MechJeb 2 Issues

[Popestar]

So, I downloaded and installed (using CKAN) a few mods, one of which is MechJeb 2.  This one is supposed to help with orbiting and is supposed to have an auto-pilot, but for the life of me I cannot figure out what the heck I'm doing wrong.  So once again, I have to come out here and ask a question to find out what I'm doing wrong.

Anyhow, I started a new career to test the mods before I put them to total use.  I have a very basic craft that I can get off the ground and out of the atmosphere, but it seems that MechJeb isn't working for me.  I've got very limited Tech Tree unlocked, so it may be as simple as "oh, those features don't unlock until later".  Either way, I cannot find any tutorials on MechJeb 2 (although I found a video on MechJeb that intrigued me enough to actually use this mod).  The screen shot below shows my in-game interface, and I've got the MechJeb 2 interface opened.

If you look at the how the vessel pod is angled, and then look at the MechJeb 2 information on the left, you'll see that I am supposed to be at 50 degrees...but the craft is nowhere near that.  I clicked set while I was in flight with about half of the fuel left, and nothing happened.  When I clicked on the button to Engage the auto-pilot and then clicked Set on the MechJeb 2 interface, nothing happened.  I know the image shows just the pod as it's reentering the atmosphere, but the craft was extremely basic:  parachute, pod, coupler, hammer, fins for stability.

You'll also see that I believe I have the autopilot turned off, but when I click the button to Engage, even with Roll Hold selected, the craft rolls uncontrollably.  I cannot stop it using any of the keypress commands (Q or E), and Jebediah isn't skilled enough yet to have the prograde/retrograde buttons I can click to have him control the craft.  However, if I select that button to then Disengage, the rolling comes to a complete stop.  In fact, it seems I can control the pod/craft far more easily by hand than I can with MechJeb, which makes the mod not as useful as I thought it would be.

What else is odd about this is that the mod is supposed to help with orbital mechanics, such as stabilizing orbit and such.  The video I saw (I'd have to go searching through the forums again to find it) looked nothing like what I have on my screen, and the button presses were simply just click the button and it happened.  And the "manual" on the wiki for this does not indicate how to use the actual interface to get this to do what you want it to do.

Is this simply an issue of me not having unlocked enough in the tech tree yet?  Do I need to use the hard drive and electronic part (the green one that looks like a CPU) on the pod in order for MechJeb to work?  Is there a tutorial out there somewhere that explains all this that I somehow missed?

To be honest, I feel stupid at this point.  I continue to have nothing but problems with this game no matter what I do, and the answers are not easy to find.  Please, I'm begging for help on this.

[Popestar]

After looking at the image, I can see that the menu on the right side does state "Some modules are disabled until you unlock the proper node in the R&D tree or upgrade the tracking station".  So this may be the answer to my question.  If that is so, someone just please say that very simply and I'll move on.

[VoidSquid]

Take a look here:

If you want to have unlocked all MJ features right from the start, simply create a text file with a .cfg ending (e.g. "MJUnlocked.cfg") and this context

Spoiler

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleCommand]]:Final
{
	%MODULE[MechJebCore]
	{
		MechJebLocalSettings
		{
			MechJebModuleCustomWindowEditor { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleSmartASS { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleManeuverPlanner { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleNodeEditor { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleTranslatron { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleWarpHelper { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleAttitudeAdjustment { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleThrustWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRCSBalancerWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRoverWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleAscentGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleLandingGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleSpaceplaneGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleDockingGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRendezvousAutopilotWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRendezvousGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
		}
	}
}

and place it somewhere in your GameData folder. You'll also need Module Manager which you can get via CKAN.

Edited October 9, 2020 by VoidSquid

[Wobbly Av8r]

A quick (but probably unsatisfying) answer is that what you are looking for is "Ascent Guidance" rather than Aircraft Autopilot in this specific case. The "Ascent Guidance" module is, of course, a ways into the Tech Tree to unlock.

A good way to experiment with MechJeb2 is to build a "Sandbox" game with everything unlocked, build a vessel and then experiment with it. In your example, you'll find that setting the Inclination to 40 degrees will result in a heading of 50 degrees true, while an Inclination of -10 degrees will result in a heading of 100 degrees True. Hopefully that makes some sense...

Quote

"1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.

@VoidSquid Amen, bruh.

[Popestar]

1 hour ago, Wobbly Av8r said:

A quick (but probably unsatisfying) answer is that what you are looking for is "Ascent Guidance" rather than Aircraft Autopilot in this specific case. The "Ascent Guidance" module is, of course, a ways into the Tech Tree to unlock.

