Project

General

Profile

Guide » History » Version 10

Squelch, 09/05/2015 03:51 PM
Reworded, reformatted, and clarified search guideline.

1 2 TriggerAu
h1. Information on Support and Bug Reporting
2 1 Squelch
3 2 TriggerAu
The Kerbal Space Program Bugtracker is the place where bugs can be reported for the attention of Squad. There is a team of testers and other interested people who look through these bugs and try to assist people who have issues, as well as helping to identify when bugs need to be raised to the attention of developers.
4 2 TriggerAu
5 2 TriggerAu
Please keep in mind that while best endeavors are made to prevent bugs from slipping into released code they are a part of software development that is a reality. While they can be immensely frustrating when they manifest at the wrong time, do try and investigate/report them in a methodical and complete manner. The better the input in a bug report the better the chance that someone can help identify it/fix it and improve the experience for all
6 2 TriggerAu
7 2 TriggerAu
h2. A note on Modded Installs
8 2 TriggerAu
9 2 TriggerAu
As it is the place for raising issues to the Core Developers, the bugtracker is only targeted at Unmodded installations of KSP. The developers don't run modded installs and are focused on providing the most stable core experience that they can. Modders can then build on this stable foundation. However, Mods can introduce unwanted influences that are sometimes hard to track, even if they outwardly deal with something else unrelated. Please consider the testers and ultimately developers time in getting to the heart of the bug as quickly as possible. We therefore kindly ask that any suspected bugs are reproduced and verified in a clean game before reporting.
10 2 TriggerAu
11 2 TriggerAu
If you are experiencing issues with KSP and cannot replicate them in a stock install then there is a really good group on the Forum where many of the testers and modders hang out and try and help with issues on Modded Installs. Here is a link to the "Modded Support Forum":http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/forums/77-Support-%28modded-installs%29
12 2 TriggerAu
13 2 TriggerAu
Issues logged for modded installs that cannot be replicated will be looked at, but will likely be closed if there is not enough compelling information for a non mod induced bug to pass them to the devs for attention. A good example of this exception might be; a fault in the plugin API that can only be demonstrated by mod installation. Please do involve the mod author(s) in this if you are not one of them out of courtesy.
14 2 TriggerAu
15 4 TriggerAu
h2. So whats important when looking at a bug?
16 2 TriggerAu
17 2 TriggerAu
When investigating strange behavior and reporting a bug there are some key pieces of information that can help pinpoint where a bug may be occurring and also help others to try and replicate the behavior. try and ensure that you have as much of the following information as you can:
18 2 TriggerAu
* *KSP version* including Windows, Mac, or Linux, 32 or 64-bit, and if it's Steam
19 2 TriggerAu
* A *detailed explanation* of what happened and what you were trying to accomplish
20 2 TriggerAu
* A *screenshot* of your craft or any relevant screens (or even a *video* if you are feeling demonstrative or its difficult to describe in text)
21 2 TriggerAu
* A *.craft file or save files* if relevant
22 2 TriggerAu
* The *ouput_log.txt or player.log* file KSP creates when it launches and, if applicable, the *crash log* KSP has generated when the program crashed (note that this is not the KSP.log file)
23 2 TriggerAu
* A detailed list of *system specifications*
24 2 TriggerAu
* Are you running a *clean installation*, or have you updated and some of your persistence or craft files might be older versions, *if so which version(s)*
25 2 TriggerAu
26 2 TriggerAu
To find out how to obtain this information, please see below:
27 2 TriggerAu
28 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(KSP Version)
29 2 TriggerAu
p((. To obtain your version, use any of the following:
30 2 TriggerAu
* Open the "buildID.txt" file located in your installation folder. The version is listed in the first line of the file.
31 2 TriggerAu
* Open the "readme.txt" file located in your installation folder. The version is listed just below the ASCII art in the top of the file.
32 2 TriggerAu
* Start KSP and look in the lower right corner of the main menu screen.
33 2 TriggerAu
34 2 TriggerAu
p((. The KSP version will look something like "0.24.2.559". Also list whether you're using Windows, Mac, or Linux, if it’s 32 or 64-bit, and if it's Steam. Knowing the version allows us to avoid recommending things that are not applicable to your operating system. Also, there are some issues which only turn up in specific operating systems or specific versions of KSP.
35 2 TriggerAu
}}
36 2 TriggerAu
37 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Screenshots / Videos)
38 2 TriggerAu
p((. KSP is capable of taking screenshots in-game by pressing F1. The screenshots are stored in the KSP installation folder under a folder called [SCREENSHOTS].
39 2 TriggerAu
You can upload screenshots directly to the issue using the files button, or any image sharing site 
40 2 TriggerAu
41 2 TriggerAu
p((. Screenshots usually illustrate the problem better than trying to explain with several paragraphs. Feel free to mark up your screenshots with a noticeable colour to highlight important points. Also, avoid excessive drawing since it may end up making your problem less clear.
42 2 TriggerAu
43 2 TriggerAu
p((. Please attach these files directly or as a link.
44 2 TriggerAu
45 2 TriggerAu
p((. Video's can be very useful when trying to describe visual challenges or hard to describe situations, and sometimes you might be asked to provide one of these if people are having trouble "seeing" it for themselves. Videos can be recorded and uploaded to Youtube or a similar video sharing site, and the link added in an update. Don't worry, you don't have to speak if you don't feel you can. Annotations are generally much easier to do and see.
