[1.0][Release-5-0][April 28, 2015] Active Texture Management - Save RAM!

[BudgetHedgehog]

Every version I've installed caused the loss of all prior files, records and ships from the prior version (do to my inexperience of course).

Every version of what? KSP? The best practice is to make backups of your saves and ships elsewhere, wipe the KSP install, install the new one and put your ships and saves back in. Bad Things^TM can happen if you just drag and drop the new version of KSP over the old one. Putting your saves elsewhere is good because you then have backups if things mess up.

Actually, I tell a lie, best practice is to make a duplicate of every KSP install where it can't be touched by updates (so you can carry on playing while the mods settle down/hotfixes are made). Savegames are not guaranteed to be compatible across KSP versions, though they usually are (I think savefiles from 0.21? are still valid for 0.90. Earlier ones may have trouble) so be careful (another reason to have backups of savefiles and of KSP).

As for updating mods, it's best to wait for them to be updated and downloading them fresh rather than copying them across from old Gamedata folders (unless given the ok by the mod author. Follow their advice, basically. Some don't need updating, some are ok, but recompile to be safe, others break completely). If no update occurs, it's up to you if you want to install outdated software (it sounds more ominous than it is - if things go wrong, you quickly notice and if you have backups, no harms has been done).

Edited January 9, 2015 by ObsessedWithKSP

[Glasher]

Thank you sir!

[Zeenobit]

So interesting observation:

KSP 0.90 32-bit on Windows here, running with -force-opengl, Borderless Window mode, ATM x32 Basic version 4-3.

I'm starting a fresh modded build. These the only mods I have installed so far (in this exact order):

Squad

NASAMission

KSP-AVC

TextureReplacer

VenStockRevamp

000_Toolbar

At this point, at the main menu, I'm using ~920 MB.

I install ATM. Let it do its thing. Exit the game. Reload.

At the main menu, I'm now using ~1,115 MB. That's around 200 MB increase. Overtime, just sitting at main menu, this number rises to ~1,170 MB. But it doesn't rise above that, so I don't think it's a memory leak.

Anyways, I back up my ActiveTextureManagement directory from inside GameData, and delete the original. I restart the game. Sitting at main menu, I'm back to ~920 MB.

I put the ATM backup back into the GameData directory. Back up to ~1,115 MB, and eventually ~1,170 MB.

I thought ATM was supposed to reduce memory usage.

[Scorpion2846]

How to make that ATM does not compress textures CityLights? Sorry for my bad english.

[Scorpion2846]

Sorry, the problem was not in the ATM

Edited January 9, 2015 by Scorpion2846

[twiget]

Just came across this mod and thought I'd give it a try. Plopped the ATM folder in the Game Data folder and started up KSP. About 30 seconds into the load my computer crashes. No BSOD, no crash to the desktop or anything, just shuts down. Well, that sucks. Boot back up and try KSP again with ATM installed. Same thing, computer shuts down about 30 seconds into the loading KSP. Check your PM's rbray89, I'm sending you the requested info shortly.

[sarbian]

Your computer most likely crash because it overheats. The compression phase use 100% CPU for a while and if you have cooling problem you'll crash like that.

[twiget]

That does seem to be the case. I tried one more time to boot up KSP with ATM installed. This time I was watching the CPU temps, it was spiking over 90c, a lot. I'm running KSP on a laptop so my options for extra cooling are rather limited. Any suggestions on how to reduce the CPU load so it doesn't get so hot?

[amarius1]

That does seem to be the case. I tried one more time to boot up KSP with ATM installed. This time I was watching the CPU temps, it was spiking over 90c, a lot. I'm running KSP on a laptop so my options for extra cooling are rather limited. Any suggestions on how to reduce the CPU load so it doesn't get so hot?

Get a cooler! Search on internet, it should be preety cheap. Also get a PC!

[twiget]

If by PC, you mean a desktop PC, amarius, then no. I travel almost 100% of the time for work. A desktop PC, or a cooler to put my laptop on is not an option. Besides, my 18" Alienware laptop puts most gaming desktops to shame.

My googlefu is strong though, and I did find several programs that can limit CPU load. The compression will take a lot longer, but at least I wont have to clean up melted silicon. I'll give one of them a shot.

