!!! please read before posting !!! Stock Support & Bug Reporting Guide

[Claw 3153]

Kerbal Space Program: Stock Support & Bug Reporting Guide

 

 

For help with modded versions of KSP, please check the Modded Support Forum

Modded Support Forum

 

 

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Need Help Downloading KSP? Click here!

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This guide will explain how to post a proper support request which will help get your issue resolved as soon as possible. Before posting an issue, please check if your problem is already in the

Known Issues & Self Help Thread.

The Stock Support & Bugs forum is a place where users can help one another solve problems they are having with unmodified KSP. To do that effectively, it's far easier if you start out your help request by posting a new thread with the most information possible about your issue, your KSP installation, and the system you're running the game on. Making an effort to title your thread descriptively and provide as much of the information below as you can will help the community assist you better.

If you think you have found and can replicate a bug in Stock KSP, please refer to the "Bug Report Guide" in the next post.

 

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Which information should your support request have?

• KSP version including Windows, Mac, or Linux, 32 or 64-bit, and if it's Steam
• A detailed explanation of what happened and what you were trying to accomplish
• A screenshot of your craft or any relevant screens
• A .craft file or save files if relevant
• The ouput_log.txt or player.log file KSP creates when it launches and, if applicable, the crash log KSP has generated when the program crashed
• A detailed list of system specifications
• Are you running a clean installation, or have you updated and some of your persistence or craft files might be older versions, if so which version(s)

 

To find out how to obtain this information, please see below.

To obtain your version, use any of the following:

• Open the "buildID.txt" file located in your installation folder. The version is listed in the first line of the file.
• Open the "readme.txt" file located in your installation folder. The version is listed just below the ASCII art in the top of the file.
• Start KSP and look in the lower right corner of the main menu screen.

 

The KSP version will look something like "01258" or "1.1.2". Also list whether you're using Windows, Mac, or Linux, if it's 32 or 64-bit, and if it's Steam. Knowing the version allows us to avoid recommending things that are not applicable to your operating system. Also, there are some issues which only turn up in specific operating systems or specific versions of KSP.

KSP is capable of taking screenshots in-game by pressing F1. The screenshots are stored in the KSP installation folder under a folder called [SCREENSHOTS].

You can upload screenshots to any image sharing site (such as imgur.com) and post the link with your support request. (Note: imgur is free and does not require you to create an account.)

Screenshots usually illustrate the problem better than trying to explain with several paragraphs. Feel free to mark up your screenshots with a noticeable colour to highlight important points. Also, avoid excessive drawing since it may end up making your problem less clear.

In the KSP installation folder, you should be able to find a folder called [SAVES]. Open this folder and select the save file name that applies. Inside you will find three things: one or more files (usually two) with a .sfs extension and a folder called [SHIPS].

• Craft Files: Any ships that you created will be stored in the [SHIPS] directory under [SPH] for Space Plane Hangar vehicles or [VAB] for Vehicle Assembly Building vehicles. Craft files are named the same as what you titled your ship in KSP and have a .craft extension.
• Save Files: To attach a save file, you need the file called persistent.sfs (or quicksave.sfs if you wish to share a quicksave).

CRAFT NOTE: When posting in the Stock Support forum, ensure that no mods are used in the creation of the craft.

SAVE NOTE: Using ALT+F5 to quicksave will allow you to give the save file a specific name, which can make it easier to find for uploading.

You can upload these files to any file sharing site (such as Dropbox, Pastebin or File2web). These sites will give you a link you can include in your posts to share your files.

Craft files should be provided whenever you are having an issue with a specific craft, or have found a potential bug that you find easiest to reproduce with that specific craft. Having the craft file to work with will make it much quicker and simpler for us to diagnose and attempt to replicate the issue, and hopefully get it resolved much quicker.

 

When KSP crashes it will general a folder with files with details surrounding the crash. Usually a window will pop up ingame asking you to send this information to the developers, along with the name of the folder. You can find this folder in the KSP install directory.

