Unreal and Visual Studio just stopped working and I don't know what else to do

[Robert_US]

So after a small break I’m back to the 2D course to finish it out. I stopped using an external drive to save my work to and started using git/github for my files. Everything was fine until today.

I started on the section “Creating the Enemy” in the CrustyPirate section of the 2D course. I added the class in Unreal, and it added it in Visual Studio. Right off the bat VS was filled with errors, but I figured they’d go away once Intellisense caught up. I did the include for the SphereComponent and added the first variable. VS still doesn’t acknowledge the added code. I decided to rebuild, so I closed Unreal and started a rebuild. it fails with 13000+ errors. fine. I close VS and right click on the uproject and generate VS files. Open the solution back up and try and rebuild, it fails. again. Intellisense “sees” the include and the UPROPERTY and USphereComponent now (no errors), but it will not build no matter what I do. I can’t open Unreal because it says the game module can’t be found.

I spend more time fighting with Unreal and Visual Studio than I do working through the course. I have been searching online for close to 40 minutes for a solution and I can not find one. People seem to have this issue, but rebuilding works for them. I’m really getting frustrated with Unreal and I’m very close to just dumping it all and walking away.

I’m going to attach a shot of the error window with the hopes that someone here knows why I randomly get these errors and how to fix them. It wouldn’t be such a big deal if I could figure out WHY this happens when I try to add a C++ class (almost every time), or if I could figure out exactly how to fix it.

Any help before I just quit out of frustration would truly be appreciated. I can’t spend hours trying to fix a program that breaks every time I try to, you know, actually use it. I have friends that use Godot and Unity and don’t deal with half of the issues I do just trying to add a class to a project.

[Robert_US]

I have been at it for hours. Once again adding a new class has broken Unreal/VS. I have tried almost every solution. I have done a verify on the installation of Unreal. updated VS. added in all these libraries and dependencies people suggest on Unreal forums and reddit. tried all the work arounds, like changing build xmls and adding things into the projcx files. still, it will not build. it kept telling me it didn’t see the paperzd header, so I manually added it to the include directories in the project. it still doesn’t like the inheritance from APaperZDCharacter as you can see in this screenshot. I don’t know anything else to try. I’m on the verge of just stopping and either moving to Godot with C++ or some other engine that supports C/C++. maybe pick up SGDK.

[beegeedee]

Hi Robert,
Sorry for the delay in replying (had no power for 10 days)
What it looks like there is an issue with VS packages. Something changed in 5.5 and I noticed this myself where there seems to be dependencies on packages. I had to add in MFC and ATL support to my VS install and update the packages before I could build.

The PaperZD may be related to you needing to add to the Build.CS file in your project.
If you’re still stuck then upload the project (remove binaries and intermediate, zip project folder) to https://gdev.tv/projectupload and I will try help you out ASAP.

[Robert_US]

so I added the PaperZD path to the includes (which I never had to do before but broke when I added a new class). I added a bunch of recommended packages to Visual Studio that I found on forum posts. Eventually I got it working again, but I full expect it to break again next time I add a new C++ class. I have no idea why it almost always breaks Unreal and VS when you add a new C++ class. It can be really frustrating.

[beegeedee]

I am curious as to the steps you are following to install the plugin (I’m assuming via the epic launcher) then adding the C++ classes. Normally if you do it via the Unreal Editor it automatically adds in a reference into the uproject. Alternatively adding PaperZD to the build.cs file should mean you don’t need paths to the include files.

[Robert_US]

I set everything up like the instructor said to at the beginning of the course. added Paper2D and ZD to the build.cs file. I’m not sure.

[beegeedee]

Did we get this sorted Robert? I feel we dealt with this on another thread.

[Robert_US]

so I’m able to continue the course, but I’m waiting to see if we get to another point where we add another C++ class, and if we do does it break again.

As you said elsewhere, I’m not sure why I keep having these issues. I set it up as instructed so I don’t know. regardless, it is working right now. (fingers crossed)

[beegeedee]

Just get in touch if you have issues and I’ll see how I can help.