[CarnageINC]

I'm stumped and need some assistance. I decided to go to half res textures to save even more mem and I didn't like the icon look after changing it. I researched how to fix the issue by reading through this thread, I then went through all my ATM cfg files and made or changed overrides for all icons and deleted all cashes for those textures. I then rebooted the game to create new textures. I believe since res was set at half, ATM then created half res textures. So this didn't solve my issue. I then deleted the cashes again, set res to full and tried again. After rebooting and reloading the full res textures, I set the res to half. Things worked well, mem went down and all icons looked good.

On a whim I rebooted KSP, not deleting anything, with my texture res at half to see what it would do. Half my icon's went back to their original ugly half res look while others stated good. If you then set the res to full, the icons stay the same. I have double checked my overrides on the ones that didn't take and found no errors. I have looked into the original icon png sizes and formats and see no relation on that. I have no clue why some revert to a blurred image and some remain good. I followed the format given in this posting from Dante Montana. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/59005-0-90-Release-4-3-Dec-16-2014-Active-Texture-Management-Save-RAM!?p=1632235&viewfull=1#post1632235

Some of my trouble icons when I boot up half res are DangIt, Chatteer, Real Chutes, Deadly Reentry and SCANsat. A work around solution I have found is to boot up KSP with full res on then switch over to half res while playing. Then before I log off, switch it back to full. But that seems like a lot of effort over the long run to keep that dance going. I was wondering if there is something I missed/overlooked in reading this thread that I can do differently.

[Demoblaster]

I need help with something.

I've been using 0.25 ATM with KSP 0.25 (I haven't updated to beta yet but I will as soon as more of my mods are updated) but there's an issue that I'm not sure how to fix that's ATM-related.

I have TT's Modular Multiwheels as well as a few edited parts of my own stored in the Kerbal Space Program\Parts folder. When ATM does its thing, any and every part in that folder has all of their textures removed, leaving the models completely white. How do I go about fixing that?

[Aedile]

If by PC, you mean a desktop PC, amarius, then no. I travel almost 100% of the time for work. A desktop PC, or a cooler to put my laptop on is not an option. Besides, my 18" Alienware laptop puts most gaming desktops to shame.

My googlefu is strong though, and I did find several programs that can limit CPU load. The compression will take a lot longer, but at least I wont have to clean up melted silicon. I'll give one of them a shot.

Keep the vents and "grills" clean It makes really big difference, believe it or not.

[CarnageINC]

Derp! Okay, I figured out most of my issues. , are not . LOL...oppsy. But I still have one remaining issue. How do I code in multiple override folders in the cfg file. Im trying to keep the icons from Squad going all blurry when I go half res. Here is what I'm trying currently.

ACTIVE_TEXTURE_MANAGER_CONFIG
{
    folder = Squad
    enabled  = true
    NORMAL_LIST
    {
        texture = Squad/Spaces/mk1CockpitInternal/model002
        texture = Squad/Spaces/mk1CockpitInternal/model004
        texture = Squad/Parts/FuelTank/RCSFuelTankR1/model001
        texture = Squad/Parts/Aero/wingletAV-R8/model001
    }
    OVERRIDES
    {
        Squad/Agencies/.*
        {
            compress = false
            mipmaps = false
            scale = 1
            max_size = 0
            make_not_readable = false
        }
    }
    {
        Squad/PartList/SimpleIcons/.*
        {
            compress = true
            mipmaps = false
            scale = 1
            max_size = 0
        }
    }
}

Edited January 9, 2015 by CarnageINC

[Zeenobit]

So interesting observation:

KSP 0.90 32-bit on Windows here, running with -force-opengl, Borderless Window mode, ATM x32 Basic version 4-3.

I'm starting a fresh modded build. These the only mods I have installed so far (in this exact order):

Squad

NASAMission

KSP-AVC

TextureReplacer

VenStockRevamp

000_Toolbar

At this point, at the main menu, I'm using ~920 MB.

I install ATM. Let it do its thing. Exit the game. Reload.

At the main menu, I'm now using ~1,115 MB. That's around 200 MB increase. Overtime, just sitting at main menu, this number rises to ~1,170 MB. But it doesn't rise above that, so I don't think it's a memory leak.

Anyways, I back up my ActiveTextureManagement directory from inside GameData, and delete the original. I restart the game. Sitting at main menu, I'm back to ~920 MB.

I put the ATM backup back into the GameData directory. Back up to ~1,115 MB, and eventually ~1,170 MB.

