[AnyOS] KSP Mod Admin v2 - Mod install with a few clicks

[OminousPenguin]

Does this not look at .version files?

I have FAR version 0.14.1 but no version is listed in the mod, and if I click 'Check for mod update' I get the message "No URL found for mod "FerramAerospaceResearch" - Update check canceled."

Is it supposed to automatically download updates?

[BadLeo]

Something that occurred to me while updating my 24.2 install: would be really nice to have an option to hide/show mod files based on specific states: hide/show uninstalled, installed, conflicting or non-conflicting. And those hidden files would, of course, retain the status of checked or unchecked. If not possible, than at least having a column showing the mod status as installed/uninstalled and conflicting/non-conflicting, so that the mods can be sorted by that info. xD

[MacTee]

Hi OminousPenguin ,

till now KSP MA don't look at .version files. Are there so many mods out there that includes one? Do you have some examples?

When the list is long enough i'll implement it =).

To add the update check support to a mod add the CurseForge or KSP Form url to the appropriate field in the ModInfos.

(Right klick the mod -> edit ModInfos) KSP MA will then cheeck for mod updates and colors the outdated mod blue.

No till now there is no autoupdate. And i think autoupdate is a bit problematic, it could cause lose of vessels if the updated mod is incompatible with the last version.

Or simple the user don't want autoupdating, cause he plays a older KSP Version.

OK, the second example could be solved but the first one is still a neck breaker ...

I think the user should control which mod should be updated. KSP MA justs supports the user during the update process, so the user only have to download the mod (via CurseForge or KSPForum) and KSP will update the mod that is installed.

@BadLeo:

A filtering option for the ModSelection sounds reasonable. I'll add it to my ToDo list.

Edited July 26, 2014 by MacTee

[ninemonkeys]

Hello there,

I'm pretty new to KSP modding and I have one problem with KSP Mod Admin. What if a mod offers multiple folders and the readme tells me stuff like: "Blah blah overwrite this folder with this folder if you want to use function xyz".

[MacTee]

Hi ninemonkeys,

sounds like KW Rocketry or anything like it.

You have to chose which file you want to keep, reset the destination of the other one. That should solve the problem.

To reset a destination of a file just right click it and select Destination -> Reset Destination.

[ninemonkeys]

Hi ninemonkeys,

sounds like KW Rocketry or anything like it.

You have to chose which file you want to keep, reset the destination of the other one. That should solve the problem.

To reset a destination of a file just right click it and select Destination -> Reset Destination.

Exactly. Thanks. What I find strange that it marks files as "orange" which doesn't actually exist twice. But your hint fixed this too. Edited July 26, 2014 by ninemonkeys

[celendis]

MacTee, I think that version file support is important. If nothing else, perhaps your adding support will get other modders to add it to their mods. I know that's really unlikely, but version files appears to me to be the best way to manage the splintering of mod hosting and update checking.

[Kobymaru]

Hi!

I'm sorry if this might be a question that has already been answered, but browsing through the last few pages of this thread, I couldn't find an answers.

If I am to update a mod, how would I do that, step by step?

Currently I do the following:

1. Go to the options tab

2. Make sure "Mod update behavoir" (sic) is set to "Copy destination"

3. Click "check for mod updates"

4. Go to the Mods tab

???? 5. Be confused about what to do next

???? 6. Right click on blue mods, click proceed selected mod

???? 7. Be confused about "root of zip not found" message

???? 8. Right click on blue mods, click "visit forum site of mod", redownload it

???? 9. Be confused as to why there are two versions of the same mod in the list now, and why they are orange

???? 10. Be confused about what to do next

???? 11. Delete both versions, redownload updated version again

So yeah, while I appreciate the idea of checking mods for updates, I have to say it's not at all clear to me how to properly perform a mod update through KSP-MA.

[MacTee]

Hi Kobymaru,

if you have installed a mod via a download with the ModBrowser, everything is perpared for the update feature.