A good way to experiment with MechJeb2 is to build a "Sandbox" game with everything unlocked, build a vessel and then experiment with it. In your example, you'll find that setting the Inclination to 40 degrees will result in a heading of 50 degrees true, while an Inclination of -10 degrees will result in a heading of 100 degrees True. Hopefully that makes some sense...

@VoidSquid Amen, bruh.

That makes sense.  And is what I thought.  I just wish the wiki had better documentation.

 

thanks!

[Wobbly Av8r]

53 minutes ago, Popestar said:

That makes sense.  And is what I thought.  I just wish the wiki had better documentation.

And if Santa Kerbal (Santa Kerman?) ever grants that wish, these forums will become a ghost town!!!

[antipro]

Mechjeb Ascent Guidance can be used since the 1st launch, without any cfg file edit but using "Scripting Module", and like I wrote down here:(click "antipro replied to a topic")

it can be fully functional since the 3rd launch to a Mun flyby mission.

Edited October 10, 2020 by antipro

[Gargamel]

Add-on Question moved to Add-on Discussion. 

[DareDrop]

Quote

Take a look here:

If you want to have unlocked all MJ features right from the start, simply create a text file with a .cfg ending (e.g. "MJUnlocked.cfg") and this context

  Hide contents

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleCommand]]:Final
{
	%MODULE[MechJebCore]
	{
		MechJebLocalSettings
		{
			MechJebModuleCustomWindowEditor { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleSmartASS { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleManeuverPlanner { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleNodeEditor { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleTranslatron { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleWarpHelper { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleAttitudeAdjustment { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleThrustWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRCSBalancerWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRoverWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleAscentGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleLandingGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleSpaceplaneGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleDockingGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRendezvousAutopilotWindow { unlockTechs = start }
			MechJebModuleRendezvousGuidance { unlockTechs = start }
		}
	}
}

and place it somewhere in your GameData folder. You'll also need Module Manager which you can get via CKAN.

So I tried this and it did nothing???  Put it in the " \Steam\steamapps\common\Kerbal Space Program " Dir? Wrong spot?

[Cheesecake]

18 minutes ago, DareDrop said:

So I tried this and it did nothing???  Put it in the " \Steam\steamapps\common\Kerbal Space Program " Dir? Wrong spot?

Not \Steam\steamapps\common\Kerbal Space Program, you must put it into this folder: \Steam\steamapps\common\Kerbal Space Program\GameData.

Quote

...and place it somewhere in your GameData folder. You'll also need Module Manager which you can get via CKAN.

 

[DareDrop]

Still does not work and I have CKAN and Module Manager. 

 

[DareDrop]

So I uninstalled MechJeb2, reinstalled it also with CKAN. I put MJUnlocked.cfg in the game Dir and no go. Next tried the the MechJeb2 Dir still no go. All in the current game and in a new clean one. Could the name be a issue??

As I remember a few years ago unlocking this it was not this hard, it seems as the file structure has changed.

[linuxgurugamer]

1 hour ago, DareDrop said:

So I uninstalled MechJeb2, reinstalled it also with CKAN. I put MJUnlocked.cfg in the game Dir and no go. Next tried the the MechJeb2 Dir still no go. All in the current game and in a new clean one. Could the name be a issue??

As I remember a few years ago unlocking this it was not this hard, it seems as the file structure has changed.

Not the game Dir, the GameData directory

[VoidSquid]

- deleted - 

Fighting against windmills is a lost cause from the beginning.

Edited October 10, 2020 by VoidSquid

[DareDrop]

2 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Not the game Dir, the GameData directory

Though I had tried that but just in case did not I did it once more and no luck. Also do you need to edit all the CFG files also with that?

[linuxgurugamer]

Just now, DareDrop said:

Though I had tried that but just in case did not I did it once more and no luck. Also do you need to edit all the CFG files also with that?

Log file, please, also the ModuleManager.configcache file (in the GameData)

[DareDrop]

Ok here we go, not done this before...

Quote

Log file   https://www.dropbox.com/s/tb2pcstm2r5gteh/KSP.log?dl=0https://www.dropbox.com/s/tb2pcstm2r5gteh/KSP.log?dl=0

.

Quote

ModuleManager File  https://www.dropbox.com/s/806dypy8wb9tllq/ModuleManager.ConfigCache?dl=0https://www.dropbox.com/s/806dypy8wb9tllq/ModuleManager.ConfigCache?dl=0

 

[Popestar]

So I did some hunting through the tech tree late last night, and I found where Ascent Guidance is located.  This is the feature I wanted to use most as it would help me in keeping the ship on a stable trajectory during launch.  And yeah, this isn't available until 3 or 4 layers deep from where I'm at now.  This almost makes MechJeb useless, especially for a new player like myself who needs all the help they can get.  I mean, by the time this is unlocked I should have a firm grasp on how to build things so I won't need it.  This then begs the question:  Why should anyone even pick this mod up if you can't even use it until you're already better at managing it than the computer could by the time you can use it?

