Automate sending of crash reports etc to Squad

[THX1138]

I would like it if KSP automatically sent crash reports/logs instead of relying on users to find out what the procedure is to file reports manually. I think they'd get much more data that way.

[John FX]

Possibly too much...

It may also stop some people reporting bugs which are not severe enough to cause a crash if they think bug reporting is automatic.

Would be good as an option.

[kBob]

Well I haven't had a crash in 1.1.2 but if I did I'd want to decide if I sent a report or not, so long as it's optional it's fine.  I hate programs that use my bandwidth without my consent.  But otherwise a good idea.

[pandaman]

I think what's needed is something like a 'send reports?' pop up option that opens up automatically when you start KSP, select 'yes' and it sends any unsent reports/crash logs, select 'no' and it just keeps them until you either select send or delete them.  With an option to enable and disable the feature in settings.  This way there is a quick and easy way to send them but you still have full control.

[Bomoo]

They'd be completely overwhelmed by "out of memory" crashes from people still running 32 bit overloaded with every single huge mod available.

[AlamoVampire]

count me against this. i do not like the idea of anything automating the reporting of telemetry from my computer at all. 

[pandaman]

I suggested earlier that a pop up option could be used on start up, but perhaps better than this would be an enhanced version of the current dialogue box that simply suggests you send the crash log...

When the pop up appears as now, suggesting that the crash log be sent, an Ok/Cancel option is presented.  'Ok' will open up another section that asks you to add some notes, and answer a few standard 'check box' questions to help Squad filter things. Once done select 'send' and your notes and the crash log are sent.

This way there is no autonomous function, details can still be sent easily by anyone, by choice.  Squad will get more reports of course, that's the whole point, but the 'filter' questions will help them to identify and categorise different types of issues more easily and help improve the quality/usefulness of feedback. 

From a user point of view, having to select Ok, click some checkbox questions and write a few words is easy enough for those who want to help, but enough 'trouble' to deter many from just clicking 'send' every time without thinking about it.

[THX1138]

3 hours ago, Bomoo said:

They'd be completely overwhelmed by "out of memory" crashes from people still running 32 bit overloaded with every single huge mod available.

I'm sure it's within Squad's capabilities to use the powers of computer programming to sift through information they think is irrelevant. They may even be able to automate searching for repeating patterns in the reports.

[Waxing_Kibbous]

If they continue with community beta testing I'd like to see a system similar to Krita's - after a crash a dialogue pops up with the log, and a place to type in what you were doing before the crash. The program is tied into the tracker, so your login is needed, but for dedicated beta testers this isn't an issue. I'm not sure how thorough the KSP logs are, but another nice things that some programs, eg. Blender have is a debug mode, so for instance if you run Blender -d you get more verbose logging. Including better tools for the beta testers would be better than spamming a bug list with everyone's random crashes.

[Bomoo]

1 hour ago, THX1138 said:

I'm sure it's within Squad's capabilities to use the powers of computer programming to sift through information they think is irrelevant. They may even be able to automate searching for repeating patterns in the reports.

Fair enough.

[THX1138]

On 05/06/2016 at 1:29 PM, Waxing_Kibbous said:

If they continue with community beta testing I'd like to see a system similar to Krita's - after a crash a dialogue pops up with the log, and a place to type in what you were doing before the crash. The program is tied into the tracker, so your login is needed, but for dedicated beta testers this isn't an issue. I'm not sure how thorough the KSP logs are, but another nice things that some programs, eg. Blender have is a debug mode, so for instance if you run Blender -d you get more verbose logging. Including better tools for the beta testers would be better than spamming a bug list with everyone's random crashes.

The crashes are not random. They do not occur in most games and software that I use with the frequency that they do in KSP. They're caused by flaws in the code which might be revealed by collecting more data.