I thought ATM was supposed to reduce memory usage.

I added a couple more mods (E.V.E. and PlanetShine), and I'm consistently noticing that ATM is not only decreasing my memory usage, but increasing it. This time it increased usage by ~400 MB! Some explanation would be helpful!

[Noth]

Besides, my 18" Alienware laptop puts most gaming desktops to shame.

I'd like to see the specs on it then

[Cephalos]

What's the difference between x86 and x64 versions? Im kinda confused and I don't have a clue what version should I download.

[Galane]

What's the difference between x86 and x64 versions? Im kinda confused and I don't have a clue what version should I download.

x86 is for a 32 bit operating system. x64 is for a 64 bit operating system. Of course you must match the version of ATM to the bits of the version of KSP you are using. From what info I've seen on the forum, most using Windows are running 32 bit KSP due to the 64 bit version still being quite buggy while the 32 bit version performs quite well, especially on 64 bit Windows with lots of RAM so KSP can have all it can use, up to the limit of a 32 bit program. Since the most RAM a 32 bit OS can use is 4 gig or less (Windows cannot use a full 4 gig for various reasons.) KSP has to share RAM with the OS.

[Kerbas_ad_astra]

I added a couple more mods (E.V.E. and PlanetShine), and I'm consistently noticing that ATM is not only decreasing my memory usage, but increasing it. This time it increased usage by ~400 MB! Some explanation would be helpful!

All textures are mipmapped by default, which inflates their size by about 30%. Since they're also getting resized and compressed, it's still usually saving memory, but normal maps are not compressed by default (unless there's a config saying that it's okay to do so), so they're just getting bigger.

I tested this out with the Hangar mod, and adding a config to compress normal maps knocked about 110 MB off of my memory usage. It also caused some loss of visual sharpness, which you can see in the screenshots in that post -- I'm assuming that's one reason that normal maps aren't compressed by default, as they're used to add some visual detail to a model without going overboard with polygons.

[twiget]

I'd like to see the specs on it then

Here you go: CLICK

[Zeenobit]

All textures are mipmapped by default, which inflates their size by about 30%. Since they're also getting resized and compressed, it's still usually saving memory, but normal maps are not compressed by default (unless there's a config saying that it's okay to do so), so they're just getting bigger.

I tested this out with the Hangar mod, and adding a config to compress normal maps knocked about 110 MB off of my memory usage. It also caused some loss of visual sharpness, which you can see in the screenshots in that post -- I'm assuming that's one reason that normal maps aren't compressed by default, as they're used to add some visual detail to a model without going overboard with polygons.

I see. I tried installing a bunch more mods, mainly the Astronomer's Visual Pack, and then put in ATM again. This time, it did reduce memory usage.

[NavyFish]

Apologies if this has already been answered. I tried the basic version and it didn't quite give me enough, so I switched to aggressive. I retained the texture cache from basic, however. Aggressive is taking a while to load, so I assume it's doing its thing, but is this actually supported or might it cause some hidden bugs?

[Latori]

There is a way to make ATM dont compress the Toolbar and Menu icons?

[linuxgurugamer]

It seems that CKAN is now showing 4 different ATM mods, 2 for X64 and 2 for X86.

This would be fine, except that I had installed it using the previous version, when there was only one listed. Now it seems that I can't update any more, or even delete the old. I tried removing the ActiveTextureManagement directory from the GameData, but CKAN keeps complaining:

About to remove:

Done!

The following inconsistecies were found:

ActiveTextureManagement-x86-Aggressive conflicts with ActiveTextureManagement-Aggressive.

* ActiveTextureManagement-Aggressive conflicts with ActiveTextureManagement-x86-Aggressive.

Error!

Yet the directory isn't there any more. I tried clearing the CKAN cache, but no change. It appears that CKAN is keeping some information around, but I have no idea where. Can you help, or do I need to contact the CKAN people?

Thanks

Edit: I removed it by hand using the ckan.exe command line tool. For anyone else who runs into this, the command is:

cd to directory where ckan is, then type:

ckan remove ActiveTextureManagement-Aggressive

Cavaet: I only have a single installation controlled by ckan, if you have more than one, you need to find directions on how to manage specific installations from the command line

Edited January 11, 2015 by linuxgurugamer

[Major999]

Nothing has happened to my ram usage, and I still get crashes when the RAM used hits 2.44 GB of ram. Anyone?