[1.9.x] PicoPort, the Micro Docking Ports

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

Forum user @steedcrugeon made these micro-sized docking ports at my suggestion, and eventually passed it to me.  I'm making a new thread now because of an update, I need to be able to change the subject, etc.  Original thread here: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/155020-143-picoport-the-micro-docking-ports-v014/ 

 

 

PicoPort is a small parts mod pack which contains a set of very small Docking Ports intended for use with tiny probes.

Presently, this mod comprises four parts:

Coupling:

1.    PicoPortBasic - This is an orientation specific, ungendered docking port. It will mate with other PicoPortBasics in only 4 positons (90 degree rotations). This is useful if you wish to use balanced RCS from porbes connecting to the mother vessel.
2.    PicoPortPlus - This is an ungendered docking port, similar to Clamp-o-Tron.
3.    PicoPortM -This is a Male PicoPort, non-orientation specific and will only dock with the femal counterpart.
4.    PicoPortF - This is a Female PicoPort, non-orientation specific and will only dock with the male counterpart.

Availability

• Download:https://spacedock.info/mod/1165/PicoPort
• Source code: https://github.com/linuxgurugamer/PicoPort
• License:  CC-BY-NC-SA International License

Available via CKAN as well.

To install, download and copy the SHED folder directly into the your KSP GameData folder.

Licensing: 

The contents of this mod are distributed a CC-BY-NC-SA International License (please refer to the license file on github for further details).

Highly Recommended Supporting Mods:

PicoPort is a stand-alone parts mod and does not have any other mod dependencies, that said, it has been designed around the utilisation of supporting mods and it is highly recommended that you add them to your collection (they are very useful in their own right).

• IndicatorLights by @Snark 

Thanks:

I must say thank you to @DStaal for setting me off down the path of this pack, its been a good learning experience (basically blame him). Also thanks to him and @linuxgurugamer for helping with testing and development ideas. 

Change Log: 

  Reveal hidden contents

Feedback and suggestion:

Always welcome, if you have any ideas which you might like to see implemented let me know and i'll see what can be done!

Localisation now supported!

Any translations would be greatly appreciated.

Update 0.1.6

• Converted TGA files to DDS
• Updated for KSP 1.8

 

[Fireheart318 194]

Would it be possible to switch between Basic, Plus, Male, and Female ports mid-flight using animations(?) (like cargo bays)? I.e. having moving parts that can be deployed and retracted stuffed in one single part instead of having them separated into four different parts?

Also, having Male, Female, and Plus versions of the Jr., standard, and Senior ports would help a lot! Also, maybe a sideways/linear port that you slide into instead of docking face-to-face and are only able to face forward or backward? Where a docking port is a reusable stack decoupler, the linear port would be a reusable radial decoupler. It'd be useful for removable wings on SSTOs, weapon racks, parasite fighters, re-attachable drop tanks, and other stuff.

 

Either way, it's awesome to see Pico Port being maintained again! It's a surpsingly useful mod for the kind of stuff I do!

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

21 hours ago, Fireheart318 said:

Would it be possible to switch between Basic, Plus, Male, and Female ports mid-flight using animations(?) (like cargo bays)? I.e. having moving parts that can be deployed and retracted stuffed in one single part instead of having them separated into four different parts?

Also, having Male, Female, and Plus versions of the Jr., standard, and Senior ports would help a lot! Also, maybe a sideways/linear port that you slide into instead of docking face-to-face and are only able to face forward or backward? Where a docking port is a reusable stack decoupler, the linear port would be a reusable radial decoupler. It'd be useful for removable wings on SSTOs, weapon racks, parasite fighters, re-attachable drop tanks, and other stuff.

 

Either way, it's awesome to see Pico Port being maintained again! It's a surpsingly useful mod for the kind of stuff I do!

