[Linux, and maybe OSX?] Multiple GameData folders for steam version

[INSULINt]

1 - I don't know if this would also be possible in OSX, but depending on how it handles shortcuts/symlinks it should be possible. AFAIK, impossible on windows.

2 - This is more for people who use steam. Sure you can have multiple installs on steam, but then only 1 can use the steam overlay, add to your hours played amount, etc. All I can think is that this might save a minuscule amount of space for non steam people, or maybe be a little more organized?

OK, now that that's out of the way, what am I talking about here? I'm talking about using symlinks in linux to have different GameData folders that you can launch the game with different part/mod configurations, but have a communal settings.cfg, and all your saves in one place. For the text part of this I'll stick to a dual stock/modded setup, but for mine I actually have 3: stock, some info/utility mods, and then modded to all craziness. First, lets set up the multiple GameDatas:

1 - Choose a location for them, I picked ~/KSP.Installs, then create your subfolders there for each GameData (eg. Stock, Modded)

2 - If your current install is modded I'd suggest cutting a pasting your GameData folder from your KSP install location into the Modded folder, then verify files in steam and cut/paste the new stock GameData into Stock. If you're running stock, copy/paste the KSP install GameData to both Stock and Modded, then add mods to Modded as desired.

3 - Delete your KSP install GameData folder if it's still there. You won't need it, and it'll confuse the launch scripts if it's there.

Now, to create the scripts. Create a file named something like KSP.Stock.sh and put this inside it:

rm ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal\ Space\ Program/GameData
rm ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal\ Space\ Program/PartDatabase.cfg
ln -s ~/KSP.Installs/Stock/GameData ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal\ Space\ Program/GameData
steam steam://rungameid/220200

Note that this assumes you put your stock GameData in ~/KSP.Installs/Stock, and that your have KSP/Steam installed in their default configurations. Now mark it as executable through the properties window or "chmod -x" and run it. If you run it in a terminal, there will be at least 1 error saying that ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal Space Program/GameData isn't there, and that's fine, cus the folder shouldn't be. There should now be a symlink to the Stock/GameData folder in the KSP install directory, and it should load up as stock.

For the Modded script:

rm ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal\ Space\ Program/GameData
rm ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal\ Space\ Program/PartDatabase.cfg
rm ~/KSP.Installs/Modded/GameData/ModuleManager.ConfigCache
rm ~/KSP.Installs/Modded/GameData/ModuleManager.ConfigSHA
rm ~/KSP.Installs/Modded/GameData/ModuleManager.Physics
rm ~/KSP.Installs/Modded/GameData/ModuleManager.TechTree
ln -s ~/KSP.Installs/Modded/GameData ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Kerbal\ Space\ Program/GameData
steam steam://rungameid/220200

And this should load up the game using the Modded/GameData folder. Now, the reason for the rm commands for PartDatabase.cfg, and all the module manager data files, is that I've found that when adding or changing parts even in a single install removing PartDatabase.cfg prevents buggyness when you load the game again. The same reasoning applies to the MM stuff. By deleting those files I'm hoping to prevent 99% of the problems when I start the game.

Anyways, hope you all find this interesting at least, and here's some pics of the folders/scripts as reference:

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[Pecan]

Good advice, works well.

Just to add for ...

...AFAIK, impossible on windows...

Windows symlinks are perfectly possible. Quick search suggests this guide might be useful -> http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/

[INSULINt]

Ha! I did not know that! You would have to use "steam -applaunch 220200" for windows to launch the game. Translating the sh file to a windows bat or cmd should be fairly simple