action groups

[DrewBox]

I was wondering if I could get some information as to what I can do with action groups. Im putting together a GPS/Comm. system up around kerbin and my satalites have many antenna's on them. I was hoping I could use an action group to activate them all at the same time rather than having to click on each one individually.

[Gniuz]

click action groups, click custom 01-10 to assign groups to numbers 1-0 respectively. Next click the part(s) you wish to add to the action group number of your choice, you should see different things that can be added to the group as in you can have it toggle or just open/close.

I use it for solar panels mostly cause as you said clicking each one is a pain.........unless I forget to do it in the VAB

G.

EDIT- also if adding parts that have been added to your craft in symmetry you only need to select one to include its symmetrical partners

[Aphox]

So in the action group menu:

When this comes up, you can click any part of the ship, and if it has actions it can perform, they'll show up here. Custom01 through Custom10 are number keys 1-0 on your keyboard. I like to assign solar panels and the like to these. Additionally, all parts that were placed in symmetry mode are automatically selected in the Action Groups dialogue once one is selected.

Here, I've selected my tri-symmetry placed solar panels on my Mars One unit.

In the next screenshot, I've assigned "Toggle Panels" to Custom01, meaning when I press "1" on my keyboard, it will open or close all three panels depending on their position.

Again, objects placed with symmetry on will all be selected at the same time in the action groups dialogue. Non-symmetrical items have to be selected and assigned one-by-one.

[Noticeably FAT]

A word of warning with symmetrical parts; if you assign one to an action group they will all be added, however if you later remove them and reattach them with symmetry, occasionally you will fin that now only the first part is in the action group. This includes everything attached to that part, so if you had a decoupler that you removed/replaced the engine underneath may also be affected. Also, if you check the action group it may appear that they are all there, but once you launch they don't actually work. This glitch seems sporadic, but it's something to check. I like to leave assigning action groups as long as I can, and once my ship is 'done' I unassign then reassign everything.

[Gniuz]

A word of warning with symmetrical parts; if you assign one to an action group they will all be added, however if you later remove them and reattach them with symmetry, occasionally you will fin that now only the first part is in the action group. This includes everything attached to that part, so if you had a decoupler that you removed/replaced the engine underneath may also be affected. Also, if you check the action group it may appear that they are all there, but once you launch they don't actually work. This glitch seems sporadic, but it's something to check. I like to leave assigning action groups as long as I can, and once my ship is 'done' I unassign then reassign everything.

Very wise words, I would also suggest leaving action groups till last, and double check everything prior to launch.

G

[Fish in a Barrel]

A word of warning with symmetrical parts; if you assign one to an action group they will all be added, however if you later remove them and reattach them with symmetry, occasionally you will fin that now only the first part is in the action group. This includes everything attached to that part, so if you had a decoupler that you removed/replaced the engine underneath may also be affected. Also, if you check the action group it may appear that they are all there, but once you launch they don't actually work. This glitch seems sporadic, but it's something to check. I like to leave assigning action groups as long as I can, and once my ship is 'done' I unassign then reassign everything.

I've ran into the lack of symmetry bug again last night, and I'm pretty sure I didn't touch the parts after adding the custom action. In fact, I don't think I've ever had an action group function correctly with symmetry. It hasn't been an issue for me yet since my rockets are rather modest, but I'm starting to get ambitious enough that it'll be a problem soon.