[antipro]

41 minutes ago, Popestar said:

So I did some hunting through the tech tree late last night, and I found where Ascent Guidance is located.  This is the feature I wanted to use most as it would help me in keeping the ship on a stable trajectory during launch.  And yeah, this isn't available until 3 or 4 layers deep from where I'm at now.  This almost makes MechJeb useless, especially for a new player like myself who needs all the help they can get.  I mean, by the time this is unlocked I should have a firm grasp on how to build things so I won't need it.  This then begs the question:  Why should anyone even pick this mod up if you can't even use it until you're already better at managing it than the computer could by the time you can use it?

I've already wrote to you some posts ago that the "Ascent Guidance module" and all the others modules included "Maneuver Planner" and almost all the features are available since the 1st launch by using "Scripting Module" and I quote:

[well ok I found what is needed for a fully functional autopilot ascent guidance.

- of course the Tracking Station and Mission Control for the nodes.
- the "Advanced Flight Control" in the technology tree R&D facility. the MJ AR202 case is not necessary attached on the rocket.

all can be taken in career mode before to do the 3rd launch to a close flyby to the mun.]

- 1st launch = almost useless
- 2nd launch = it works but it needs to manually stop engines at the requested altitude, then after circularize you collect all the possible kerbin orbit science(even in high space),
  before the de-orbit maneuver, go back to KSC - Mission Control Building and accept the contract "Go EVA and land kerbin" to get more funds and science.
- 3rd launch = ascent guidance fully functional, you can go automatically to LKO then flyby the mun.
 

Edited October 12, 2020 by antipro

[Popestar]

2 hours ago, antipro said:

I've already wrote to you some posts ago that the "Ascent Guidance module" and all the others modules included "Maneuver Planner" and almost all the features are available since the 1st launch by using "Scripting Module" and I quote:

[well ok I found what is needed for a fully functional autopilot ascent guidance.

- of course the Tracking Station and Mission Control for the nodes.
- the "Advanced Flight Control" in the technology tree R&D facility. the MJ AR202 case is not necessary attached on the rocket.

all can be taken in career mode before to do the 3rd launch to a close flyby to the mun.]

- 1st launch = almost useless
- 2nd launch = it works but it needs to manually stop engines at the requested altitude, then after circularize you collect all the possible kerbin orbit science(even in high space),
  before the de-orbit maneuver, go back to KSC - Mission Control Building and accept the contract "Go EVA and land kerbin" to get more funds and science.
- 3rd launch = ascent guidance fully functional, you can go automatically to LKO then flyby the mun.
 

I should have responded to your original post to indicate that I don't want to go that route.  To be fair, I really didn't want to use any mods in my career to begin with, and the 3 I've downloaded and installed are really not doing anything for me (SCANSat, MechJeb2, Kerbal Engineer Redux).  I was hoping that MechJeb would allow Ascent Guidance without having to get 5 layers deep into the tech tree, and for someone like me who needs to know how to do something before I mod it away, the mod doesn't help me learn.

[DareDrop]

Quote

I've already wrote to you some posts ago that the "Ascent Guidance module" and all the others modules included "Maneuver Planner" and almost all the features are available since the 1st launch by using "Scripting Module" and I quote:

To be clear what is the Scripting Module?

1 minute ago, DareDrop said:

To be clear what is the Scripting Module?

Sorry my bad, I see now. Thing is, Popestar maybe would like that, and others, nothing wrong with it. But don't care to have to learn a new programing language in order to ply this game. Just a thought.

[antipro]

3 hours ago, DareDrop said:

But don't care to have to learn a new programing language in order to ply this game

nothing to do with learn a programming language, It's more like to press 4 buttons.

[DareDrop]

And then you HAVE to program it, no?

[antipro]

1 hour ago, DareDrop said:

And then you HAVE to program it, no?

for example you can add multiple tasks and start the "program" in order to automatically do several maneuvers.

This, not tested, should be take off, reach minmus, orbit it and return home.


It's also much complicated and can do a lot of things, honestly I never use it, I only tried it once to start engines and take off.
It could be useful in very early career when the ascent module isn't unlocked yet and it isn't fully functional. I normally do maneuvers one at a time.
anyway I'm noob with this stuff, I'm sure dozen of forum users can explain it you better.

Edited October 13, 2020 by antipro