[0.21] V.F.M. Fuel Panel - Beta

[Vendan]

The V.F.M. Fuel Panel allows you to easily transfer resources from tank to tank, allowing movement from multiple tanks and to multiple tanks. The transfers are persistent, and run constantly. The fuel panel also separates tanks out by vessel, even while docked, and resources can be transferred out of or into all the tanks for a specific resource at one time.

In addition, if you have KAS, the standard KAS winch hooks can be used for fuel transfer purposes, even without switching them to docked mode.

Download Link: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/v-f-m-fuel-panel/

[pina_coladas]

Have you seen the TAC fuel balancer mod? It's basically exactly the same as this. But it does sound like your UI is set up in a more user-friendly way which I appreciate. I could see myself switching to this.

One suggestion: on the spaceport page it says you need to attach a part to your vessel for the mod to work. It would be much much better to do it like TAC fuel balancer where no part is required and there is a persistent button at the edge of the screen (just like kerbal alarm clock and some other mods). Please implement that!

[Vendan]

Have you seen the TAC fuel balancer mod? It's basically exactly the same as this. But it does sound like your UI is set up in a more user-friendly way which I appreciate. I could see myself switching to this.

In my opinion, I've got more functionality that would be useful for things like building bases and transferring fuel from tankers to refueling stations. I don't have things like balancing tanks, but if you've got multiple tanks on your ship, and multiple on your refueling station, it's still very simple to transfer the resources around.

One suggestion: on the spaceport page it says you need to attach a part to your vessel for the mod to work. It would be much much better to do it like TAC fuel balancer where no part is required and there is a persistent button at the edge of the screen (just like kerbal alarm clock and some other mods). Please implement that!

I am planning on improving it, but part of the issue is that I am storing data in the persistence file for the save, to keep track of ongoing transfers. This requires, afaik, using part modules. I may be able to store data in my own format and link it up, but that seems dirtier. But note, the part module is added to all the stock pods, so it's not a separate part you have to attach.

[Greys]

Perhaps you can add a part module to the root or each command module part

[Vendan]

As far as I know, unless the part module is in the CFG for a part, it doesn't get saved back to the persistence file. That may have changed, and I'll look into it, but all stock command pods should have the fuel panel integrated in. If you don't have it, you may need to redownload the mod, as I forgot to include the ModuleManager plugin that does that.

[pina_coladas]

Ah I guess I didn't look closely enough to see there's no straight-up fuel balancing options. TAC fuel balancer has the exact same "in" and "out" options on top of the balancing, plus a few more options, but the UI is a bit of a mess IMO (it doesn't display tanks on a per-ship basis and it's really clunky to figure out which tank is which). It would be cool if you could add fuel balancing options too...

And I hope you can figure out how to do away with part modules in a clean way, but if all command parts/probe bodies have the module it should be good enough.

[Vendan]

Fuel Balancing would be nice to add, I'm just not sure how exactly to implement it. I might have to have multiple options, to allow stuff like even distribution, centering CoM over thrust vector(stabilizing rockets), or shifting CoM as far forward as possible(stabilizing planes). I'll take any suggestions you have.

[Orphican]

I am planning on improving it, but part of the issue is that I am storing data in the persistence file for the save, to keep track of ongoing transfers. This requires, afaik, using part modules. I may be able to store data in my own format and link it up, but that seems dirtier. But note, the part module is added to all the stock pods, so it's not a separate part you have to attach.

FINALLY!! Somebody's bringing this back. I loved this mod in v20.2. To be clear this is not going to include the "fuel hose" part from earlier versions? That part was the main reason for having this mod. Sometimes you just dont need KAS messing with your already delicately balanced physics interactions. Also is this going to require use of module manager?

[pina_coladas]

"Balance all" buttons for each resource is a start. Some way to select multiple tanks and balance resources between them is even better. What would be great (and I suggested this in the TAC thread) is to be able to click on a tank name in the menu and have the physical tank highlighted. Maybe there could be a checkbox system for selecting multiple tanks and a button to balance between selected tanks. I've seen another mod or two that aim to maintain CoM and stuff by pumping fuel but I haven't tried them and I'm not sure how they work.

Thanks for accepting input from a guy who hasn't even tried your mod yet! Fuel transfer/balancing mods are pretty useful and it would be great to have one that's both robust and has a slick UI.

E: can fuel+oxidizer be (optionally) linked? The vast majority of the time you're going to want to transfer both in equal amounts anyway so there's no need to double the amount of mouse clicks.

Edited August 21, 2013 by pina_coladas

[Vendan]

FINALLY!! Somebody's bringing this back. I loved this mod in v20.2. To be clear this is not going to include the "fuel hose" part from earlier versions? That part was the main reason for having this mod. Sometimes you just dont need KAS messing with your already delicately balanced physics interactions. Also is this going to require use of module manager?

Yeah, I finally decided to get back into KSP and figured I'd update it. It doesn't include the fuel hose, as that was the most complex and buggy bit of the code. TBH, most of that stuff was based on KAS anyways, and KAS has a lot of features now that I just can't match easily, like the detachable radial connectors. It does use module manager, and the dll is included with the download.

"Balance all" buttons for each resource is a start. Some way to select multiple tanks and balance resources between them is even better. What would be great (and I suggested this in the TAC thread) is to be able to click on a tank name in the menu and have the physical tank highlighted. Maybe there could be a checkbox system for selecting multiple tanks and a button to balance between selected tanks. I've seen another mod or two that aim to maintain CoM and stuff by pumping fuel but I haven't tried them and I'm not sure how they work.

Thanks for accepting input from a guy who hasn't even tried your mod yet! Fuel transfer/balancing mods are pretty useful and it would be great to have one that's both robust and has a slick UI.

E: can fuel+oxidizer be (optionally) linked? The vast majority of the time you're going to want to transfer both in equal amounts anyway so there's no need to double the amount of mouse clicks.

It's been a little bit and I was more concentrating on getting it up and running, so there's a chance it's not working, but it should have highlight on mouseover for the individual tanks.

I'm probably gonna start with basic balancing, and have it be set up similar to the in/out, so you can balance all tanks of a resource, or just specific tanks, as need be. That would let you select your radial tanks to be balanced, then also select them as 'out' and a central tank as 'in' to keep it at 100%. Lot's of possibilities there.

Yeah, should be simple to link fuel/oxidizer, though I'm gonna look at that a little, as there are many paired resources like that when you start dealing with mods. (modular fuel system's "real fuel" advanced mode, for instance)

[pina_coladas]

Any updates on this? I hope it's working out okay. I understand this UI stuff can be a bit of a nightmare.

[Orphican]

Yeah, I finally decided to get back into KSP and figured I'd update it. It doesn't include the fuel hose, as that was the most complex and buggy bit of the code. TBH, most of that stuff was based on KAS anyways, and KAS has a lot of features now that I just can't match easily, like the detachable radial connectors. It does use module manager, and the dll is included with the download.

Well crap Im sorry to hear that's the direction your taking this. I already have TAC fuel balancer and it does a fine job at balancing as the name suggests. What this mod did better than any other was fuel transfer. As I said KAS can seriously ruin craft with very little effort. A simple fuel hose should not tear my craft apart in any situation. Just my 2 cents. Good luck with this mod whichever direction you decide to take it.

[NumberNegative]

How completely off my rocker would I have to be to see this ever updated? I really miss it.