Costum flag not working

[Randrico]

I tried to make a costum flag, but it isn't working. I've made sure that that the image is 256x160 and that it is in PNG format. Every tutorial I found said that I should copy the image and paste it into the "flags" folder and I that but it still isn't working.  If anyone knows how to fix this issue, please help.

[Vanamonde]

I open a stock flag, modify it, change its name, then save it back to the same folder.  I've never had any trouble with that method. 

[Curveball Anders]

13 hours ago, Vanamonde said:

I open a stock flag, modify it, change its name, then save it back to the same folder.  I've never had any trouble with that method. 

One might create a directory in Gamedata and name it to 'MyOwn' or something, and then a Flags directory there and save you modified flag.

That way it's easy to keep your own stuff over upgrades.

 

[Randrico]

When I am ingame  I only see the default agency flags like WinterOwl etc. I don't see any of the flags that are in the "flags" folder, so should I move the flags to a diffrent folder, If so which one? I couldn't find the folder that the agency flags are in. I also tried to restart the game multiple times hoping the flags would show up, but I had no luck.

Edited February 16, 2021 by Randrico

[Curveball Anders]

55 minutes ago, Randrico said:

When I am ingame  I only see the default agency flags like WinterOwl etc. I don't see any of the flags that are in the "flags" folder, so should I move the flags to a diffrent folder, If so which one? I couldn't find the folder that the agency flags are in. I also tried to restart the game multiple times hoping the flags would show up, but I had no luck.

The stock ones are in Gamedata/SQUAD/Flags/

But the game will load any Gamedata/<whatever>/Flags/

 

[Randrico]

1 hour ago, Curveball Anders said:

The stock ones are in Gamedata/SQUAD/Flags/

But the game will load any Gamedata/<whatever>/Flags/

 

Thanks for helping!  When I try changing the flag in-game the only flags that show up are the agency ones, I addded my flag to Gamedata/Squad/Flags, but it isn't showing up.

[Curveball Anders]

1 hour ago, Randrico said:

Thanks for helping!  When I try changing the flag in-game the only flags that show up are the agency ones, I addded my flag to Gamedata/Squad/Flags, but it isn't showing up.

It has to be the correct format.

Try opening a one that works and paste your new design over it.

Making sure that you keep the size and formats.

btw, you need to upload your image to some external site (like imgur) and link it form there to have it accessible in the forum.
(but the fact that your link says 713x538 hints at it being the wrong size)

 

 

[OrdinaryKerman]

5 hours ago, Randrico said:

I don't see any of the flags that are in the "flags" folder

Are you sure? KSP has 32 stock flags and 27 agency flags for a total of 59, so the flags selector is a scrolling list. Did you bother scrolling down the list? Also look again, with that many items it's easy to miss one.

5 hours ago, Randrico said:

folder that the agency flags are in

Agency flags are in Gamedata/Squad/Agencies, but don't put flags in there unless you are actually trying to replace the agency flags. For flag formats look below.

For making flags:

Flags have to be in Gamedata/<whatever>/Flags, (Gamedata/Squad/Flags is the where the stock, non-agency flags are) they have to be PNG or DDS, but actually it seems that any size works, they all get stretched to the correct aspect ratio in game (16:10). 256x160 works(it used to be the default), 384x240 works, stretch that to 512x256 and they work, 512x320 also works. If you are on 1.10.x or above (includes 1.11.x and any future updates), I would recommend making the flag at 512x320 then resizing it to 512x256 (that seems to be what Squad are themselves doing)

Edited February 16, 2021 by OrdinaryKerman

[Randrico]

10 hours ago, OrdinaryKerman said:

Are you sure? KSP has 32 stock flags and 27 agency flags for a total of 59, so the flags selector is a scrolling list. Did you bother scrolling down the list? Also look again, with that many items it's easy to miss one.

Yes, I tried scrolling down. There weren't any other flags that I could select. These are the only ones I see:

 

11 hours ago, Curveball Anders said:

Try opening a one that works and paste your new design over it.

Making sure that you keep the size and formats.

Thanks, I tried that also, but sadly didn't work.

[VoidSquid]

It almost sounds as if there are two KSP directories / instances...

[Curveball Anders]

4 minutes ago, VoidSquid said:

It almost sounds as if there are two KSP directories / instances...

Either that or a partly mangled install since not even the stock flags are there.

Are you sure that you don't have more than one install?

[Randrico]

3 hours ago, Curveball Anders said:

Either that or a partly mangled install since not even the stock flags are there.

Are you sure that you don't have more than one install?

I only found one installation,  I will try reinstalling the game again,  just one question.  If I reinstall I will probably lose my save file. So would it work if I copied the save file, moved the copy somewhere else and when I reinstall, move it back into the saves folder?