To all your questions, the answer is no.  These ports are small and simple.  It doesnt make sense to have male& female ports if they could be switched in flight..  You can look at the following two mods which are supplemental to this which may help:

   https://github.com/linuxgurugamer/PicoPort4AllSizes  

  https://spacedock.info/mod/2245/PicoPort Shielded

 

 

[Tinkman 8]

@linuxgurugamer There used to be a mod for shielded versions of pico ports, is there any chance you might revive it? Also, thank you for keeping the huge library of mods you are currently maintaining alive!!

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

Just now, Tinkman said:

@linuxgurugamer There used to be a mod for shielded versions of pico ports, is there any chance you might revive it? Also, thank you for keeping the huge library of mods you are currently maintaining alive!!

Find me a link and I’ll look at it

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

4 hours ago, Tinkman said:

@linuxgurugamer There used to be a mod for shielded versions of pico ports, is there any chance you might revive it? Also, thank you for keeping the huge library of mods you are currently maintaining alive!!

It's here: https://spacedock.info/mod/2245/PicoPort Shielded

[zer0Kerbal 1,142]

8 hours ago, Tinkman said:

@linuxgurugamer There used to be a mod for shielded versions of pico ports, is there any chance you might revive it? Also, thank you for keeping the huge library of mods you are currently maintaining alive!!

*chuckle* - Sanka cha dead? nope.

was just about to review it for any moderizations/updates before releasing a new version. right after docking port descriptions.

thanks @linuxgurugamer

[Tinkman 8]

@zer0Kerbal

@linuxgurugamer

Thank you both!

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

New minor release, 0.1.6.1

• Added missing .version file

[TeddyBearBonfire 11]

Latest version 0.1.6.1 is giving an error on game startup (upon reaching main menu), KSP Installation Validation Error (or something to that effect, don't have it to hand), and says the files should be in <KSP Installation Directory>/GameData//SHED (double slash prior to SHED is quoted). I've just reverted to 0.1.6 and it works fine. For both versions I'm using KSP 1.8.1, CKAN says 0.1.6.1 is still suitable for 1.8.1 so I'm presuming that's not the issue. Just a heads up anyway. 0.1.6 performs perfectly fine for me atm

Edited May 22, 2020 by TeddyBearBonfire

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

New release, 0.1.6.2

• Thanks github user @EngineerMartijn for this
  • Changed offset from 45 to 90 degree.
  • Added extra digit to captureMinRollDot to make angle even closer to 90degree

[Selphadur 21]

On 5/22/2020 at 7:53 AM, TeddyBearBonfire said:

Latest version 0.1.6.1 is giving an error on game startup (upon reaching main menu), KSP Installation Validation Error (or something to that effect, don't have it to hand), and says the files should be in <KSP Installation Directory>/GameData//SHED (double slash prior to SHED is quoted). I've just reverted to 0.1.6 and it works fine. For both versions I'm using KSP 1.8.1, CKAN says 0.1.6.1 is still suitable for 1.8.1 so I'm presuming that's not the issue. Just a heads up anyway. 0.1.6 performs perfectly fine for me atm

Can confirm. Even tough mod installed literally how this error asks to install.

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

13 minutes ago, Selphadur said:

Can confirm. Even tough mod installed literally how this error asks to install.

What version?  Not sure what you mean by the above statement, but the @TeddyBearBonfire was commenting on 0.1.6.1.

How did you install it?

[Selphadur 21]

2 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

What version?  Not sure what you mean by the above statement, but the @TeddyBearBonfire was commenting on 0.1.6.1.

How did you install it?

It is 0.1.6.2 version. I dropped SHED folder into GameData. And error asks me to drop SHED folder into GameData 

Completely same error as @TeddyBearBonfire had.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Selphadur

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

2 minutes ago, Selphadur said:

It is 0.1.6.2 version. I dropped SHED folder into GameData. And error asks me to drop SHED folder into GameData 

Completely same error as @TeddyBearBonfire had.

Ok, I'll look at it this evening.  You can ignore it for now, it's just a warning message 

 

[Selphadur 21]

3 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Ok, I'll look at it this evening.  You can ignore it for now, it's just a warning message 

 

Thanks!

