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[1.3.0] Kerbal Engineer Redux 1.1.3.0 (2017-05-28)


cybutek

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Version 0.2.1 hotfix which has a couple bug fixes is now available to download. I've not had much time tonight to do much more, but a feature update is planned for this weekend... Tell me your ideas and if they're good and realistically implementable within my free time, you'll more than likely get them.

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Great plugin, helps alot to reduce annoying and simple math while building your rocket!

A little bug report: When using ctrl + z to undo changes in the VAB, the plugin seems to freeze, meaning it does not update anymore plus the window does not disappear even when the engineer part is removed. Can be fixed by exiting and re-entering the VAB. Since I use ctrl + z alot, this became annoying pretty quickly.

Keep up the good work!

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New version is available. Taking ideas from you guys there's plenty more features that have been added to the Flight Engineer. I'm sorry if some of your ideas have not made it into this update, but they have been noted down and are still likely to make their way in.

There is one bug which is still within the plugin due to time constraints. This is the bug which bimbo0099 points out. I did spend a considerable amount of time on trying to solve this, but due to how the undo feature works, it will need a big work around. I would expect that this bug will be fixed soon in another hotfix. Until then I would recommend not using the Undo command. Unless saving and loading the ship afterwards would be quicker than doing it manually. (You could always take the Engineer Chip off before doing the Undo, then place it back on afterwards for the time being.)

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Oh, this looks very interesting! I play completely stock, for the challenge, but have been considering installing MechJeb just for the additional (and rather critical) data it provides. However, I was afraid that the lure of using the automation it also provides might be too tempting.

This gives me exactly what I want... just the data, and it's entirely up to me to make proper use of it.

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BIG PROBLEM - when two ships carrying Engineer modules get within 2.2km of each other, it 'breaks' the same way as if you try to put two on one vessel

I have taken a look into this problem and there's no quick fix. But the undo bug and this one mingle with the same areas of code, so fixing one will fix the other. Probably requiring a lot of re-factoring or re-coding of complete sections of the logic. If it's not too extensive, I will aim to have a hotfix out sometime this week. Otherwise I'll be scratching my head and wearing away my fingertips over the weekend to sort this out.

Oh, this looks very interesting! I play completely stock, for the challenge, but have been considering installing MechJeb just for the additional (and rather critical) data it provides. However, I was afraid that the lure of using the automation it also provides might be too tempting.

This gives me exactly what I want... just the data, and it's entirely up to me to make proper use of it.

That was exactly the reason why I've implemented it... Loads of people have been asking for the same thing. Something with all the information like MechJeb but without the Mechanical Jeb part that tempts people to be really lazy.

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New version available... It is not a hotfix because it completely breaks functionality with the old part files. This version fixes a whole host of bugs which were known and unknown at the time. I had a bit of free time after work this afternoon so completely gutted and re-coded the logic sections of the plugin from scratch. Which was the only way to fix two of the biggest bugs found so far. All should be good from now on though :)

I have included the direct link to the download on the kerbal.net website for this version so it should be faster to download. But there is still a link to the file on my server just in case kerbal.net goes down or something silly. Or you want a file name more descriptive than 0.4.0.0.zip, hehehehe (wish they could sort that out).

Anyhow... Keep using, testing and breaking my plugin please. As it gets better and better with each update.

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Would it be possible to make the Engineer part (In the VAB) add up the cost of all the parts. Me and my brother want to do a campaign thing but we need some way to tally up the cost. By hand this can take a while and be very very annoying.

I believe that V0.8 of the original Engineer did that, but I am not certain.

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Could the flight engineer information blocks be foldable like the blocks in the kerbal engineer? I really like the last bit, knowing howmany delta/v's I have in my current stage is the scratch to an itch I've been having, but the rest of the information takes up a lot of space, is available in mechjeb, and even there I usually have them closed! :)

Otherwise I really like what you're doing with this mod!

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I believe that V0.8 of the original Engineer did that, but I am not certain.

I believe you are right, but that plugin hasn't been updated in a while. I would like to see costs for the rockets as well until we get a proper campaign mode. Besides, I like the model and the information available in this plugin much better :-)

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I'm seeing some great ideas on here!!!! All your help is greatly appreciated.

