The Comprehensive Kerbal Archive Network (CKAN) Package Manager; v1.18.0 [19 June 2016]

[Beetlecat]

12 hours ago, Snarfster said:

Just out of curiosity, CKAN has a very hard time with some mods. Is there a text file that can be added to the mod to remain unlisted from CKAN?

ooo-- like an git ignore marker.

At the very least, it should force a manual override in order to be listed on CKAN.

Another thought is the possibility of a "soft" listing -- that is, the mod is listed, but you still have to visit the home page/source to download and install it.

[linuxgurugamer]

19 hours ago, CliftonM said:

The one thing I hate about CKAN is the fact that when run with mono, typing in the search box causes the following:

If I type 'real' into it as I would normally, it shows up as 'llll'

If I type it one character at a time, citing for it to show the last typed one before typing the next, it turns out fine.  This means I take 30 seconds to search as opposed to two.  Please fix this.

Are you on Windows, OSX or Linux?  

I'm using CKAN on Linux, and I don't see that behaviour

On 1/23/2016 at 4:08 PM, politas said:

Kerbal Atomics needs someone to redo the submission; the kerbalstuff automatic submission usually fails to make a functional netkan file. Anyone who has the time to try helping out with mod submissions would be very welcome!

Cryogenic Engines is showing 0.2.0 now. CKAN updates take some time.

I've offered several times to help people with their netkan files.

Feel free to send people to me if they need help with this.

 

Linuxgurugamer

On 1/23/2016 at 1:28 PM, Workable Goblin said:

For some reason, today CKAN has started to behave...oddly. Whenever I try to install a mod, it spends an exceedingly long time, possibly more than a minute, at the "(Updating selected mods)" stage of installation before starting any downloads. Once it finishes downloading, it very frequently hangs while installing the selected mods, particularly if more than one mod is queued for installation, requiring a manual termination to stop. This is...frustrating. I tried nuking everything, down to KSP itself, and starting over, but this didn't help at all. There's nothing unusual or strange that I can see in the terminal output, either.

Are there are any log files or other information sources I could use to diagnose the cause of this issue? I'm on OS X El Capitan, 10.11.3, by the way.

EDIT: Further deepening the mystery, it later quit doing this (i.e., returned to working normally) without me doing anything. Who knows!

I saw this as well, I think it was an issue with Kerbalstuff, since I had a lot of problems at the same time on kerbalstuff.com

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Are you on Windows, OSX or Linux?  

OS X.  It happens on both of my Macs.

[linuxgurugamer]

4 minutes ago, CliftonM said:

OS X.  It happens on both of my Macs.

So it's specific to OSX.  This may be a mono bug

[Streetwind]

7 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

I've offered several times to help people with their netkan files.

Feel free to send people to me if they need help with this.

Can you help me out with my question on the previous page, then?

[linuxgurugamer]

On 1/24/2016 at 8:11 AM, Streetwind said:

I have a mod entry on CKAN that installs a special config file for another mod, and nothing else. This config file is pulled out of the download of that other mod, and thus the $kref entry points at it.

The config file is deprecated and will no longer be shipped. To forestall errors, I want to change the metadata for that config file entry so that it only works for KSP versions up to 1.0.4. Would simply adding a "ksp_version_max" field to the file be enough? Or is it going to have to be more complicated than that?

That is correct.  Do you know how to submit an update to Netkan?

[linuxgurugamer]

Is there any way in the CKAN spec to be able to specify an optional config?  For example, a mod has a standard config, but also ships (in the zip file) an optional config which replaces it.  I'm not aware of any way to do this, is it something which might be considered?

[Streetwind]

7 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

That is correct.  Do you know how to submit an update to Netkan?

Yeah, I've been sort of maintaining Nertea's mods for quite a while already.

[Snarfster]

11 hours ago, Beetlecat said:

ooo-- like an git ignore marker.

At the very least, it should force a manual override in order to be listed on CKAN.

Another thought is the possibility of a "soft" listing -- that is, the mod is listed, but you still have to visit the home page/source to download and install it.