If KSP doesn't crash, start KSP and cause the problem. Quit KSP and find the output_log.txt (not the KSP.log) at the location below:

 

• Windows: KSP_win\KSP_Data\output_log.txt -OR- KSP_win64\KSP_x64_DATA\output_log.txt (depending on which used)
  - In case you installed KSP into a Windows protected directory (C:\Users, C:\Program Files or C:\Windows\ and their subfolders) the output log file may be stored in the folder called C:\Users\[username]\Appdata, this folder is usually hidden so you should enable the view hidden folders option (more information). Note that for the demo you should find the output_log.txt file located in the KSP_Data folder.
  - Steam users should right click KSP in Steam, click on Properties, then in the Properties box, click Local Files, then Browse Local Files.
• Mac OSX: Open Console, on the left side of the window there is a menu that says 'files'. Scroll down the list and find the Unity drop down, under Unity there will be Player.log Aka Files>~/Library/Logs/Unity/Player.log
• Linux: The log is written to /home/user/.config/unity3d/Squad/Kerbal Space Program/Player.log

 

You can upload these files to any file sharing site (such as Dropbox, Pastebin or File2web). These sites will give you a link you can include in your posts to share your files.

The output and crash logs are useful because they help us understand exactly what you were doing when the issue happened by providing a "play-by-play reenactment" (in text form) of your KSP session. Anything out of the ordinary will often show up in the log files, and it gives us a good idea of where to start looking for solutions.

 

The method to gathering system specifications will vary over different operating systems, choose which one applies to you.

• Windows: open the start menu and select (or type) 'run'. Type in 'dxdiag' and press the [ok] button. A new program will pop up called the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. On the bottom of this screen a [save All Information] button is located. Press it and save the text file to a location you will remember.
• Mac OSX: use the "System Report" app from the 'About This Mac' menu and hit cmd+s to save the file in .rtf format in a location you will remember.
• Linux: for linux an application called 'hardinfo' will gather all required information. Save the information to a location you will remember.

 

You can upload these files to any file sharing site (such as Dropbox, Pastebin or File2web). These sites will give you a link you can include in your posts to share your files.

Having detailed system specifications is useful in more ways than one. At a glance, we can tell if your system should be experiencing any performance issues, and whether the system is correctly registering and utilizing an installed video card, sound card, and so forth. All the hardware information for your system is contained within these files (and is extensive). As such, it's a must-have for those of us trying to diagnose and solve certain issues.

[Claw 3153]

Kerbal Space Program: Bug Reporting Guide

For help with modded versions of KSP, please check the Modded Support Forum

Modded Support Forum

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As an "early-access" game, KSP is specifically looking for gamers to assist in the development process. You are an integral part of the team making KSP stable, easy to use, and FUN! With every release of KSP, we see an increase in the number of bug reports and support requests. Occasionally there are duplicate, conflicting, and confusing reports. These guidelines will help you create a bug report that helps Squad quickly track down and squash any bugs.

Bugs are no reason to be angry. It may sound silly, but it's important to keep this in mind. We all know bugs are frustrating, but venting your anger on your bug report does nothing to improve its helpfulness. Please try to be as concise as possible on bug reports, and avoid sentences like 'This drives me mad!' or angry smileys. Bugs make everyone angry, so there's no need to repeat something everyone knows and that doesn't add any new clues to finding and fixing the actual bug.

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Example of an Ideal Bug Report:

KSP Version: v0.24.2.559 Windows 32-bit, updated from v0.23.1.123 [Remember to include the operating system, and 32 or 64 bit.]

What Happens: All craft within physics range respond to control inputs.

Mods / Add-Ons: All Stock

Steps to Replicate:

1) Make a Mk1 pod and hold it down with a TT-18A Launch Stability Enhancer (yes, just the two parts), and launch the craft with a kerbal on board.

2) Hold ALT-W to push the pitch trim all the way to 7 notches nose down. (Just short of max.)

3) Turn on SAS (important)

4) Stage to release the pod to the ground, then go EVA

5) Walk forward with your EVA kerbal

Result: Pod will flip over while controlling kerbal. Pod stops when kerbal stops walking.

Fixes/Workarounds:

- Zero out trim (ALT+X) on each craft within physics range.

Other Notes/Pictures/Log Files:

- Keys for controlling each vessel must be mapped the same (i.e. Walking forward for a kerbal & pitching a pod must both be ‘W’).

- Images Link: http://imgur.com/a/LEeCB

- Craft File if required

- Log File if required

As you can see, the above report clearly states how the bug was encountered and how it can be reproduced with as few moves as possible. It is as helpful as a bug report can be, and this helps Squad narrow down the problem.

