Solar panels action group

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

In the flight-UI, have a button for toggling all solar panels. We already have some auto-action groups for gears, lights, brakes, abort, RCS, and a solar panel one is highly necessary. I know this has been suggested many times, but it will be again and again until it's added. And also, cabin lights should be toggled by the lights action group.

Edited February 7, 2016 by CaptainTurbomuffin

[Kerbart]

And get rid of the staging one. As long as you can't specify what stage a certain action needs to happen, it's pretty useless.

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

5 minutes ago, Kerbart said:

And get rid of the staging one. As long as you can't specify what stage a certain action needs to happen, it's pretty useless.

Basically, I had no idea what is that for, and how can I activate it. So yeah.

[Snark]

1 hour ago, CaptainTurbomuffin said:

In the flight-UI, have a button for toggling all solar panels. We already have some auto-action groups for gears, lights, brakes, abort, RCS, and a solar panel one is highly necessary. I know this has been suggested many times, but it will be again and again until it's added. And also, cabin lights should be toggled by the lights action group.

Agreed, and I'd like to see both of those added in stock!

Until that happens, if you'd like to settle for the next-best-thing, here's a little mod I wrote that you may find useful:

It's my attempt to do exactly what you just asked for.  It makes the cockpit lights part of the Light action group, and it has code that allows you to use ModuleManager to cause whatever parts you like to be added to specific action groups by default.

Unfortunately, it can't actually add a new action group (Squad has hard-coded the list of available action groups as an enum, unfortunately, so it would require an Act of Squad to get a new one), but it can make it so that, for example, if you want your solar panels to always be in the Custom01 action group, they'll get put there by default.  (The mod includes some optional config that allows you to do just that; all you need to do is copy it to the right place when installing.  See notes in the mod's forum thread.)

Edited February 7, 2016 by Snark

[StrandedonEarth]

4 hours ago, Kerbart said:

And get rid of the staging one. As long as you can't specify what stage a certain action needs to happen, it's pretty useless.

Actually, I found a great use for the staging action group on (single stage) aircraft. I used it to toggle the afterburners, which has the advantage of lighting them up on the runway!

[nikokespprfan]

On 7-2-2016 at 4:21 PM, CaptainTurbomuffin said:

In the flight-UI, have a button for toggling all solar panels. We already have some auto-action groups for gears, lights, brakes, abort, RCS, and a solar panel one is highly necessary. I know this has been suggested many times, but it will be again and again until it's added.

I'd suggest adding radiator panels to it too. 

[Nich]

I thought the abort button was meant for toggling solar panels LOL

[Snark]

3 hours ago, Nich said:

I thought the abort button was meant for toggling solar panels LOL

Heh, yeah, I use it for that before I upgrade to the highest level of VAB and only "basic" action groups are available.

Once all the action groups are unlocked, though, I tend to reserve "abort" for "retract everything that's retractable, close everything that's closeable."  It's my "I'm about to hit atmosphere, make sure I didn't leave anything untucked" button. 

Edited February 9, 2016 by Snark

[AbacusWizard]

I generally map all parachutes to the "abort" button in case I suddenly realize mere seconds before impact that I forgot to turn off stage lock and I need to throw out everything I can to slow down RIGHT NOW.

 

Solar panel arrays (and extendible radiators) usually go on action group 1 for space stations, motherships, etc. or on action group 6 for probes, landers, transport skiffs, etc.

[Alshain]

There are several 'default' action groups that could be added but I think they should be limited to 'essentials' and by essentials I mean groups that need to be accessed quickly in many cases.  The reason for this is the whole upgrade mechanic on customs (though I'm not fond of that either, I'll leave that out of the discussion, since it is well know by now).

So if we keep the upgrade mechanic as-is, Solar panels do not fit this description of 'essential' and can easily be a custom group.  Engine Mode and Flaps need to be added badly, right clicking and changing engine mode (especially on dual engine designs) or flaps is simply NOT AN OPTION.  So that is how I feel about it, things that can be done via right click but are just a bit more annoying that way should be left as custom and things that must be done quickly should have their own default group for as long as action groups are dependent on building upgrades.

[FungusForge]

On 2/7/2016 at 10:25 AM, Kerbart said:

And get rid of the staging one. As long as you can't specify what stage a certain action needs to happen, it's pretty useless.

It still has its uses on my SSTOs and afterburning jets. Heck, if its just a plane old plane, I'll use stage to turn the engines on and off. It has its utilities, but those utilities are almost entirely outside staged rockets, unless of course there's something (engine gimbal for example) that you don't need after the first stage that can't go into the staging column.

[SickSix]

+1 this would be great.