I have planned the implementation of costs into the Build Engineer used within the VAB. Never thought of the costs being all that important, but if there's a demand then it makes sense to add them in. I have to agree that the Flight Engineer does bombard you with too much information when you don't need it. The hide button just isn't sufficient now that it's got three blocks full of loads of stuff. So I will also implement a tidy way to make the blocks foldable as well.

Keep the ideas coming...... :D

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This thing is great. Up until now I've been using my own R-script to calculate delta V and such which was kind of annoying because I'd have to switch between programs during construction. Just one quick question: On onion-like rockets (i.e. when the the inner boosters feed of the fuel of outer stages and start using their "own" fuel only after the outer stage is decoupled) the delta V provided by inner boosters is increased after the outer stage is decoupled (I think so at least). Can this be taken into account here? This was also the point at which my calculations started getting messy, but I was close to an automated solution for this using the R-script. I wouldn't have to worry about this anymore if it were implemented here, though, so that'd be great!

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This thing is great. Up until now I've been using my own R-script to calculate delta V and such which was kind of annoying because I'd have to switch between programs during construction. Just one quick question: On onion-like rockets (i.e. when the the inner boosters feed of the fuel of outer stages and start using their "own" fuel only after the outer stage is decoupled) the delta V provided by inner boosters is increased after the outer stage is decoupled (I think so at least). Can this be taken into account here? This was also the point at which my calculations started getting messy, but I was close to an automated solution for this using the R-script. I wouldn't have to worry about this anymore if it were implemented here, though, so that'd be great!

The delta-v calculations for onion, asparagus and all varieties of vegetable derived rockets is one of the bigger challenges which needs to be addressed in this plugin. You are right that the delta-v will increase for the inner stage(s) and this is not shown within my calculations. The current calculations assume that a stage will stay intact and decoupled all at once. You can get a grasp of what's happening within the Flight Engineer, as the stage delta-v will jump up once you've decoupled the empty tanks. I have given it quite a bit of thought and not come up with an adequate solution myself yet. Bug fixes being the most important and also some other features have taken priority so far. If you could PM me your script, I'll take a look and see if your equations and algorithm could be adapted. But as you've rightly said, this is the point where everything gets a bit messy.

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Version 0.4.1 is now available!

Costs have been introduced. The Flight Engineer now has folding sections and is quite unobtrusive. Added a few extra bits here and there and fixed a couple minor bugs which were found. Including fixing the problem where you could click through the window in the VAB onto your ship, which I found very annoying. This plugin will now also work with engines using the LiquidFuelEngineFix mod.

I can't seem to get the engineer to tell me the mass of any stage or vessel without an engine in it. Is this intended?

Yes that was intended, so that it didn't show you loads of pointless stages and take up your whole screen. There is now a button to switch between showing all stages and only the important ones. The code behind this button has been in the plugin since 0.3, but was not linked up to anything.

An important stage is considered to be one which contains Fuel or Isp.

Edited by cybutek
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I feel like almost every time I check the plugin sub-forum, there is an update of this plugin. Keep it up! ;-)

Just briefly tested the new version and found quite a major bug. After adding the engineer chip it seems to be impossible to add struts and/or fuel lines.

When trying to place struts, the second mouse-click, which usually defines the ending point of a strut, makes you "pick up" the part instead.

Furthermore, probably related, you can no longer access the staging bar on the right, meaning it is not clickable.

Edit: Just found out that taskswitching makes the staging bar accessible again w/o having to reload the ship. Hope this helps!

Just a wild guess: This is probably linked to the "click through window" fix.

Edited by bimbo0099
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I can honestly say, I've no idea how such an in your face bug slipped through when I was testing. Going to sort it out ASAP.

Edit: Sorted it by taking out the "click through window" fix. Your guess was correct!

Edited by cybutek
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Maybe your rocket designs are so well thought out that there is no need for struts ;-)

Oh and one more thing, I am not 100 per cent sure that this is solely related to your plugin, but I used the Lionhead Prometheus Rover and it seems to have a part with a mass of 0. This led to the debug console being spamed with a message similiar to "getMass. Part has mass of 0.00000. Must be positive" and a huge performance decrease to a point where the game was no longer playable (fps<10).

Unfortunately I can not provide you a screenshot or the exact message, since I "fixed" it by giving said part a mass greater than 0 and also updating from 0.3 to 0.4.1.

This is probably a very special issue, but I could try to reproduce it, if you say so.

Edited by bimbo0099
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