You can copy and paste this format from the spoiler below when constructing your own bug report:

KSP Version:

What Happens:

Mods / Add-Ons:

Steps to Replicate:

Result:

Fixes/Workarounds:

Other Notes/Pictures/Log Files:

Bug Reporting Guidelines

Each bug report should have its own thread in the Support & Bugs forum. If you think you've found a bug, PLEASE check the forums to see if there isn't already a thread about it somewhere. Use the search function, and add to an existing thread if you have new information. If the bug thread you find is outdated or doesn't fully apply, feel free to post a new report and link to the old one.

When making a new bug thread, please use the [support] prefix. Once a moderator has confirmed that it is in fact a bug, it will be given the [bug] prefix.

To obtain your version, use any of the following:

Open the "buildID.txt" file located in your installation folder. The version is listed in the first line of the file.

Open the "readme.txt" file located in your installation folder. The version is listed just below the ASCII art in the top of the file.

Start KSP and look in the lower right corner of the main menu screen.

The KSP version will look something like "0.24.2.559". Also list whether you're using Windows, Mac, or Linux, if it’s 32 or 64-bit, and if it's Steam. Knowing the version allows us to avoid recommending things that are not applicable to your operating system. Also, there are some issues which only turn up in specific operating systems or specific versions of KSP.

Post a very brief description of what is happening. Try to keep it short so people have some idea of what the bug is about. This also makes finding a specific bug a lot easier when looking at a stack of bug reports.

There may be errors in Stock KSP that are triggered when using mods. If you think this is a stock issue, please list any mods or add-ons you are using. If practical, try to narrow down your install to the fewest number of mods required to actually triggering the issue. If you think the bug is a due to a mod itself, please visit the [LINK]Modded Support Forum.

It's best if you can recreate the with a Stock Install of KSP and it’s best to use a KSP install that has never had mods installed in it (as opposed to deleting mod directories). I recommend having two KSP installations: 1) Completely stock, with no mods ever installed; & 2) Your "main" playing version of KSP with any modifications you desire. This ensures a solid report while preventing accidental damage to your main save games when replicating bugs.

Try to keep it simple, stating facts in as clean and concise a manner as possible.

For Squad to find a bug, they need a way to consistently cause it to happen in a mod-free, clean install of the game, and using a completely new spacecraft (when possible). If at all possible, try to find the minimal set of actions that will cause a bug to happen. That can be extremely helpful to narrow down the source of the problem. If the bug can only be reproduced with a specific spacecraft design, please include a .craft file of the simplest design where the issue still happens in your report.

Remember, steps to reproduce the issue help the most. Bug reports like 'I've seen this happen, and it ruined my mission attempt don't help replicate the issue. They just state it happened, but it doesn't help find the source of the problem. On the other hand, extremely detailed reports of what was happening when the bug took place are also a bad idea because it's difficult to dig through a wall of text to figure out what happened.

Provide a brief description of what to look for when replicating your steps. Especially if there are any strange or subtle things to look for.

If you found a way to fix the problem in the short term, please post how. This can help out other people who are having the problem, and also allows the bug squashers to focus their efforts.

Post any other information that would be helpful. Attach pictures, videos, or debug information. Also reference the Support Guide above on how to obtain all of this information.

Post debug information

It can be very helpful to see the output of the debug console when a bug takes place. The debug console can be opened with Alt+F2, and hopefully it will contain some information about what happened. You can also post links to KSP log files as described in the Support Request section above.

Screenshots and videos

If a bug is too complicated to be explained in a few short sentences, videos or screenshots of it can be a lot of help. Just make sure those are as visually descriptive as possible, and wherever applicable, make annotations.

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Development Trends

Please understand that on each update, Squad is focused on one specific aspect of the game. When fixing bugs on an experimental release, Squad is completely focused on the area of the game where they've been working. So bug reports about other areas of the game, like VAB bugs on a physics-focused update, can throw them off track.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't post bugs about other areas of the game. Just make doubly sure this bug has never been reported before (because chances are it has), and be aware that it might not be considered a top priority at the moment.

KSP Bug Tracker (If you managed to read this far.)

You can find the KSP Bug Tracker here. Please make sure you post your bug report to the forums FIRST. This will help fill in some details and ensure it isn’t a duplicate. Poorly constructed, duplicate, or angry bug reports in the KSP Bug Tracker only serve to side track and slow down fixing of the bugs.

You will need to sign up for an account and please make sure that you read and understand the Bug Reporting Guide above.

Thanks, and happy bug squashing!

Edited June 24, 2015 by sjwt
You forgot the modded support forum link