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

New release, 0.1.6.3

• Fixed .version file for correct install location

[Murdabenne 321]

FYI CKAN metadata has PicoPortForAllSizes pointing to the old thread. I believe that AllSizes is basically an MM patch, yes?

[jlcarneiro 143]

I thought this mod would be great for those (like me) that build small probes and want to provide them with refueling options.

Unfortunately, I found out picoport probes don't accept fuel transfers. Rebuilding the same probes with Clamp-O-Tron Docking Port Jr. accept fuel transfer with no problem... I compared both .cfg files to create some MM patch but could not find WHAT is the difference.

Can someone help me? @linuxgurugamer?

[jlcarneiro 143]

1 hour ago, jlcarneiro said:

I thought this mod would be great for those (like me) that build small probes and want to provide them with refueling options.

Unfortunately, I found out picoport probes don't accept fuel transfers. Rebuilding the same probes with Clamp-O-Tron Docking Port Jr. accept fuel transfer with no problem... I compared both .cfg files to create some MM patch but could not find WHAT is the difference.

Can someone help me? @linuxgurugamer?

I think I got it:

@PART[PicoPort*] {
	MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleToggleCrossfeed
		// crossfeedStatus = False
		toggleEditor = True
		toggleFlight = True
	}
}

Is that correct?

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

23 hours ago, jlcarneiro said:

I think I got it:

@PART[PicoPort*] {
	MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleToggleCrossfeed
		// crossfeedStatus = False
		toggleEditor = True
		toggleFlight = True
	}
}

Is that correct?

If you intend to allow crossfeed always, you can  change it to this:

@PART[PicoPort*] {
	MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleToggleCrossfeed
		crossfeedStatus = True
		toggleEditor = True
		toggleFlight = True
	}
}

but other than that, it looks ok

[jlcarneiro 143]

On 2/12/2021 at 10:30 PM, linuxgurugamer said:

If you intend to allow crossfeed always, you can  change it to this:

@PART[PicoPort*] {
	MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleToggleCrossfeed
		crossfeedStatus = True
		toggleEditor = True
		toggleFlight = True
	}
}

but other than that, it looks ok

Thanks, man! Not only for your kind answer, but ALSO for your awesome job taking so many mods under your wing!

I think I'll try to create a new Clamp-o-tron Picoport based on Clamp-o-tron Jr., though. Can you help me some more?  I'm using some of Picoport's data:

+PART[dockingPort3]
{
	@name = dockingPort_pico
	@rescaleFactor = 0.5
	@entryCost = 6000
	@cost = 500
	@title = Clamp-O-Tron Docking Micro Port
	@description = After a toy company recently disposed of numerous novelty fridge magnets due to a unit error on the drawings, Clamp-O-Tron announced the release of a new type of sub-miniature docking port. The two events are entirely unrelated.
	@mass = 0.01
	@maximum_drag = 0.05
	@minimum_drag = 0.05
	@angularDrag = 0.25

	@MODULE[ModuleDockingNode]
	{
//		@nodeTransformName = dockPoint
		@referenceAttachNode = top
		@nodeType = size00
		@stagingEnabled = False
		@acquireRange = 0.1
		@captureRange = 0.05
		@acquireForce = 0.5
	}

	@MODULE[ModuleCargoPart]
	{
		packedVolume = 70
	}
}

But, although I change acquireRange, captureRange and acquireForce, values remain the same in VAB... Is there some mod to see all properties of a part?

UPDATE: I think I got it working, I changed all "@" to "%".... Is that correct?

Edited February 14 by jlcarneiro

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

1 hour ago, jlcarneiro said:

UPDATE: I think I got it working, I changed all "@" to "%".... Is that correct?

yes

[jlcarneiro 143]

3 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

yes

Once again, thanks!

What about this question: " Is there some mod to see all properties of a part?"

Is there a mod for this?

[linuxgurugamer 17,919]

4 hours ago, jlcarneiro said:

Once again, thanks!

What about this question: " Is there some mod to see all properties of a part?"

Is there a mod for this?