When you have added the mod by file, you have to edit the ModInfos of the mod (right click the mod and select "Edit Modinfo".

Here you have to enter a URL to the Mod on CurseForge or KSP Forum and checking the appropriate VersionControl Radiobutton next to the URL TextBox. After adding the URL and the VersionControll option you have to click the button next to the URL TextBoxes.

KSP MA will then get the other ModInfos for you and the mod is ready for the update feature.

KSP MA need the URL to the mod for the update check feature and the ID of the mod (KSP Forum or CurseForge thread ID) to identify a installed mod during updateing.

How to update a outdated (blue colored) mods:

1. Right click the mod to update and select "Vist forum site" or "Visit CurseForge site" to open the ModBrowser with the mod download site.

2. Download the mod by clicking the download link or by pressing the "Download Mod" button of the ModBrowser menu.

After the download KSP should notice that the mod is already installed (by comparing the IDs of the installed mods against the downloaded mod ID) and should start the update process of the mod (depandent on your "Mod update behavoir" settings).

EDIT: See italic text

Edited July 27, 2014 by MacTee

[Kobymaru]

How to update a outdated (blue colored) mods:

1. Right click the mod to update and select "Vist forum site" or "Visit CurseForge site" to open the ModBrowser with the mod download site.

2. Download the mod by clicking the download link or by pressing the "Download Mod" button of the ModBrowser menu.

After the download KSP should notice that the mod is already installed (by comparing the IDs of the installed mods against the downloaded mod ID) and should start the update process of the mod (depandent on your "Mod update behavoir" settings).

Allright, thanks for the help, it worked! My mistake was that after "Visit forum site", I just downloaded the mod instead of clicking the "Download Mod" button.

[Kethevin]

Thanks for the bug report!

The Download link detection in the ModBrowser is quiet tricky. Besides the overall redo of KSP MA im on right now, i redo the link detection too.

Till the new KSP MA Version 2.0 (Any OS) there will be trouble with some (not all) downloads via KSP Forum.

The workaround is:

• Download the Mod manually
  
• Add the mod manually
  
• Set the ModInfos manually (to support mod update check)
  
  • Right click the mod
    
  • Select "Edit ModInfos"
    
  • Enter the URL to the mod to the appropriated field and click on the radiobutton next to it (to adjust VersionControl).
    
  • Press the Button next to the URL TextBoxes (with the globe) -> KSPMA will then get the rest of the Modinfos for you.
    

I'm trying to follow this advice, but right clicking the mod doesn't give me an option to "Edit ModInfos." Am I doing it in the wrong spot (in the mod list within the Mod Admin).

EDIT: Also, for the life of me I cannot find the "download mod" button on the mod browser menu.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Kethevin

[MacTee]

Hi Kethevin,

are you using the KSP ModAdmin Version 1.4.0 PR12?

[Kethevin]

Hi Kethevin,

are you using the KSP ModAdmin Version 1.4.0 PR12?

No, sorry. I was using v1.3.11 I just downloaded 1.4.0 PR12 and I'm less confused now. Thank you. :-)

[Lucid Hills]

This is a really great program. Super useful.

The one main annoyance I have is you can't quickly tick/untick mods. When using 50+ mods at once it becomes a hassle to tick each mod one by one when I want to change something.

At the moment, you can select a bunch of mods by clicking one then clicking another while holding shift, but when you tick/untick a mod in this selection it breaks the selection and only ticks that one mod. I wish it would copy the action to all other selected mods without breaking the selection.

Another function I think this program could do with is when you have a conflict (yellow text), it would tell you what it is conflicting with when you hover over it or something.

[Jim Kernan]

Hello! I just installed this mod and I really like it. However, I'm getting the following error message when I try to look at the parts tab: Error during part reading! "Length cannot be less than zero. Parameter name: length". All the mods are green in the main window, and the game runs fine. Any ideas where to look for the error? Could this be a mod conflict? It's not showing up in the ModAdmin log either.

[MacTee]

This is a really great program. Super useful.

