Is it possible to re-add broken off parts by editing save file?

[maccollo]

So I'm in the middle of this very, very, very long mission. Everything was going super smooth, then suddenly the lander legs on my lander just magically disappeared, and I am absolutely certain it was no fault of my own.

Anyway, it would be a giant pain to relaunch this mission, so I'm wondering it perhaps could be possible to edit the save file to put the landing legs back?

[lammatt]

i know you can repair wheels and parachutes, but legs are pretty much a NO

perhaps a few patches later then

for the time being, try to land with your engines, a <1m/s crashing speed will yield u a sucessful landing i guess

[Crown]

Well, in the persistent file is also saved where which part is attached to the rest of the ship. For any part attached to the ship there's a PART{} section. The section looks like this:

PART
{
name = RCSBlock
uid = 3294089000
[color=blue]parent = 11
position = 0.660663187503815,-1.05575609207153,-0.000550462922547013
rotation = 9.149738E-08,1,-2.604542E-08,1.042783E-07[/color]
mirror = 1,1,1
istg = 0
dstg = 0
sqor = -1
sidx = -1
attm = 1
sym = 13
sym = 14
sym = 15
srfN = srfAttach, 11
mass = 0.05
temp = -37.81815
expt = 0.5
state = 0
connected = True
attached = True
flag = 
rTrf = RCSBlock
[...]

So basically, yes. It is possible to edit parts into a already flying ship. By those blue numbers (and some more, I think), the exact position is defined.

But I don't know if it's easier to try to understand the code or just restart the mission.

[KerbMav]

My best guess would be to try to find and copy the missing part out of the craft file?

[Commander Zoom]

Or put another craft of the same type (probably minus any boosters, etc - just the payload) on the launching pad, quicksave the game, and then cut and paste the relevant section from that into your flying craft. Of course, make sure to backup both / all of your save files first.

[maccollo]

Well, I tried to mess with the persistence file, but it sort of blew up in my face, so I decided instead to take that part of the rocket, put a mainsail on it and then I used the infinite fuel hack to manually move it into position =P

[jaredjeya]

Or put another craft of the same type (probably minus any boosters, etc - just the payload) on the launching pad, quicksave the game, and then cut and paste the relevant section from that into your flying craft. Of course, make sure to backup both / all of your save files first.

I forgot to attach a comms device to my ship, then find I'm going to lose all the science for the mission (since it was a one-way trip) - you just saved me a ton of time. Thanks Don't know how I didn't think of that. It worked perfectly, I just added the part, copypasted the relevant section into a quicksave and loaded it.

[cantab]

You might be able to send up a supply mission and use Kerbal Attachment System to put the legs on. Or you could launch a replacement lander and Hyperedit it into position, that's a reasonably common way of dealing with ship-damaging bugs.

But I'd try landing on the engines first. It's certainly possible and makes a nice challenge.

Messing with the persistence file is a last resort I think, it's so easy to get badly wrong.

[goldenpeach]

Also, if you want to play with the persistence file, make a backup.

I corrupted a few persistence files when trying to edit it(and also a couple of .cfg file from the stock game. I had to redownload the game :/ )

[Tortoise]

You can do a repair mission with kas

[Zephram Kerman]

This is why I keep half a dozen named copies of quicksaves. If anything goes weird, I just backtrack to the last named quicksave, and carry on. This is also why I've gotten comfortable editing those files, because I often forget to follow my own advice.

[Claw]

Also, if you want to play with the persistence file, make a backup.

I corrupted a few persistence files when trying to edit it(and also a couple of .cfg file from the stock game. I had to redownload the game :/ )

Sidenote: If you delete the settings.cfg, the game generates a new one. No need to download the whole game again.

Also, +1 to making backup copies before editing.

[Padishar]

Sidenote: If you delete the settings.cfg, the game generates a new one. No need to download the whole game again.

I suspect he means the stock part .cfg files...