[adsii1970]

@Randrico

Flag issues first:

Flags are fairly easy when you're given a good set of instructions to follow. In fact, they and Final Frontier were the two things which got me into trying to make mods for KSP.  I've gone and read some of the thread and think I know where you are having some problems at...

20 hours ago, Curveball Anders said:

The stock ones are in Gamedata/SQUAD/Flags/

But the game will load any Gamedata/<whatever>/Flags/

This is good advice. But make sure if you are going to create your own directory for flags, you capitalize "flags" or else the program will not read it as a flag repository.

I keep all my custom flags (and I even have ship name plates I use, but they are technically flags) in a custom folder that's easy to find. I use:

Quote

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Kerbal Space Program\GameData\adsii1970\Flags

Please note, "Flags" is capitalized.

1 hour ago, Randrico said:

I only found one installation,  I will try reinstalling the game again,  just one question.  If I reinstall I will probably lose my save file. So would it work if I copied the save file, moved the copy somewhere else and when I reinstall, move it back into the saves folder?

Okay, part of the problem is, if you are using Steam, is you are syncing files on the cloud. And unfortunately, this is an area that gave me a big headache until I turned the feature off. Steam will always go with the files saved in your Steam game cloud every time you launch the program. And unfortunately, I have not been able to determine how often it updates the cloud. To turn this feature off:

If you notice, the setting in Steam for each game you own can be accessed by left-clicking on the game name. It brings up the box you see in the picture. Select the "local files" option and make sure "Keep Game Saves in the Steam Cloud for Kerbal Space Program" does not have a check in it. Literally it backs up the GameData folder AND the saves folder. It makes no distinction between the two. This is why when you delete mods in your game, exit the game, and come back a few days later, the mods have magically been reinstalled. It's a pain in the rear end, if you want my opinion.

How this affects your flags:

This means that each time you add something to the Flags folder, the wisdom behind the Steam Cloud Sync interprets it as being either removed or not "native" to the Steam installation since it is in Squad's folder. I know this because it is a frequent problem in the Steam Beta I am testing. and at the same time. So, each time you install a flag in that directory, when Steam does its thing, it deletes it because it does not match the version on the cloud. 

Comments about the file type and image size:

Image size: The default is 512 x 256 pixels. But this is not a hard rule that is game breaking if your images aren't exactly this size. I make my custom flags at 251 x 160 pixels. I do not use complex images and the size I use now is what the game once used in version 0.28, when I first started making flags. Smaller flag sizes do not pose a problem for the game and there is no noticeable difference in loading time.

If your image is larger than 512 x 256 pixels, the game can handle it as long as it is not an overly complex and detailed flag. But the more colors used, the larger the file size (my file size for my most complex flag is 8.59 Kb), the slower the game will load. Sure, if you have only one or two flags, not much difference. But because of the way I treat my ships (name plates and registry numbers), I have over thirty "custom" flags I use.

Image type: From the very beginning, the game has always handled PNG images pretty well. Briefly, it used JPG (JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) and BMP (Bitmap Image File) in a few older ( 0.18) versions, but PNG (Portable Network Graphics) became the game's main standard after version 0.20. Even the stock flags are in PNG image format.

You can also use a DDS format (DirectDraw Surface) to produce high quality and low footprint flag files but will need to use Adobe Photoshop and a DDS download to allow for the flag conversion. I am just starting to become familiar with this as a part of my mod-making experience. Seems straightforward enough except the cost of Adobe PhotoShop is not cheap...

About your specific "what about my saved game" question:

Yes, what I actually do is back up my saved games and my ships folder once a week. I have a flash drive that I keep them on. That way, when I do have to reinstall Kerbal Space Program, I am not overly angry.

Use your computer's File Manager to copy both folders (if you do not do both folders, when you reinstall your saved games, all your custom-made ships are gone) to the flash drive. If you have a lot of mods (or just a few), you can even copy your GameData folder to make sure you don't have to spend time to relocating and reinstalling them. Just drag all three folders back into the main Kerbal Space Program folder and you'll be good to go.

I hope this helps you some, and if you need any more help, do not hesitate to continue to reach out.

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by adsii1970
Figured out Imgur's newest problem... :(

[adsii1970]

2 hours ago, Randrico said:

I only found one installation,  I will try reinstalling the game again,  just one question.  If I reinstall I will probably lose my save file. So would it work if I copied the save file, moved the copy somewhere else and when I reinstall, move it back into the saves folder?

Are you using Steam? Let's start with that...

GO to the menu as I showed you above in that one screen capture. Select the "Local Files" tab and then tell it to verify the local file cache. This should solve the problem with the stock flags. Let's get those working before you wade into deeper waters.

[Curveball Anders]

2 hours ago, Randrico said:

I only found one installation,  I will try reinstalling the game again,  just one question.  If I reinstall I will probably lose my save file. So would it work if I copied the save file, moved the copy somewhere else and when I reinstall, move it back into the saves folder?

Your savefile shouldn't be overwritten since it's in it's own directory.