Yeah, something like that. CKAN works very well in a lot of cases, however not always. It would create an out for the more complex cases in addition to giving mod makers who don't want to use it an option not to.

[politas]

On 24/01/2016 at 0:11 AM, Streetwind said:

I have a mod entry on CKAN that installs a special config file for another mod, and nothing else. This config file is pulled out of the download of that other mod, and thus the $kref entry points at it.

The config file is deprecated and will no longer be shipped. To forestall errors, I want to change the metadata for that config file entry so that it only works for KSP versions up to 1.0.4. Would simply adding a "ksp_version_max" field to the file be enough? Or is it going to have to be more complicated than that?

You should have the other mod as a dependency. You could set max_version on the dependency instead, to be clear about what has happened..

[politas]

On 25/01/2016 at 7:38 PM, Phineas Freak said:

Issue with the OLDD Docking Camera mod: the path that it is supposed to be installed is "GameData/OLDD/DockingCam" but when installing via CKAN it gets placed under "GameData/DockingCam", thus breaking the camera part module.

What's the actual name and/or identifier of that mod as shown in CKAN? I can't find anything with the name you mentioned.

[politas]

12 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Is there any way in the CKAN spec to be able to specify an optional config?  For example, a mod has a standard config, but also ships (in the zip file) an optional config which replaces it.  I'm not aware of any way to do this, is it something which might be considered?

Have a look at Distant Object Enhancement. There is the basic "Distant Object Enhancement" mod, there is a "Distant Object Enhancement default config" mod, which meets the virtual dependency "DistantObject-config" that can also be met by "Distant Object Enhancement Real Solar System". That's the system that's been developed to handle the situation you describe.

[Streetwind]

2 hours ago, politas said:

You should have the other mod as a dependency. You could set max_version on the dependency instead, to be clear about what has happened..

Oh, I like this even better, yes. I think I will do that.

[Phineas Freak]

@politassorry about that, i should have provided more info . It is the "Docking Camera (KURS style)" by DennyTX (identifier: DockingcameraKURSstyle).

[ev0]

Just a suggestion:

In the "Relationships" tab, get rid of the drop down box and just put Depends, Recommends, Suggests, Supports, Conflicts directly inside the big box below the Metadata, Relationships, Contents tabs. They could have the expand/collapse +/- symbol next to them, but only if a mod is listed in one of those categories.

For example, mod "A" has a Module Manager dependency and recommends DMagic Orbital Science. Then, mod A's Relationship tab would look like:

+ Depends
+ Recommends
  Suggests
  Supports
  Conflicts

Clicking the + next to Depends and Recommends would reveal Module Manager and DMagic Orbital Science, respectively. Maybe add a master + symbol to expand/collapse all categories at once, too.

Clicking through the drop box to check each category just takes too much time for the user currently.

[linuxgurugamer]

6 hours ago, politas said:

Have a look at Distant Object Enhancement. There is the basic "Distant Object Enhancement" mod, there is a "Distant Object Enhancement default config" mod, which meets the virtual dependency "DistantObject-config" that can also be met by "Distant Object Enhancement Real Solar System". That's the system that's been developed to handle the situation you describe.

Thanks.

I'll have to figure out a small tree, since some of these are mutually exclusive, and at least one needs to be provided.

On another note, do you think it might be a good idea to have a way to specify to CKAN that before an install, to delete everything in the destination directory?  This would solve problems where the mod might be leaving bits behind (such as cache files,etc).

Edited January 26, 2016 by linuxgurugamer

[politas]

8 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Thanks.

I'll have to figure out a small tree, since some of these are mutually exclusive, and at least one needs to be provided.

On another note, do you think it might be a good idea to have a way to specify to CKAN that before an install, to delete everything in the destination directory?  This would solve problems where the mod might be leaving bits behind (such as cache files,etc).

Mutually exclusive configs is exactly what  a virtual config dependency lets you do.