46 2 TriggerAu
}}
47 2 TriggerAu
48 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Craft & Save Files)
49 2 TriggerAu
p((. In the KSP installation folder, you should be able to find a folder called [SAVES]. Open this folder and select the save file name that applies. Inside you will find three things: one or more files (usually two) with a .sfs extension and a folder called [SHIPS].
50 2 TriggerAu
* Craft Files: Any ships that you created will be stored in the [SHIPS] directory under [SPH] for Space Plane Hangar vehicles or [VAB] for Vehicle Assembly Building vehicles. Craft files are named the same as what you titled your ship in KSP and have a .craft extension.
51 2 TriggerAu
* Save Files: To attach a save file, you need the file called persistent.sfs (or any file ending in .sfs in the [SAVES] folder - generally quicksaves, but also named saves).
52 2 TriggerAu
53 2 TriggerAu
p((. CRAFT NOTE: When attaching craft files, please ensure that no mods or parts are used in the creation of the craft. we won't be able to open them - see "Modded Installs":http://bugs.kerbalspaceprogram.com/projects/kspdevelop/wiki/SupportInformation#A-note-on-Modded-Installs
54 2 TriggerAu
SAVE NOTE: Using ALT+F5 to quicksave will allow you to give the save file a specific name, which can make it easier to find for uploading.
55 2 TriggerAu
56 2 TriggerAu
p((. Please attach these files directly or as a link.
57 2 TriggerAu
58 2 TriggerAu
p((. Craft files should be provided whenever you are having an issue with a specific craft, or have found a potential bug that you find easiest to reproduce with that specific craft. Having the craft file to work with will make it much quicker and simpler for us to diagnose and attempt to replicate the issue, and hopefully get it resolved much quicker.
59 2 TriggerAu
}}
60 2 TriggerAu
61 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Crash/Output Logs)
62 2 TriggerAu
p((. When KSP crashes it will general a folder with files with details surrounding the crash. Usually a window will pop up ingame asking you to send this information to the developers, along with the name of the folder. You can find this folder in the KSP install directory.
63 2 TriggerAu
64 2 TriggerAu
p((. If KSP doesn't crash, start KSP and cause the problem. Quit KSP and find the output_log.txt (not the KSP.log) at the location below:
65 2 TriggerAu
* Windows: KSP_win\KSP_Data\output_log.txt -OR- KSP_win64\KSP_x64_DATA\output_log.txt (depending on which used)
66 2 TriggerAu
- In case you installed KSP into a Windows protected directory (C:\Users, C:\Program Files or C:\Windows\ and their subfolders) the output log file may be stored in the folder called C:\Users\[Username]\Appdata, this folder is usually hidden so you should enable the view hidden folders option (more information). Note that for the demo you should find the output_log.txt file located in the KSP_Data folder.
67 2 TriggerAu
- Steam users should right click KSP in Steam, click on Properties, then in the Properties box, click Local Files, then Browse Local Files.
68 2 TriggerAu
* Mac OSX: Open Console, on the left side of the window there is a menu that says 'files'. Scroll down the list and find the Unity drop down, under Unity there will be Player.log Aka Files>~/Library/Logs>Unity>Player.log
69 2 TriggerAu
* Linux: The log is written to /home/user/.config/unity3d/Squad/Kerbal Space Program/Player.log
70 2 TriggerAu
71 2 TriggerAu
p((. Please attach these files directly or as a link
72 2 TriggerAu
73 2 TriggerAu
p((. The output and crash logs are useful because they help us understand exactly what you were doing when the issue happened by providing a "play-by-play reenactment" (in text form) of your KSP session. Anything out of the ordinary will often show up in the log files, and it gives us a good idea of where to start looking for solutions.
74 2 TriggerAu
}}
75 2 TriggerAu
76 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(System Specifications)
77 2 TriggerAu
p((. The method to gathering system specifications will vary over different operating systems, choose which one applies to you.
78 2 TriggerAu
* Windows: open the start menu and select (or type) 'run'. Type in 'dxdiag' and press the [ok] button. A new program will pop up called the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. On the bottom of this screen a [Save All Information] button is located. Press it and save the text file to a location you will remember.
79 2 TriggerAu
* Mac OSX: use the "System Report" app from the 'About This Mac' menu and hit cmd+s to save the file in .rtf format in a location you will remember.
80 2 TriggerAu
* Linux: for linux an application called 'hardinfo' will gather all required information. Save the information to a location you will remember.
81 2 TriggerAu
82 2 TriggerAu
p((. Please attach these files directly or as a link.
83 2 TriggerAu
84 2 TriggerAu
p((. Having detailed system specifications is useful in more ways than one. At a glance, we can tell if your system should be experiencing any performance issues, and whether the system is correctly registering and utilizing an installed video card, sound card, and so forth. All the hardware information for your system is contained within these files (and is extensive). As such, it's a must-have for those of us trying to diagnose and solve certain issues.
85 2 TriggerAu
}}
86 2 TriggerAu
87 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(File attachments)
88 2 TriggerAu
p((. You can upload files directly to the issue tracker subject to a maximum file size of 5Mb. If your files (say the crash report folder) exceeds this size, please use any file sharing site (such as Dropbox, Mediafire or File2web). Images can be hosted on imgur which is free to use and allows albums to be built. These sites will give you a link you can include in your posts to share your files.
89 2 TriggerAu
}}
90 2 TriggerAu
91 2 TriggerAu
92 2 TriggerAu
 