As in "saves/<save name>/"

But it's always a good idea to keep a copy of that somewhere safe.

As a matter of fact the script I use to start KSP (on Linux) takes a backup of my saves (and copress them) every time I start the game.

 

[VoidSquid]

Shameless self quote:
 

 

[Randrico]

4 hours ago, adsii1970 said:

Are you using Steam? Let's start with that...

GO to the menu as I showed you above in that one screen capture. Select the "Local Files" tab and then tell it to verify the local file cache. This should solve the problem with the stock flags. Let's get those working before you wade into deeper waters.

I verified the files and got a message saying: "1 file failed to validate and will be reacquired" and then the game started updating. I verified the files again and this time it said "All files successfully verified". Then I opened the game but still none of the stock flags were showing up, so I closed the game and ran the test again and I again got a message saying "1 file failed to validate and will be reacquired" then I ran it again and got the message "All files successfully verified". I re-opened the game and the stock flags still weren't showing up, so I tested the files a few more times and the same thing happened over and over again.   After every first test after closing the game updated, but none of the updates fixed anything.

[adsii1970]

7 minutes ago, Randrico said:

I verified the files and got a message saying: "1 file failed to validate and will be reacquired" and then the game started updating. I verified the files again and this time it said "All files successfully verified". Then I opened the game but still none of the stock flags were showing up, so I closed the game and ran the test again and I again got a message saying "1 file failed to validate and will be reacquired" then I ran it again and got the message "All files successfully verified". I re-opened the game and the stock flags still weren't showing up, so I tested the files a few more times and the same thing happened over and over again.   After every first test after closing the game updated, but none of the updates fixed anything.

Okay, let's force the game to fix itself.

1. In your program manager, go to where your game is stored and delete the Squad folder inside the GameData folder.
2. Delete KSP_x64.exe file.
3. Rerun the local file validation. See if that works. Somewhere your copy of KSP is going wonky.

If you can, see if you can upload your log and place a link here. That can help us diagnose what's going on. I am still thinking you're connected to the game save on the cloud.

 

[VoidSquid]

Yeah, it's quite normal that some config files and the like do get changed from what they initially are when downloaded, no need to worry about that.

What @adsii1970 said, please provide some log files as outlined in the  post mentioned in my signature so we can find out what causes your issue.

This is how my flags directory looks like, yours should be quite similar. As you can see, my KSP game directory in located at "D:\Kerbal Space Program 1.10.1", your probably will have a different one. And below that is the structure "\GameData\Squad\Flags", that's where I did put some custom flags.

Edited February 17, 2021 by VoidSquid

[VoidSquid]

12 minutes ago, adsii1970 said:

I am still thinking you're connected to the game save on the cloud.

I agree. In general, I'd recommend to copy your working (!) KSP installation outside of the Steam folder, e.g. C:\KSP, only play from there, and not to have Steam running at all while playing KSP, as Steam's auto update function tends to update your game as it sees fit which more often than not can lead to ruined installations and incompatibilities.

Edited February 17, 2021 by VoidSquid

[adsii1970]

1 minute ago, VoidSquid said:

I agree. In general, I'd recommend to copy your working (!) KSP installation outside of the Steam folder, e.g. C:\KSP, and not to have Steam running at all while playing KSP.

If the user turns off the "sync saved games to Steam Cloud," that should solve the problem. Unless... they have downloaded a lot of saved craft from the Workshop.

 

[VoidSquid]

15 minutes ago, adsii1970 said:

that should solve the problem

That particular issue, true, but don't forget about Steam's forced auto updates... it's not a question if, but only when that ruins your KSP installation.

And the Steam Workshop, well... your opinion may differ, but I found that to be  one of the worst things ever for KSP, as it forces you to run Steam in the background, see above.

Save for console players, we PC gamers have way better ways to share crafts.   At any rate, we're already getting off topic.

 

We'd love to help you with your issue, @Randrico, just help us helping you by providing some log files please.

Edited February 17, 2021 by VoidSquid

[Randrico]

14 hours ago, adsii1970 said:

Okay, let's force the game to fix itself.

1. In your program manager, go to where your game is stored and delete the Squad folder inside the GameData folder.
2. Delete KSP_x64.exe file.
3. Rerun the local file validation. See if that works. Somewhere your copy of KSP is going wonky.

If you can, see if you can upload your log and place a link here. That can help us diagnose what's going on. I am still thinking you're connected to the game save on the cloud.

 

I deleted KSP_x64.exe and ran the test, but Steam just reinstalled the file and nothing changed.

[VoidSquid]

I see. Now, what does your "\GameData\Squad\Flags" directory look like?

Where is it located?

And you do have some log files, please?

Edited February 18, 2021 by VoidSquid

[Randrico]

It's located in This PC/D:/#Steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal Space Program. I don't know how to check logs, I'm sorry.