LadaSprite Importer — Documentation (v1.0.0)

Overview

LadaSprite Importer is a Unity Editor extension that imports atlas exports produced by the LadaSprite packer and converts them into Unity-ready sprites and optional animation clips. It accepts ZIP packages (containing PNG pages and atlas_unity.json) or individual JSON + images, slicing textures and creating sub-assets ready for use in scenes and prefabs.

Note: The web packer that generates the atlas is free and open-source at https://ladasprite.pages.dev. LadaSprite Importer is the paid Unity extension that imports the packer's output into Unity.

Requirements

Unity 2019.4 and newer (tested up to Unity 2024 and Unity 6 compatibility).
Editor privileges to add assets to the project.
No extra packages required to use the importer; basic usage relies on Unity built-in UI.

Installation

Copy the Assets/LadaSpriteImporter folder into your Unity project.
Wait for Unity to compile the editor scripts (watch the status bar).
Open the importer via Tools → LadaSprite Importer.

Important: include the entire folder when preparing your package for the Unity Publisher Portal so documentation is included for reviewers.

Usage — Quick Start

Export your atlas from the web packer (LadaSprite web) as a ZIP containing atlas_unity.json and PNG page(s), or export JSON + PNG(s) separately.
Open the Importer window: Tools → LadaSprite Importer.
Drag & drop the exported .zip (or the atlas_unity.json file and its sibling PNGs) into the drop area in the Importer.
The importer creates a unique folder under Assets/LadaSpriteImports/<name>, writes the PNG pages and JSON, slices sprites on the page texture assets, and optionally generates animation clips (if present in JSON).
Use the sprites and clips in your scenes and prefabs like any other Unity sprite assets.

About the Packer (LadaSprite web)

The LadaSprite web packer is the free and open-source tool used to create atlas packages. Visit https://ladasprite.pages.dev to pack your PNG frames into an atlas and export ZIP/JSON files. The web tool handles packing, trimming, pivot preview, and export options; the Unity Importer ingests its output.

Step-by-step Tutorial (with screenshots)

The following annotated screenshots demonstrate a typical workflow: import frames, configure packing, export as ZIP, then import into Unity and use generated sprites and animations.

Import panel placeholder — **Import panel.** Add frames by clicking *Import PNGs* or drag & drop files into the left panel. After import the frames will appear in the list for packing.

Drag and drop PNG sequences placeholder — **Drag and drop PNG sequences from file explorer.**

Select many PNG placeholder — **Selecting frames.** Use your OS file picker to select multiple PNG frames (prefer consecutive naming). Import order will affect animation frame order if you rely on sequence naming. **Packed atlas preview.** Verify how frames are distributed into pages and check trimming/pivot markers before export.

Export settings placeholder — **Export settings.** When exporting choose ZIP name, page prefix, and include the `Unity JSON (atlas_unity.json)` option so the importer can interpret pages and frames correctly.

Drag zip to importer placeholder — **Drag ZIP into Unity Importer.** Drop the exported ZIP directly into the importer's drop area to trigger extraction and automatic import.

Imported in Unity placeholder — **Imported assets in Unity.** After import you will see page textures, sliced sprites (as sub-assets of the page texture), and generated animation clips in the `Animations` folder.

Animations ready to use placeholder — **Animations are generated and ready to use.**

Files Created by the Importer

Assets/
  LadaSpriteImports/
    <your-package-name>/
      page0.png            (atlas page image — sliced into sprites)
      atlas_unity.json     (Unity-format JSON describing frames)
      atlas_tp.json        (optional other format)
      Animations/
        *.anim             (generated AnimationClips)
      (sliced sprites stored as sub-assets of the page texture)

License & Copyright

The importer code is provided under the license included in the project's LICENSE file. By distributing this package you confirm you have rights to any included third-party assets used as samples.

Support & Contact

For bug reports, support requests, or feature inquiries, contact: ladahitamcreation@gmail.com.

Changelog

Version 1.0.0 — First Release

Initial release of LadaSprite Importer.
Import atlas ZIP or JSON+images, automatically slice sprites, and optionally generate AnimationClips.