93 2 TriggerAu
94 2 TriggerAu
h2. Reporting that bug
95 2 TriggerAu
96 2 TriggerAu
The key thing about reporting a bug is being able to include enough detail in the report so that the behavior can be replicated by someone else - especially by a dev when they are looking at your submission. Anything we can do to improve the turn around on bugs is a great help in the efficiency of coding the fixes.
97 2 TriggerAu
98 2 TriggerAu
Below you will find an example of the format used by the QA and Exp teams to log issues during testing. We've found it a quite effective way to include all the relevant info. You'll see how the report clearly states how the bug was encountered and how it can be reproduced with as few moves as possible. It is as helpful as a bug report can be, and this helps Squad narrow down the problem.
99 2 TriggerAu
100 2 TriggerAu
101 2 TriggerAu
h3. An Ideal Example
102 2 TriggerAu
103 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Ideal Example image)
104 2 TriggerAu
!http://i.imgur.com/J197D5C.png!
105 2 TriggerAu
}}
106 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Ideal Example text)
107 2 TriggerAu
> *Subject* Ships move while controlling a Kerbal on EVA %{color:red}- A short descriptive title works best%
108 2 TriggerAu
> %{color:red}Set the fields at the top accordingly - some are mandatory.%
109 2 TriggerAu
> *Description:* All craft within physics range respond to control inputs. %{color:red}- A brief summary of the issue, This will be seen in the issues list.%
110 2 TriggerAu
> 
111 2 TriggerAu
> *Steps to Replicate:*
112 2 TriggerAu
> 1) Make a Mk1 pod and hold it down with a TT-18A Launch Stability Enhancer (yes, just the two parts), and launch the craft with a kerbal on board.
113 2 TriggerAu
> 2) Hold ALT-W to push the pitch trim all the way to 7 notches nose down. (Just short of max.)
114 2 TriggerAu
> 3) Turn on SAS (important)
115 2 TriggerAu
> 4) Stage to release the pod to the ground, then go EVA
116 2 TriggerAu
> 5) Walk forward with your EVA kerbal
117 2 TriggerAu
> 
118 2 TriggerAu
> *Expected:* Only the Kerbal should be controlled. %{color:red}- this is optional, so no need to include obvious statements.%
119 2 TriggerAu
>
120 2 TriggerAu
> *Result/Observed:* Pod will flip over while controlling kerbal. Pod stops when kerbal stops walking.
121 2 TriggerAu
> 
122 2 TriggerAu
> *Fixes/Workarounds:*
123 2 TriggerAu
> - Zero out trim (ALT+X) on each craft within physics range.
124 2 TriggerAu
> 
125 2 TriggerAu
> *Notes:*
126 2 TriggerAu
>  This behaviour may be related to issue number xxx
127 2 TriggerAu
>  Keys for controlling each vessel must be mapped the same (i.e. Walking forward for a kerbal & pitching a pod must both be ‘W’).
128 2 TriggerAu
>
129 2 TriggerAu
> - %{color:red}Files added%
130 2 TriggerAu
> - Images Link: http://imgur.com/a/LEeCB
131 2 TriggerAu
> - Craft File %{color:red}if required%
132 2 TriggerAu
> - Log File %{color:red}if required%
133 2 TriggerAu
}}
134 2 TriggerAu
If you wish to format your report to make it easier to read, please refer to the "Redmine formatting page":http://www.redmine.org/projects/redmine/wiki/RedmineTextFormatting
135 2 TriggerAu
 