The one main annoyance I have is you can't quickly tick/untick mods. When using 50+ mods at once it becomes a hassle to tick each mod one by one when I want to change something.

At the moment, you can select a bunch of mods by clicking one then clicking another while holding shift, but when you tick/untick a mod in this selection it breaks the selection and only ticks that one mod. I wish it would copy the action to all other selected mods without breaking the selection.

This will change with the new version.

Another function I think this program could do with is when you have a conflict (yellow text), it would tell you what it is conflicting with when you hover over it or something.

I'll redo the conflict detection with the current rewrite of KSP MA. But i think there wont be a hover tooltip for conflicts (We'll see =)

Hello! I just installed this mod and I really like it. However, I'm getting the following error message when I try to look at the parts tab: Error during part reading! "Length cannot be less than zero. Parameter name: length". All the mods are green in the main window, and the game runs fine. Any ideas where to look for the error? Could this be a mod conflict? It's not showing up in the ModAdmin log either.

Hard to tell what went wrong here. I geuss that some mod installs a part that KSP MA can't parse. I think you have to remove the mods one by one to find the problematic mod. Maybe the log file (KSPMA.log next to the KSPModAdmin.exe) could help a little.

If you find it please send it to me so i can figure out what the issue is.

[Jim Kernan]

I thought what I found was the issue. The config files for the KW rocketry engines produces a conflict warning when installed via KSPMA. I'm using the latest version as of this writing v2.6c. So I went through and installed just the engine parts without the .cfg files and everything would work, no error produced. I only had the problem if the engines were installed through KSPMA and the configs were likewise loaded. I uninstalled the mod, then reinstalled it. I got the same part conflict message, only this time I made sure not to cancel anything but went through the default process. I think the first time through I possibly may have canceled during two of the steps, thus not allowing at least two config files to be loaded. This appears to have been the cause of the error I mentioned in my previous post.

This time, everything appears to be working. When I click on the parts tab, the previously mentioned error does not appear. I'm not sure why the engine config files conflict with each other within the same mod. Nothing else in the mod had a conflict except the engine configs. And I made sure that the mod was indeed completely removed before reinstalling with KSPMA.

Now to install some more mods!!

[Lucid Hills]

I'll redo the conflict detection with the current rewrite of KSP MA. But i think there wont be a hover tooltip for conflicts (We'll see =)

If not hover text, can you please add another feature to indicate to the user what is conflicting with what? It's annoying kinda to hunt down the conflict. Also when you update the conflict detection, can you please having it only indicate conflicting files rather than conflicting folders (or have it as an option) because some mods share folders.

Would it be possible to link a mod straight to it's GitHub? It's commonly used by modders and it seams like it'd be the easiest place to update from.

Other very minor suggestions I'd make are:

- Can to have the list scroll past the end of the mod list a little bit. About 200px of empty space below of the end of the list should do it. It'd just be easier on the eyes personally.

- A simple count of installed mods somewhere.

- An order by tab for installed/uninstalled mods.

- A force OpenGL option for the launch KSP button.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Lucid Hills
Added some stuff.

[Wosser1]

I get the following error when trying to create a zip from an already installed mod:

"Creating of zip failed. Cannot load file or assambly SharpCompress, version=0.10.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=beaf6f427e128133

or one of its dependencies. The manifest definition does not correspond with the assembly call. (Exception of HRRESULT: 0x80131040)"

or when it does work, KSPMOD Admin just creates empty .zip-files.

On the other hand, backing-up the saves does work.

Also could it be possible to add compression to the created archives?

Creating and parsing them would be slower, but it would save a lot of space.

[TheAlmightyOS]

Hello MacTee,

Thank you for putting your time into this. It is a much needed piece of software.

I found what may possibly be a bug in 1.4.0 PR 12 concerning update checking. There are 500+ posts in this thread and my searches were useless. If I am telling you what you already know I apologize.

