Firebase Database 6.16.0 crashes Unity Editor on Install and on Play (with easy fix)

[snorrsi]

[REQUIRED] Please fill in the following fields:

• Unity editor version: 2019.4.11f
• Firebase Unity SDK version: 6.16.0
• Source you installed the SDK: Unity Package Manager (.unitypackage or Unity Package Manager)
• Problematic Firebase Component: Database
• Other Firebase Components in use: Auth, Crashlytics, Messaging, Functions
• Additional SDKs you are using: Facebook, Leanplum, Amplitude, Branch (does not apply)
• Platform you are using the Unity editor on: Mac
• Platform you are targeting: iOS, Android
• Scripting Runtime: Mono, and/or IL2CPP

[REQUIRED] Please describe the issue here:

After installing Firebase Database version 6.16.0 using Unity Package Manager pressing Play in project which uses Firebase Database crashes the Unity Editor.
The Editor also did crash when installing Firebase Database through UPM

In the Unity Editor.Log I can see:
ERROR: Could not initialize persistence: Unable to find app data directory.

This seems to be causing the crash.

After looking at the Firebase Database C++ code I found out what was causing this error.
It's quite obvious as the error message can be found in database/src/desktop/core/repo.cc
By looking at that file I saw the cause was relating to GetAppDataPath
On Mac GetAppDataPath seems to be finding the Application Support directory and appending the package_name to that if that folder exists.
It seems to be using package_name for the folder which is according to the xml converter created from the bundle_id.

In my case the bundle_id was: Is.Company.App

Which lead me to the conclusion that Firebase Database was looking for the folder path
~/Library/Application Support/Is.Company.App

That folder did not exists which explained the error.

I therefore created it and after that the Unity Editor ran without crashing and I saw data being created in a subfolder of the folder I just created and no error in Unity logs.

Steps to reproduce:

Install Firebase Database 6.16.0 through Unity Package Manager.

Firebase Database might fail on install.

Create scene and c# files which starts Firebase App.

Press Play and see if crash occurs.

If the Unity Editor crashes then open Unity Editor.Log and look for:
ERROR: Could not initialize persistence: Unable to find app data directory.

To fix for MacOS

For Firebase App with bundle id (package_name): Is.Company.App
Just create the folder: ~/Library/Application Support/Is.Company.App

mkdir ~/Library/Application\ Support/Is.Company.App

To fix for Windows

For Firebase App with bundle id (package_name): Is.Company.App
Just create the folder: C:\Users[username]\AppData\Local\Is.Company.App
The folder is in path (see set) such as fx.:
LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users[username]\AppData\Local

mkdir %LOCALAPPDATA%\Is.Company.App

Note

You might need to use upper or lowercase package_name. Just try according to your bundle_id or package_name stated in google-services.json

I did not help to downgrade to 6.15.2 and then install 6.16.0 again.

[ogzavc]

Hello,
I'm facing with same issue when i try to set databaseReference as FirebaseDatabase.DefaultInstance.RootReference.

and i tried to create folder in ~\Library\Application Support\com.packagename but did not solve my problem.
I've captured console error before unity crash it looks like this

[snorrsi]

Hi @ogzavc, it seems you have the same error as I had.
Did you change the permission of the folder as well with the chmod command ?
Make sure you are using package_name or bundle_id according to fx. google-services.json
I used the uppercase version from bundle_id but maybe the lower case version might work for you. My Mac is not case sensitive.

[marnelle1]

Hi! How to fix this error on Windows?

[Legionair-4]

Hi, I have this exact same error and for the life of me have not been able to resolve it.
Using Windows,
Unity version 2020.1.0f1
FirebaseDatabase.unitypackage for dotnet4 v6.16.0

I have tried earlier versions of both Unity and the Firebase database, also using the dotnet3 sdks (with little hope) however still no luck. I took at look at trying to implement your solution above but cannot seem to get it working for me on Windows.

If you go to Assets>External Dependency Manager>Android Resolver>Settings and then scroll to the bottom, it does indicate that 'Custom Gradle Properties Template' should be checked under Publishing Settings in the Player tab on versions of Unity > 2019.3 however this did nothing for my issue.

[ogzavc]

Hi @ogzavc, it seems you have the same error as I had.
Did you change the permission of the folder as well with the chmod command ?
Make sure you are using package_name or bundle_id according to fx. google-services.json
I used the uppercase version from bundle_id but maybe the lower case version might work for you. My Mac is not case sensitive.

Hi, actually i'm working on windows pc, so i think i dont have to give permission. But i've tried to run unity as administrator and i've changed folder name to lowercase and both solutions did not help to me.

[marnelle1]

Any solution guys?

[napbla]

Thanks @snorrsi it worked like a charm. In my case, just creating the folder did fix the crash. I even do not need to "chmod" to 777.
@ogzavc I used the Bundle Identifier in Player Settings as the folder name.

[snorrsi]

@nagibator96 I just updated the description.
Just create the folder under %LOCALAPPDATA%

[snorrsi]

Hey @chkuang-g , first of all thanks for fixing the gc alloc issue.

Can you comment on this issue? Seems I'm not the only one having problem with Firebase Database 6.16.0

[ogzavc]

@snorrsi @nagibator96
thanks for the support. I've tried windows solution and worked for me.

[snorrsi]

@ogzavc great to hear.

@napbla thanks for pointing out the chmod not being needed. I put it just in case but have now removed the command.