The launcher on OSX is a complete train wreck

[deadalnix]

So, I had the brilliant idea to use the launcher on OSX. To say that it is not working would be an understatement.

First thing first, it refuses to launch at all. After a detour in the security setting, it was possible to make it launchable. Good, now I can launch the launcher.

Well, it does looks like there is an update. Let's click on the update button. Well great, it is launching a terminal and fail to do anything as the Patcher file is not executable. Let's chmod it to be executable.

Ok no we have a screen asking for KSP account to do the update. At this point 2 option:

- Either you get yyour login/password wrong, and the program hangs forever doing nothing.

- Either you get them right, and you get the following:

Squad Patcher

Using rsync-2.0.9

---

Preparation

Detecting if OS-resident rsync is present...

rsync present in PATH, residing at: /usr/bin/rsync

Authentication

Getting login token...

Unable to authenticate with the server: Received malformed data from the server: bad channelkey

At this point, it is safe to conclude that the launcher is rubbish. Is someone is even running it at squad ?

[Ted]

Thanks for posting up this thread! We've looked through it and fixed up a couple of things with the OSX Launcher on our end, give this download of it a try - http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/kspstore/dp/launcher/ksp-launcher-osx.zip

Please let us know if you have any further issues with the Launcher. We're still in the process of fixing issues that may be occurring with the Patcher.

[carthesian]

I have exactly the same issue. Downloaded the new Patcher but still can´t connect to the server...

Squad Patcher

Using rsync-2.0.9

---

Preparation

Detecting if OS-resident rsync is present...

rsync present in PATH, residing at: /usr/bin/rsync

Authentication

Getting login token...

Unable to authenticate with the server: Received malformed data from the server: bad channelkey

[kellogg76]

Same error for me too, on Mac with the following error even with the new Launcher [removed Patcher] you posted.

Squad Patcher

Using rsync-2.0.9

Preparation

Detecting if OS-resident rsync is present...

rsync present in PATH, residing at: /usr/bin/rsync

Authentication

Getting login token...

Unable to authenticate with the server: Received malformed data from the server: bad channelkey

Edited January 20, 2015 by kellogg76

[Master Tao]

@carthesian, kellogg76:

Ted posted a new Launcher, not a new Patcher.

We're still in the process of fixing issues that may be occurring with the Patcher.

[Applemush]

Hello! I am having the exact same problems as those listed above. I am running on a mac OSX 10.9.5. KSP version 0.90.0.705. No Mods. I have attempted to download both the "OSX Launcher" from the main website as well as the ".90" Version from the main website. Both have to be manually overrode for permission using the Terminal commands. However, past this point I receive the error key along the lines of "bad channelkey/malformed data". This is not exactly a huge issue atm, just going to make updating harder/inconvenient going forward. I'm sure you guys are working hard on it! Good luck and please post any successful fixes when they come! If there is anything I can do please just let me know!

[federicod]

Yep, me too. Same thing.

This is especially bad with mods and savegame, every update is a mess to transfer everything by hand.

[Huub]

So here we are two months later and we're either still running the new Launcher (with no check for patches) or still running KSP directly. There's apparently a new patch coming (have there been more in the meantime?) and we have no way of getting it.

Can someone gives us an update on what's happening with this issue?

cheers

[Wallygator]

Same issue here.

Regarding the above comments on progress on fixes and reporting bugs... I have abandoned all hope. Any bug report is usually followed by an echoing reply of "out of memory". There is no in-game crash report auto collection capability. The bug tracking processes appear to an outside observer as poorly designed and managed as well. I know it sounds sad, but I no longer report defects and crashes.

Great credit to squad and the participating community for a fantastic game (I really want it to be a success) but the dev and support processes need further immediate work also - long term sustainability of KSP depends on it. I could be completely wrong on this, and if so then there is a complete breakdown in effective communications by the devs regarding bugs and fixes. If the situation continues I predict that the active community will shrink to only hard core fanboys as everyone else will just quietly give up trying.

TL;DR ---> it's not just game bugs that need attention.

[Master Tao]

Good news in today's Dev Notes:

Marco (Samssonart): ...In other news I’ve been taking a look at a few long overdue issues with the launcher and patcher on Mac, the launcher is fixed and the fixed version will be uploaded once we confirm it’s quality stuff and all that jazz Ted takes care of, the patcher….is a whole other story, it was originally developed by Rob (N3X15) the code is not easy to look at, I seem to have traced the error and narrowed it down to a few scripts, but even compiling the patcher is hard at this point, I really don’t know how that will turn out in the end, I’ll keep on digging.

Ted (Ted): ...

Finally, I’ve been ... providing assistance to Marco on his secret project and on the Launcher/Patcher front.

Sounds like the Patcher-not-working-at-all issue is getting the attention you've all wanted it to get.

I'm surprised – in many ways, I'd rather see the team work on game issues first. The Patcher issues only affect us once every update, whereas gameplay issues like claw-related explosions cause problems all the time. It sounds like you all feel this is a more pressing issue.

[deadalnix]

Late feddback, but feedback anyway :

I can now launch the game from the launcher. I still cannot update.