I have all mods linked to curseforge so I can see when they update. I am also a member on curseforge so I get notifications as well. I had one instance (KSP-KVC) where Mod Admin indicated no update was available yet when I checked my curse notifications that particular mod had updated twice since install. The opposite is also true. Mod Admin would inform me, each time I opened it, that I had mods that needed updating (space plane plus). However that was not true. Space Plane Plus has not had any updates since july 29th.I worked around both these issues by uninstalling the mod in question completely and re-installing.

I wish I could give more detailed info other than the OS is windows 7 . Next time it happens I will pay more attention. Is there any information in particular you would like to see?

---

EDIT: OK, I got a working example.

Infernal Robotics just updated. http://kerbal.curseforge.com/ksp-mods/220267-magic-smoke-industries-infernal-robotics-v0-14/files

When I right click on the mod on the Mods tab and select "check for mod update" this is the output:

Update check for mods started ...
"Magic Smoke Industries Infernal Robotics V0.18.4" checking ...
"Magic Smoke Industries Infernal Robotics V0.18.4" is up to date.
Update check done.

I have screenshots too if you want them.

Edited August 22, 2014 by TheAlmightyOS

[MacTee]

Hi folks,

first sry for my long silence! Busy season started again and my free time srinked to almost none.

The other problem is that the work i have to do on the redo of KSP MA is quite boring =/

Anyway, i try my best to stay motivated! =)

@Lucid Hills:

If not hover text, can you please add another feature to indicate to the user what is conflicting with what? It's annoying kinda to hunt down the conflict. Also when you update the conflict detection, can you please having it only indicate conflicting files rather than conflicting folders (or have it as an option) because some mods share folders.

Have you seen the "Show conflict solving dialog" option on the Options/Misc tab?

In the dialog that pops up, if a conflict is detected (try a restart after checking the option), there is a button "Show conflicts" that should give you a hint where the problem is.

But i'll redo the complete conflict detection during the redo of KSP MA.

Would it be possible to link a mod straight to it's GitHub? It's commonly used by modders and it seams like it'd be the easiest place to update from.

I think I'll add GitHub support, but first the redo.

Other very minor suggestions I'd make are:

- Can to have the list scroll past the end of the mod list a little bit. About 200px of empty space below of the end of the list should do it. It'd just be easier on the eyes personally.

If this is easy to implement with the new TreeView control i'll use for the redo I'll implement it.

- A simple count of installed mods somewhere.

Good idea!

- An order by tab for installed/uninstalled mods.

Some more filter&/ sort options will be available in the redo (maybe not the first version

- A force OpenGL option for the launch KSP button.

Do you know the commandline command? Then for shure

@Wosser1:

I get the following error when trying to create a zip from an already installed mod:

"Creating of zip failed. Cannot load file or assambly SharpCompress, version=0.10.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=beaf6f427e128133

or one of its dependencies. The manifest definition does not correspond with the assembly call. (Exception of HRRESULT: 0x80131040)"

or when it does work, KSPMOD Admin just creates empty .zip-files.

On the other hand, backing-up the saves does work.

Also could it be possible to add compression to the created archives?

Creating and parsing them would be slower, but it would save a lot of space.

Hmm, i was'n able to reproduce the problem.

All my test created a zip (not compressed =) with all installed files.

In your case there seems to be a problem with the SharpComress.dll version that lies next to the KSPModAdmin.exe.

Could you check the version of that file (right click -> Properties -> Details -> ProductVersion).

May be a reinstall/extract of KSP MA could help (if you not already use the 1.4.0 PR 12 download it .

I think about to enable comression for zips (maybe optional). We'll see

@TheAlmightyOS:

Hello MacTee,

Thank you for putting your time into this. It is a much needed piece of software.

I found what may possibly be a bug in 1.4.0 PR 12 concerning update checking. There are 500+ posts in this thread and my searches were useless. If I am telling you what you already know I apologize.

