NathanKell Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) How to get support for modded installs For help with stock versions of KSP, please check the Stock Support Forum First, you should follow these troubleshooting steps Following these steps resolves ~90% of all mod-related issues, which allows you to get back to playing and allows modders to spend more time focusing on the ~10% of issues that require their attention. Make sure all your addons are up to date. Bugs get fixed all the time, and there's nothing worse for halting development of features / fixing of bugs in a mod than for a modder to be made to think a bug they have already fixed has returned. Please: make sure your mods are up-to-date. Make sure you have all your addons installed correctly. Addons need to be installed exactly as they tell you to in their readme or opening post; if they don't say how, then follow this simple guide: Find out if there is a GameData folder inside the archive. If there is one folder at the root of the archive, look inside it, and so forth. If there is a GameData folder somewhere in the archive, take all the stuff inside the GameData folder in the archive and extract to (your KSP folder)/GameData/ If not, then you should probably extract all the stuff in the root of the archive to (your KSP folder)/GameData/ -- but note that some mods (like Universal Storage) have the folders you should extract into GameData inside a containing folder; in that case you should extract the folders inside the containing folder into GameData. Check the stock help sticky and stock known issues sticky: you might be running up against a known issue in KSP itself. Self Help, Reporting Guide. Check to see if the issue was already reported. Search the mod's thread (using the "search in thread" option) and search this forum (using the “search this forum" option) to see if the issue was already reported. If the mod has an issue tracker (see below), check to see if the issue was already reported there. Reporting an Issue after you have followed the troubleshooting steps To report an issue, please follow the following instructions. An issue report should contain the log, a set of reproduction steps, and be done in a clean environment with a list of the mod(s). If you don't follow these instructions, modders will ask you to do so before providing help, and that just slows everyone down. Note that a number of mods maintain their own issue trackers. If a modder mentions (for example in the opening post for the mod, or the readme) that you should post your issue on their issue tracker (for example the issue tracker on Github) please do that rather than posting your issue here, but follow the same steps. The Logs 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: KSP versions 1.3.1 and 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 KSP versions 1.4.0 through 1.7.3: Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\LocalLow\Squad\Kerbal Space Program\output_log.txt - This folder is usually hidden so you should enable the view hidden folders option (more information). 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 ~/.config/unity3d/Squad/Kerbal Space Program/Player.log KSP versions 1.8.0 and above: Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\LocalLow\Squad\Kerbal Space Program\Player.log - This folder is usually hidden so you should enable the view hidden folders option (more information). 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 ~/.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. NOTE: These logs are not the same as KSP.log, which lacks valuable data. Do not upload KSP.log; do upload output_log.txt / Player.log The Reproduction Steps These are essentially a recipe on how to cause the bug. If you don't include reproduction steps, the modder won't be able to reproduce the bug, and then can't fix it. The more detailed you make this, the better. Leave nothing out. Leaving out details can make bugs impossible to reproduce, and thus, impossible to fix. The gold standard for reproduction steps is an unedited video of you causing the bug. Clean Environment If the issue stems from one mod, try to replicate it with only that mod and its hard dependencies in a clean KSP install. If the issue stems from the use of several different mods (for instance, Procedural Wings are still producing lift underneath a Procedural Fairing while FAR is installed) then get a clean install of KSP and install only the mods (and their dependencies, if applicable) in question. This may seem like an extreme measure, but it ensures that only those mods (or the stock game) is to blame. Despite how complicated it may seem, it is actually quite simple to do (even for Steam users), as you can simply copy your install directory elsewhere as needed. It's especially useful since interaction bugs are some of the hardest to nail down; something that appears to be a bug in one mod might actually be caused by something else. Regardless of how many mods are installed, you should include a list of all mods installed with their version numbers; a screenshot of your GameData directory is not sufficient, as it does not include version information and some directory structures may hide what mods are installed. Obviously, this is easier if you reproduce the issue with fewer mods. Example Issue Reports Quote KSP: 0.23 Windows 32bit Problem: Deadly Reentry destroys my RAPIER in closed-cycle mode Mods installed: Deadly Reentry Continued v4.1 Module Manager 1.5.0 Reproduction steps: Build a simple craft with a Mk1 pod, a long tank, two radial intakes, and a RAPIER. Take off, switch to closed-cycle mode. Watch engine overheat and explode. Log: <link>Output_log.txt Note that this report has narrowed the problem down to the minimal number of mods (DRE Continued and its dependency, Module Manager) and the minimal craft necessary to cause the problem. Quote KSP: 0.23 Mac 32bit Problem: KJR causes vehicle to become indestructible and bounce during impact > 200 m/s Mods Installed: Kerbal Joint Reinforcement v2.1 Reproduction Steps: Build a rocket and get it into space. While in space, go into timewarp and then come out again. Before the "KJR Stabilizing Physics" message disappears, go back into timewarp. Vessel will now be indestructible the next time it comes out of timewarp. Tested with Munar impact at 700 m/s. <link>Youtube Video of steps Editor's Note: The real-life version of this report did not actually include the written steps, only the video. This meant that while the report-sender was not aware of the true reproduction steps, the modder was able to determine them from the video based on knowledge about the internal functions of the mod. Log: <link> Player.log Edited February 7, 2020 by Starhawk Updated log file names and locations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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