# 1. Dashboard Org and Editor Connect
Part of [[UVCS]]. Next: [[2. Create Workspace Plastic vs Gluon]].
**Target:** Unity 6000.5+. Primary how-to: https://unity.com/how-to/redeem/version-control — Hub path: https://docs.unity.com/en-us/unity-version-control/get-started-vcs-hub
## 1.1 Mental model
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **Unity ID** | Your account. UVCS signs in through it. |
| **Organization** | Billing / membership boundary on Unity Cloud / Dashboard. Repos live under an org. |
| **Repository** | Shared history of the project (server-side). |
| **Workspace** | Your **local** working copy of a repo (created on disk via Editor, Hub, desktop client, or `cm`). |
You cannot usefully "just check in" without an org + repo + workspace. The Editor wizard walks you through the missing pieces.
## 1.2 Connect from inside the Editor (how-to path)
From Unity's get-started guide:
1. Open your Unity project in the Editor.
2. Click the **Unity Version Control** icon in the toolbar (top-right), or open **Window > Unity Version Control**.
3. When prompted, **log in / sign up** — UVCS binds to your Unity ID.
4. If your Unity ID is not yet associated with an organization, create one when prompted (name it something stable for class / studio, not a one-off joke).
5. Return to the Version Control window when org association completes.
> [!tip] Hub column
> On the Hub **Projects** page, a **link** icon means the project already uses UVCS; a **broken link** means it does not. Hover a connected project and open the Dashboard repo link when you need cloud history outside the Editor ([Hub docs](https://docs.unity.com/en-us/unity-version-control/get-started-vcs-hub)).
## 1.3 Enable UVCS from Unity Hub
### New project
1. Hub → **New project**.
2. Check **Use Unity Version Control**.
3. Review auto-filled **Repository Name** and **Server location**; edit if needed.
4. **Create project**.
> [!warning] UI churn
> Unity has been updating the Version Control "New experience." Older Hub flows may also ask for a UVCS organization name at create time. Trust the dialog in front of you; the docs call this out explicitly.
### Existing project
1. Hub → project contextual menu → **Use Unity Version Control**.
2. Review auto-filled UVCS fields.
3. **Connect to Version Control**.
When you open a connected project, the Editor should show the **Unity Version Control** tab. If missing: **Window > Unity Version Control**.
## 1.4 Editor Mode reminder (from the Manual)
Under **Edit > Project Settings > Editor** (or the Version Control settings path your Editor version exposes):
- **Visible Meta Files** — correct for Git and for most external VCS workflows.
- Selecting **Unity Version Control** (or Perforce) switches the Editor toward that system's checkout semantics.
See the 6000.5 Manual: https://docs.unity3d.com/6000.5/Documentation/Manual/VersionControl.html and the comparison in [[5. Clients and UVCS Comparison]].
Keep **Force Text** serialization (**Edit > Project Settings > Editor > Asset Serialization > Force Text**) regardless of Git vs UVCS — YAML scenes/prefabs stay mergeable when they can be. Same advice as [[1. Serialization Meta and Gitignore]].
## 1.5 Dashboard org hygiene (teaching / solo)
- One org per studio or course cohort if possible; avoid proliferating personal orgs you will forget.
- Know who is **Owner / Admin** before you invite students — permission mistakes are part 5.
- Free DevOps trial banners appear when DevOps was never set up for the account ([Hub docs](https://docs.unity.com/en-us/unity-version-control/get-started-vcs-hub)). Read current Unity terms; do not invent seat counts here.
## 1.6 Sanity check before creating a workspace
```csharp
// Editor-only smoke check: is this folder actually a Unity project?
// Attach nothing — run from an Editor script menu if you want a one-click assert
// before pointing UVCS at a random directory.
#if UNITY_EDITOR
using System.IO;
using UnityEditor;
using UnityEngine;
public static class UvcsProjectSanityMenu
{
[MenuItem("Tools/UVCS/Sanity Check ProjectVersion.txt")]
static void Check()
{
string path = Path.Combine(Application.dataPath, "..", "ProjectSettings", "ProjectVersion.txt");
path = Path.GetFullPath(path);
if (File.Exists(path))
Debug.Log(
quot;UVCS sanity OK: {path}\n{File.ReadAllText(path)}");
else
Debug.LogError("No ProjectSettings/ProjectVersion.txt — Hub will not treat this as a Unity project root.");
}
}
#endif
```
> [!warning] Code not compiled in Unity
> The script above has **not** been compiled or menu-tested in the Editor for this write-up. Paste into an `Editor/` folder (or asmdef Editor assembly) only after you accept that.
Hub recognizes Unity projects by `ProjectSettings/ProjectVersion.txt` at the repository root ([Hub docs](https://docs.unity.com/en-us/unity-version-control/get-started-vcs-hub)). Nested projects need desktop-client workspaces + **Add project from disk**.
## Next
[[2. Create Workspace Plastic vs Gluon]] — repository vs workspace, and which workflow UI you want.