono]|Win32' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - debug_[mono]|x64' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release_[mono]|Win32' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release_[mono]|x64' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release_debug_[mono]|Win32' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] Adding 'godot - release_debug_[mono]|x64' to 'godot.vcxproj'
[100%] progress_finish(["progress_finish"], [])

//godot.windows.tools.64.mono --generate-mono-glue modules/mono/glue
ERROR: Cannot resolve type reference in documentation: 'RootMotionView'.
   at: BindingsGenerator::bbcode_to_xml (modules\mono\editor\bindings_generator.cpp:391)
ERROR: Cannot resolve type reference in documentation: 'RootMotionView'.
   at: BindingsGenerator::bbcode_to_xml (modules\mono\editor\bindings_generator.cpp:391)

🔵 Motivation

The Godot4 dotnet6 branch is making good progress and a few of us have been testing compiling in linux (different distro) and windows (e.g. llvm-mingw (WSL2 ubuntu and windows) and msvc) for gathering feedback for the godot team.

Creating this discussion to gather the thoughts on how best to support the transition from Godot4 mono to Godot4 dotnet.

Here are some of the tentative links useful for this discussion

Recent dotnet6 commit

• Godot4 dotnet6 Windows compiled using MSVC
• Next steps for the Godot4 dotnet6 Windows build using MSVC

🔵 Godot4 dotnet6 Windows MSVC build

Godot4 dotnet6 Windows MSVC build

21.03.2022

Godot4 dotnet6 Windows compiled using MSVC

Reference:

It is possible to compile Godot4 dotnet6 branch using MSVC and get to a navigable Godot Editor. However, the moment one attached a c# script, the Godot editor crashes. This is just a few of the observations that seem to be different from the Godot4 dotnet6 compiled using e.g. Ubuntu.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: fixed by this PR: Surround #warning with #ifndef _MSC_VER

• Step1: In the files mono\csharp_script.cpp and mono\mono_gd\gd_mono.cpp replace all #warning by #pragma message ("oldtext") or remove them.

Step 2: There are different views and discussions e.g. by @glihm on this step

• Step2: Edit the file modules/mono/build_scripts/ and change libnethost.lib by nethost.lib, and at line 95, modify the plain string to the actual variable name...

Step 3: Same as compiling Godot3/4 mono

• Step3: run scons p=windows tools=yes module_mono_enabled=yes -j 12

Step 4: Almost the same as compiling Godot3/4 mono except an additional step 4a: copying "nethost.dll"

• Step4a: Before running next step, copy nethost.dll into the generated godot/bin directory from e.g. C:\Program Files\dotnet\packs\Microsoft.NETCore.App.Host.win-x64\6.0.2\runtimes\win-x64\native).
• Step4: bin/godot.windows.tools.64.mono --generate-mono-glue modules/mono/glue

Step 5:

• Step6: python modules/mono/build_scripts/build_assemblies.py --godot-output-dir=bin --godot-target=release_debug

Alternative option to skip Step 6:
python modules/mono/build_scripts/build_assemblies.py --godot-output-dir=bin --godot-target=release_debug --push-nupkgs-local=[godot directory]/bin/GodotSharp/Tools/nupkgs

Step 6:

dotnet nuget add source [godot directory]/bin/GodotSharp/Tools/nupkgs -n GodotSharp

Step 7:

• Step7a (optional): add a blank file __sc__

If you want to use separate editor settings for your own Godot builds and official releases, you can enable Self-contained mode by creating a file called .sc or sc in the bin/ folder.

• Step7: bin/godot.windows.tools.64.mono --verbose

31.03.2022

Godot4 dotnet6 Linux build is updated

20.04.2022

Next steps for the Godot4 dotnet6 Windows build using MSVC

Why Godot4 dotnet6 MSVC build?
The Godot team mainly does Godot4 dotnet6 development using Linux and cross-compiling to Windows. In our preliminary experience, the existing codes could not address the challenges we face when not following the cross-compiling path. This is why we need more people to try, test, feedback, and contribute back to the Godot4 dotnet6 effort by compiling for Windows, not through the cross-compiling path.

• possible mismatch between the Godot C++ binary and the C# dll discussion
• More VS 2022 native/managed mixed debugging on this issue: MSVC stripping symbols even in debug mode

21.04.2022

• Godot4 dotnet6 Windows build using MSVC is now usable (except for a few minor detectable problems)!
  https://github.com/lewiji/godot/tree/dotnet6

🔵 Interesting references

Is Making Advanced GUI Applications with Godot the Future?

Will Godot4 dotnet6 NativeAOT with advanced GUI be the future?

[GeorgeS2019]

🔵 Godot4 Mono projects [June2022: Active]

open-source-shooter
open-source-shooter Github Discussion
open-source-shooter Discord

https://git.join-striked.com/striked-gaming/open-source-shooter