CKAN deleting things it didn't install is a hotly-debated topic. The current position is that CKAN will only delete files it installed, so that generated config files will be left untouched by an update. Mod authors can include an empty file in their download and then modify that if they want CKAN to delete it on upgrading.

[linuxgurugamer]

11 minutes ago, politas said:

Mutually exclusive configs is exactly what  a virtual config dependency lets you do.

CKAN deleting things it didn't install is a hotly-debated topic. The current position is that CKAN will only delete files it installed, so that generated config files will be left untouched by an update. Mod authors can include an empty file in their download and then modify that if they want CKAN to delete it on upgrading.

Thanks re. the first.

The second, I think that it would be reasonable to allow a mod developer to specify that the directory be cleared out first.  There are a number of mods which don't work if there is old data left behind.  Also, to be able to clean up a disk, if someone uninstalls a mod, it would be nice if at least the option was presented to delete the old directory or not.

In fact, why not have the netkan recommend that the directory be cleaned out before updating?  

I understand the topic, but think that this is a place where by adhering to a very rigid rule, problems are caused for a number of mods.

[speedwaystar]

sorry if this has been asked before. is there a recommended way to clear out old versions of mods from the ckan/downloads folder without accidentally deleting the most recent version?

alternatively, is there a way to force ckan to reacquire missing downloads rather than dying with an exception if it can't find the cached version?

[politas]

1 hour ago, speedwaystar said:

sorry if this has been asked before. is there a recommended way to clear out old versions of mods from the ckan/downloads folder without accidentally deleting the most recent version?

alternatively, is there a way to force ckan to reacquire missing downloads rather than dying with an exception if it can't find the cached version?

Other than doing a find for each mod name, I can't think of an easy way to delete old cached versions. You can force a download of a mod's latest version by going to the Contents tab and clicking on Download.

[speedwaystar]

29 minutes ago, politas said:

Other than doing a find for each mod name, I can't think of an easy way to delete old cached versions. You can force a download of a mod's latest version by going to the Contents tab and clicking on Download.

the annoying thing is that if i simply delete the entire /downloads folder, instead of as one might expect simply reacquiring the missing cached items, CKAN throws a hissy fit and dies with an exception. it'd be great if that behaviour was addressed.

Edited January 26, 2016 by speedwaystar

[nobodyhasthis2]

In the future we must make CKAN better at coping with incoming errors, connection issues or situations that make it die. Normally it throws out an error and does it's best not crash. However the lack of feed back can leave the average user very confused. As can some of the new features which the team is working on hard. So there has been little time for a proper UI or even documentation.  

At least in my own situation. Knowing about what is going on in the background even as a layman. I can understand some of the common errors and know that when CKAN needs a little nudge. Or needs to confirm a course of action. However without this experience I suspect it all looks rather "clunky". With unexplainable crashes. 

Or to put it another way. If it needs to die in circumstances beyond it's control . It must die more gracefully.

Perhaps we need to put this on the things to do around version 17 ish assuming there is not a higher priority flood of PR's coming in later keeping the team too busy. Although I also think the KSP 1.1 jump will slow us down at bit too depending on timing.

[politas]

18 hours ago, Phineas Freak said:

@politassorry about that, i should have provided more info . It is the "Docking Camera (KURS style)" by DennyTX (identifier: DockingcameraKURSstyle).

Is there any problem with the game caused by not having the extra layer of directory? Fix submitted, anyway.

Edited January 27, 2016 by politas

[politas]

11 hours ago, speedwaystar said:

the annoying thing is that if i simply delete the entire /downloads folder, instead of as one might expect simply reacquiring the missing cached items, CKAN throws a hissy fit and dies with an exception. it'd be great if that behaviour was addressed.

What if you delete the contents, rather than the actual folder? (Ideally, test by moving them somewhere else, of course)

[speedwaystar]

29 minutes ago, politas said:

What if you delete the contents, rather than the actual folder? (Ideally, test by moving them somewhere else, of course)

sorry, that's what i meant -- the contents, not the folder. if CKAN can't find any of the zip files which were used to install active mods, it crashes.