Auto-symmetry in the editor is messing me up.

[boriz]

I'm trying to place two-symmetry parts on a VAB craft, and when the mouse passes over a four-symmetry part, the editor automatically switches me from two-symmetry to four-symmetry before I can place the part. This auto-switching behaviour is frustrating. Is there a way to suspend it? A keyboard shortcut perhaps?

[king of nowhere]

2 hours ago, boriz said:

I'm trying to place two-symmetry parts on a VAB craft, and when the mouse passes over a four-symmetry part, the editor automatically switches me from two-symmetry to four-symmetry before I can place the part. This auto-switching behaviour is frustrating. Is there a way to suspend it? A keyboard shortcut perhaps?

I'm not aware of it. As for myself, I just learned to avoid touching other parts with the mouse cursor

[18Watt]

Like @king of nowhere, I also do not know of a way to suspend the behavior you described.  And yes, it is frustrating.

Perhaps try this:  Change to single symmetry while you move your part around.  When the part is close to the desired position, switch to double symmetry by hitting the ‘X’ key once.  That’s not really a fix for the problem, it just makes the problem slightly less annoying.

 

[jimmymcgoochie]

The only way to avoid this is to move the part into position without symmetry enabled, then set the symmetry there. If you hover over a part at e.g. 4x symmetry, the game will detect that the prospective parent part is at 4x symmetry and switch to match that since it can’t suddenly start attaching stuff in, say, 6x symmetry.

[Linkageless]

If placing radially, you may be able to place these parts in a different position without getting hit by the unwanted symmetry, then offset them into place.  You might also be able to temporarily offset the other symmetry parts, out of the way of what you are doing.  I often do this using precise editor, but that's a learning curve of it's own.

Another potential way around this is if you get 4x symmetry, and only wanted 2x, you can remove symmetry  on the excess parts in turn, then just delete them.

You can also apply this technique to do things like have 4x parts sitting in positions where 6x symmetry puts them, eg to avoid covering a pod window or hatch while still getting precise symmetrical placement.

[boriz]

Thanks peeps.

On this occasion, I was building a quad-copter in the VAB (pic1). Each engine was placed upon a 4-sym fuel tank. But since two engines (and rotors) need to revolve in the opposite direction, I was trying to place the engines in 2-sym pairs. I couldn't get it to work. I eventually just placed them in 4-sym, then removed them all from symmetry and set the directions individually. The two rotor co-axial version is better though (pic2).