136 2 TriggerAu
137 2 TriggerAu
h3. Extra Classification
138 2 TriggerAu
139 2 TriggerAu
Further to the content in the body of the issue there is some extra information you can provide by categorizing the issue using some of the fields in the bug tracker. Don't be put off if you don't know what to choose, there are always helpful people around who can help triage the issue too
140 2 TriggerAu
141 2 TriggerAu
142 2 TriggerAu
There are two types of Issues for reporting on the tracker that are available to use:
143 2 TriggerAu
144 2 TriggerAu
* *Bug*: There is something wrong with the game that you'd like to report.
145 2 TriggerAu
* *Feedback*: Where we find opinions and balance. 
146 2 TriggerAu
147 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Bug)
148 2 TriggerAu
p)). Pretty self-explanatory; this issue type is for behaviour you encounter that appears to be unexpected or not intended by design. If you suspect that the issue is based upon opinion it is more than likely not a bug, but feedback instead. Excessive consumption rates would be feedback, not a bug. But lack of resource consumption or incorrect displaying of consumption would be a bug.
149 2 TriggerAu
}}
150 2 TriggerAu
151 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Feedback)
152 2 TriggerAu
p)). When you encounter behavior that you feel is unexpected, but perhaps not unintended, this is the issue type you would use. Generally, you should try to suggest alternate behavior that you feel would be more suitable or balanced. Well reasoned suggestions on improvements and comments on how the game plays overall are welcome here.
153 2 TriggerAu
}}
154 2 TriggerAu
155 2 TriggerAu
h3. How Priority Helps
156 2 TriggerAu
157 2 TriggerAu
Priorities help us to figure out which issues need inspecting, reviewing and fixing first and foremost. Thus, the priority assigned to an issue needs to be as objective as possible; not a result of how much it affected your mission or current gameplay goals, but how much it affected the game itself. If youre unsure the following table should assist you in deciding what priority to assign an issue.
158 2 TriggerAu
159 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Priority Table)
160 2 TriggerAu
|_.Priority|_.Description|_.Example Case|
161 2 TriggerAu
|*%{color:red}Critical%*|A large portion of the game is unplayable.|SPH is non-functional.|
162 2 TriggerAu
|*%{color:orange}High%*|Game Breaking|Game crashes when transitioning SoI|
163 2 TriggerAu
|*Normal*|Game Affecting, but not Game Breaking.|SAS is draining electricCharge incorrectly.|
164 2 TriggerAu
|*Low*|Visual issue that occurs often, or Gameplay issue that can be avoided.|Landing Strip has texture artifacts.|
165 2 TriggerAu
|*Very Low*|A visual issue that appears rarely and doesn’t affect gameplay.|Audio-related error appears in log on occasion.|
166 2 TriggerAu
|*Unworthy*|An issue that is slightly bothersome, occurs rarely, is not easily discovered, or is a matter of preference.|Collision mesh of some parts are slightly off.|
167 2 TriggerAu
}}
168 2 TriggerAu
169 2 TriggerAu
h3. Categorizing Issues
170 2 TriggerAu
171 2 TriggerAu
Setting a category helps us get things to the right developer when they get to that stage. You can see the list and details on the [[TrackerCategories| Tracker Categories]] page
172 2 TriggerAu
173 2 TriggerAu
h2. Some Guidelines on Bug Reporting
174 2 TriggerAu
175 2 TriggerAu
Some helpful information and ideas to keep in mind as you are writing things up. feel free to use the headings here as reminders and come back to these for more detail if you need it:
176 2 TriggerAu
177 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(One Bug = One Ticket)
178 2 TriggerAu
p)). Each bug should have its own Issue ticket. Please try and break down your issue into smaller chunks where possible. Compound issues do arise, but each element may lay in different parts of the game. We much prefer reports for each section so they can be dealt with in isolation, but with knowledge of the connections. We are able to set relationships between issues, so please indicate in your report if you believe those connections exist.
179 2 TriggerAu
}}
180 2 TriggerAu
181 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Search)
182 10 Squelch
p)). Please be sure to search for existing reports before submitting your own. Using the search button (top right) you can enter keywords separated by a space. This will return all issues that contain all or combinations of those keywords as a list. Please review these to see if they describe your particular issue. If one exists, please feel free to add extra information to it. 