I have all mods linked to curseforge so I can see when they update. I am also a member on curseforge so I get notifications as well. I had one instance (KSP-KVC) where Mod Admin indicated no update was available yet when I checked my curse notifications that particular mod had updated twice since install. The opposite is also true. Mod Admin would inform me, each time I opened it, that I had mods that needed updating (space plane plus). However that was not true. Space Plane Plus has not had any updates since july 29th.I worked around both these issues by uninstalling the mod in question completely and re-installing.

I wish I could give more detailed info other than the OS is windows 7 . Next time it happens I will pay more attention. Is there any information in particular you would like to see?

---

EDIT: OK, I got a working example.

Infernal Robotics just updated. http://kerbal.curseforge.com/ksp-mods/220267-magic-smoke-industries-infernal-robotics-v0-14/files

When I right click on the mod on the Mods tab and select "check for mod update" this is the output:

Update check for mods started ...
"Magic Smoke Industries Infernal Robotics V0.18.4" checking ...
"Magic Smoke Industries Infernal Robotics V0.18.4" is up to date.
Update check done.

I have screenshots too if you want them.

Thanks for the direct link to a sample!

I was able to track down the bug. The problem is my CurseForgeParser. It takes the date of the last comment that has been posted not the creation date =(.

This should happen with all CurseForge mods that has any comment.

The bug is fixed and i'll release a update when i have tracked down the problem with mod zipping (from above).

[Lucid Hills]

Do you know the commandline command? Then for shure

When you make a shortcut to the KSP.exe, in the shortcut's properties under target, you type "C:\...[path]...\KSP.exe" -force-opengl. It might work the similar in however you're going it.

When I moved my whole KSP folder (I have a folder holding my KSP install folder, mod's folder, Mod Admin folder, etc), Mod Admin lost track of all my mods. Is it possible for you to use relative links rather than direct links to fix issues like this? Maybe have the user install mod admin into the KSP install folder so it doesn't have to look far??

[marauder13]

OK, I confess I may be a little slow concerning these kind of applications (Mod Install/Admin), as it is the first of its kind I have used.

The Mod Admin application is correctly detecting that some of my mods are out of date. Yet, I can't find a way to get the application to download the latest version from the source site. I'm not aware of any manual process from what I have been able to find in my explorations, nor any automatic ones. I have probably overlooked it, but for the life of me I can't find it.

Any tips, pointers, suggestions, etc will be gratefully received.

Thanking you in advance for your help,

marauder13

[Lucid Hills]

Any tips, pointers, suggestions, etc will be gratefully received.

After playing around with what I could find to update mods within Mod Admin I found it was easiest to:

-Manually download the updated mod

-Click & drag the file into Mod Admin

-Right-click the old mod and click "Copy ModInfos" and then select for it to copy to the new mod

-Delete old mod.

It's not the best system but it gets the job done.

[MacTee]

@Lucid Hills:

When you make a shortcut to the KSP.exe, in the shortcut's properties under target, you type "C:\...[path]...\KSP.exe" -force-opengl. It might work the similar in however you're going it.

I'll check this an will add it if it works.

When I moved my whole KSP folder (I have a folder holding my KSP install folder, mod's folder, Mod Admin folder, etc), Mod Admin lost track of all my mods. Is it possible for you to use relative links rather than direct links to fix issues like this? Maybe have the user install mod admin into the KSP install folder so it doesn't have to look far??

Yeah relative paths are planned for the redo of KSP =)

@marauder13:

OK, I confess I may be a little slow concerning these kind of applications (Mod Install/Admin), as it is the first of its kind I have used.

The Mod Admin application is correctly detecting that some of my mods are out of date. Yet, I can't find a way to get the application to download the latest version from the source site. I'm not aware of any manual process from what I have been able to find in my explorations, nor any automatic ones. I have probably overlooked it, but for the life of me I can't find it.

Any tips, pointers, suggestions, etc will be gratefully received.

Thanking you in advance for your help,

marauder13

Right click the outdated mod, select "Visit ??? Mod" Site. KSP MA changes to ModBrowser Tab and loads the mod site, after website loading is complete click the "Download Mod" button. That should update the mod.