Re-Root tool changes

[Geonovast]

I would like to see two changes made to the re-root tool.

First is a reversion away from an annoying change.  Before 1.7.3, the re-root tool would function by clicking on any part of the craft or subassembly in the VAB/SPH.  Now, in order to get it to work, you have to click on the actual root part - and it doesn't highlight what that part is.  It just tries to lead you down the path to root.

This is incredibly tedious, as clicking on any other part just grabs the assembly, and sometimes finding the root on complex craft isn't the easiest.  I would like to go to back to its pre-1.7.3 behavior.

Second seems unlikely, as I can't think of many stock applications - but I would like the re-root tool available in flight.  I've run into a number of issues related to orbital construction based mods that would be fixed with an in-flight re-root tool.  Best I can think of for stock is to fix some auto-strut related problems.

[OHara]

4 hours ago, Geonovast said:

you have to click on the actual [current] root part

So that is how to make it work in recent versions. I had given up on it.

Would you support the old suggestion to make a one-click re-root ? 
so that a single click with root-tool active makes the clicked part the root of the craft, or of the assembly if the clicked part was in a floating subassembly ?

https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/94374-whats-the-point-of-the-first-step-of-re-root-tool/

[Geonovast]

Yes, I would get behind that as well.  The dual click is slightly annoying, but not frustrating.

[Xurkitree]

excuse me what

why is this even a thing

I wonder if a mod exists to replace the new function to the old one...

[The Aziz]

Didn't the reroot also change the craft orientation from time to time?

[linuxgurugamer]

On 11/8/2019 at 9:28 PM, OHara said:

So that is how to make it work in recent versions. I had given up on it.

Would you support the old suggestion to make a one-click re-root ? 
so that a single click with root-tool active makes the clicked part the root of the craft, or of the assembly if the clicked part was in a floating subassembly ?

https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/94374-whats-the-point-of-the-first-step-of-re-root-tool/

This hasn’t changed in like, forever.

If you want a single click to reroot, then install EditorExtensions.

There is actually a good reason for the two clicks.  Using the two clicks, you can change the root of assemblies which are not yet part of the craft.  Very useful when joining assemblies, since the assembly will only allow attachments via it’s root part.

Edited November 10, 2019 by linuxgurugamer

[Fierce Wolf]

It changed???? I haven't noticed

[Geonovast]

It's been brought to my attention that this may be a Linux-specific bug.  @OHara, are you on Linux?

[OHara]

13 hours ago, Geonovast said:

are you on Linux?

No, Windows.  I'll recheck if the behavior did actually change.  -- it did :

Version 1.8.1 gives us the single click re-rooting that I asked for above, but only in some situations, and part-highlighting is not giving us the right clues.

Selecting the re-root tool gives me the message "Select a set of two or more parts to Re-root" with green mouse-over-highlighting as if in placement mode. 
If the next part I click is already root, or not valid to be the new root, KSP-1.8 says "Select a part as the new root" and switches to blue highlight when I pass over valid new root-parts, so that I can pick the new root part in the old manner with a second click. 
Otherwise I clicked a valid new root other than the old root, and KSP-1.8 re-roots with that single click and picks- p the whole craft with the mouse.

I would suggest: upon selecting the re-root tool, say, says "Select a part as the new root of the craft, or new root of a detached set of parts",  highlight valid new root-parts in blue on mouse-over, whether on the main craft of a detached subassembly, including the old root-part as a valid new root, and let one click re-root.  No need to pick up the whole craft, simply switching highlighting back to green would confirm that re-rooting is finished.

Also, sometime since 1.7.3, the rules have changed for what is a valid root for sub-assemblies. The old rules allowed a booster to be rooted to its decoupler, but the new rules seem to disallow surface-attach parts from being the new root.  This means a subassembly of a boosters on a decoupler can no longer be rooted to the de-couplers. (The 1.8.0 changelog says "* Fix re-rooting of surface attach nodes.")
 

Edited November 12, 2019 by OHara