How do I edit DLL files?

[Clockwork13]

I want to experiment with Alternis Kerbol, but to do that I need to look in the DLL file. How do I open it without seeing random letters everywhere?

[Alpheratz]

From what I've understanded thus far, you can't modify a .dll directly. You have to modify the source file (written in C#), then compile it into a .dll with the appropriate compiler.

[Kipeo]

What you're looking for would be in the source, which is available.

The source files can be opened with a simple editor, and so long as you dont need to change anything in the DLL, you wont need to deal with setting up a dev environment/etc.

[Clockwork13]

What you're looking for would be in the source, which is available.

The source files can be opened with a simple editor, and so long as you dont need to change anything in the DLL, you wont need to deal with setting up a dev environment/etc.

Uhh well I want to edit planet positions for Alternis Kerbol, to just experiment, and that's in a DLL file

[Kipeo]

Just looked, and yup, they're hard coded in the source in PlanetShifter.cs

If you are on Windows, download Visual C# express.

Create a new project as a "Class Library"

Name the project the same as whatver the Alternis DLL is named

Add the source files to the project.

Add the refrences for UnityEngine and Assembly-CSharp from your KSP install directory\KSP_Data\Managed

Edit the file to your tastes

press F6 to compile

Find the new DLL in the directory of your project, probably under bin\Debug, and copy that over the stock Alternis DLL

For any more help, move this post to http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/forums/30-Plugin-Development-Help-and-Support

Which is probably a better home for it in any case.

[Epthelyn]

Uhh well I want to edit planet positions for Alternis Kerbol, to just experiment, and that's in a DLL file

Is HyperEdit capable of modifying things in Alternis Kerbol?

If yes: There's your answer.

If no: What Kipeo said.

I've never really considered whether or not it actually is compatible. I don't think it shouldn't be, but I don't really know how much AK actually changes in terms of actual hard coded stuff.

[Pecan]

Kipeo gives excellent advice. To clarify for the non-technical:

(On Windows) a document with the extension '.exe', '.com' or '.dll' is a programme and those 'random letters' you're seeing are your text-editor's attempt to translate the computer instructions into something it can display. It's hopeless because the computer instructions just don't make sense to us, only the computer. In order to make, or edit, a program you need to write the 'source' instructions, which are in text files that we can understand (eg; PlanetShifter.cs that Kipeo mentions) then use another programme to 'compile' those instructions into the exe/com/dll form the computer understands. This is what programming a computer means.

Most programmes store their data - such as planet information - in their own formats too so they can't usually be read or changed without the specific application (=programme). The way KSP stores a lot of information in a human-readable format (persistent.sfs, *.craft, etc.) so it can be displayed/saved in a text editor is fairly uncommon. Handy though, isn't it :-)