CFG File Format

KSP uses a custom file format for various purposes such as part definitions, save files, and config files.

Low-level Format

Config file nodes contain a list of key = value pairs, and other nested config nodes. Keys and values are both strings and nested config nodes also have a key. Duplicate keys are allowed. CFG Files also support comments. In the data model, nested config nodes are generally separate from key-value pairs, and the node key typically defines the node's type.

• Key-value pairs

Keys and values are separated by an equals sign ("="). Values are read until the end of the line, EOF, or the start of a comment.

• Nodes

Config nodes start with their name, followed by an opening curly brace ("{") on its own line, their contents, and end with a closing curly brace ("}") on another separate line. The general convention is that config node keys are in all capital letters. Generally, node contents are indented by a single tab character.

• Comments

Comments start with a double forward slash ("//") and continue until the end of the line or EOF.

Basic Value Types

Although values are just strings, the config file codec in KSP contains a few utility methods for serializing common data types which map directly to Unity Engine classes.

Type tree:

• Array-likes

  Arrays elements are separated by either commas, spaces, or tabs (by default the config writer uses a comma followed by a space). Below is listed the Unity Engine class the type maps to, the primitive type of the array elements, and it's length.

  • Color types
    • UnityEngine.Color <Float> [3 or 4]
    • UnityEngine.Color32 <Byte> [3 or 4]
  • Quaternion types
    • UnityEngine.Quaternion <Float> [4]
    • UnityEngine.QuaternionD <Double> [4]
  • UnityEngine.Matrix4x4 <Float> [16]
  • Vector types
    • UnityEngine.Vector2 <Float> [2] =>
    • UnityEngine.Vector3 <Float> [3] =>
    • UnityEngine.Vector3D <Double> [3]
    • UnityEngine.Vector4 <Float> [4]
• Enums
• Serialized config node data