183 1 Squelch
184 10 Squelch
Many issues are related to each other, and we are constantly adding links to these so they are easier to find. Any related issues that might also describe what you see can also have pertinent information added if you feel it is missing. We welcome any suggestions on relationships you feel are missing.
185 10 Squelch
186 10 Squelch
If an existing report describes exactly what you see and you have nothing to add, please do add a comment about some aspect so we know how widespread the issue might be. Also check against the platform to see if it matches your own.
187 10 Squelch
188 1 Squelch
Advanced search allows for much finer grained results. 
189 2 TriggerAu
190 10 Squelch
Any duplicate reports will be marked as such, and a link to the original added. Please also feel free to point out any duplicates. 
191 9 Squelch
}}
192 1 Squelch
193 9 Squelch
{{collapse(Clean Installations)
194 9 Squelch
p)). It's highly desirable that you can recreate the issue with a Stock Install. We appreciate that there are many game enhancing mods out there, and that you may be using them, so please also consider using a KSP install that has never had mods installed in it (as opposed to deleting mod directories). 
195 9 Squelch
196 9 Squelch
We recommend having two KSP installations: 
197 9 Squelch
# Completely stock, with no mods ever installed
198 9 Squelch
# Your "main" playing version of KSP with any modifications you desire. 
199 9 Squelch
200 9 Squelch
Please note: savegames may not be interchangeable between a stock install and a modded install. Even if there are no extra parts, some game parameters may have been changed that have consequences for a stock game.
201 9 Squelch
202 9 Squelch
This ensures a solid report while preventing accidental damage to your main save games when replicating bugs. 
203 2 TriggerAu
}}
204 2 TriggerAu
205 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Steps to Replicate)
206 2 TriggerAu
p)). Try to keep it simple, stating facts in as clean and concise a manner as possible.
207 2 TriggerAu
208 2 TriggerAu
p)). For Squad to find a bug, they need a way to consistently cause it to happen in a mod-free, clean install of the game, and using a completely new spacecraft (when possible). If at all possible, try to find the minimal set of actions that will cause a bug to happen. That can be extremely helpful to narrow down the source of the problem. If the bug can only be reproduced with a specific spacecraft design, please include a .craft file of the simplest design where the issue still happens in your report.
209 2 TriggerAu
210 2 TriggerAu
p)). Remember, steps to reproduce the issue help the most. Bug reports like 'I've seen this happen, and it ruined my mission attempt don't help replicate the issue. They just state it happened, but it doesn't help find the source of the problem. On the other hand, extremely detailed reports of what was happening when the bug took place are also a bad idea because it's difficult to dig through a wall of text to figure out what happened. 
211 2 TriggerAu
}}
212 2 TriggerAu
213 2 TriggerAu
{{collapse(Fixes / Workarounds)
214 2 TriggerAu
p)). If you found a way to fix the problem in the short term, please post how. This can help out other people who are having the problem, and also allows the bug squashers to focus their efforts.
215 2 TriggerAu
}}
216 5 TriggerAu
217 6 TriggerAu
 
218 7 TriggerAu
219 7 TriggerAu
h2. What Happens Next?
220 7 TriggerAu
221 7 TriggerAu
To read a little bit more about what happens after a bug is submitted you can check out the [[WhatHappensNext|How Bug Reports are Managed - i.e. What Happens Next]] page
222 7 TriggerAu
223 7 TriggerAu
224 7 TriggerAu
225 7 TriggerAu
 
226 6 TriggerAu
 
227 6 TriggerAu
228 5 TriggerAu
h1. Other Support Resources
229 1 Squelch
230 1 Squelch
You will also find a lot of good support resources on the Official forum in the sub forums below:
231 6 TriggerAu
* "Unmodded Support Forum":http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/forums/76-Support-%28unmodded-installs%29 - interact with other KSP users to work on questions or get help with bugs
232 6 TriggerAu
* "Modded Support Forum":http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/forums/77-Support-%28modded-installs%29 - a really good group on the Forum where many of the testers and modders hang out and try and help with issues on Modded Installs
233 8 TriggerAu
* "Known Issues and Self Help":http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/92228-Known-Issues-Self-Help - Forum thread of known items that can save you a lot of time