[1.2.2](Dec10/16) Action Groups Extended: 250 Action Groups, in-flight editing. Now kOS/RemoteTech

[Diazo]

@Firing Guns: As long as this can be bound to a key, it should be bindable in this mod. If firing guns is hard coded to the mouse button, there is nothing I can do, you will have to ask the maker of that mod to allow you to change the firing key. For the purposes of this mod, the controller counts as a joystick so if you click the Joystick button in the top right of the keybinds window, that should give you access to the buttons on the controller to bind them to an action group.

On the action groups 1-10 not working, I think I may know what is going on and will be investigating and fixing it tonight.

D.

[Temeter]

@Firing Guns: As long as this can be bound to a key, it should be bindable in this mod. If firing guns is hard coded to the mouse button, there is nothing I can do, you will have to ask the maker of that mod to allow you to change the firing key. For the purposes of this mod, the controller counts as a joystick so if you click the Joystick button in the top right of the keybinds window, that should give you access to the buttons on the controller to bind them to an action group.

Yeah, pretty sure it's hardcoded. I'm just stupid and posted that into the wrong thread, that was supposed to got into the BDArmory thread. xD

On the action groups 1-10 not working, I think I may know what is going on and will be investigating and fixing it tonight.

D.

Thanks, that does indeed sounds great! Let nobody say momentary stupidity isn't good for anything.

edit: Just tried a new 102 install to make sure: The custom action group shortcuts (set to joystick in KSP's options menu) work in vanilla, but not with Action Groups extended. Also in the editor the editor extensions do not seem to detect my controller at all (wired 360 pad).

Only one game-controller is active and preferences are set.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Temeter

[Diazo]

The custom action group keybinds for groups 1-10 as set in the Settings menu of KSP not working when AGX is installed is intended behavior. This is because you are supposed to bind those keys in AGX instead so the KSP defaults are disabled to avoid conflicts.

In this case as AGX can't see the controller, that breaks down and doesn't work.

As a workaround, if you go into the KSP\GameData\Diazo\AGExt\AGExt.cfg file and find the "LockOutKSPManager = 1" line and change it to zero, or "LockOutKSPManager = 0", AGX will stop locking out the default keybinds from the settings menu. This will at least allow you to bind controller buttons to groups 1-10 using the KSP Settings menu.

Note that once you do this, if you bind the same key to an action group, it activates in both places. So with the defaults of the 1 key bound to group 1 in both KSP and AGX, with LockoutKSPManager = 0 set, pressing the 1 key will activate action group 1 twice, once through AGX and once through default KSP.

That does not fix the issue of AGX not seeing your controller though. In AGX on the key settings screen, when you go to the Joysticks screen, there is a text box in the bottom right corner that should change to display the identifier of a joystick button when pressed. If you press a button on your controller, does the text change?

I don't have a controller myself to test this unfortunately but I'll do what I can.

D.

[Temeter]

Jep, that's what i ment: It's not only the buttons not working, but the button test doesn't work too. Same result for another controller.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Temeter

[Pippin]

Maybe this is in the mod, and I just missed it, but I have wanted a certain function for a mod like this since I got KSP. Would it be possible for you to add the ability to put timers in your action groups? And maybe sensors? Basically, I've always believed action groups should have an element of easy-to-understand computer code in them. Like Scratch (look it up if you don't know it). Would it be possible for you to code in the ability to set a single action group to, for example, shut off all engines, wait for a second, open the cargo bay, wait for a second, and undock the cargo? PLEASE TELL ME YOU COULD.

[Diazo]

@Pippin: This mod alone does not have that ability.

However, that is the reason I worked with the Smart Parts mod to enable that mod to activate all 250 action groups AGX offers.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64227-0-90-Smart-Parts-V1-5-1-KSP-AVC-and-AGX-Compatibility-Jan-8?p=1897178&viewfull=1#post1897178

Smart parts offers timers and some sensors (empty fuel tank and altitude notably) as well as some other options.

Hopefully that works for you.

D.

[Jacke]

Just a short notice: Don't know whos fault it is but it doesn't seem to work in 1.0 with Aviation Lights v3.7. (edit: I can still click them manually, but I can't use them on a action group e.g. lights)

Anyway I love this mod.

Bizz, I took Aviation Lights 3.7 (same as the version for KSP 0.90, said in the support thread to work in KSP 1.0.2) and AGExt 1.32 in a KSP 1.02 sandbox. Took a Mk1-2 command pod and put on 1 each White, Red, Blue, and Green Navlights (my standard navlights). Added an AGExt action group to toggle, flash, and double-flash all 4 lights. Launched to the pad and all 3 action groups worked.

Can you give more details on when it didn't work for you?

As this does seem to be a recurring issue, I've moved the mention in the opening post about action groups respecting career mode so hopefully it will be more visible.

I consider Squad limiting the use of Action Groups in career games to when the player has upgraded a building facility to be a major design mistake. Action Groups are an interface device, an alternate to the right-click menus, important when you need a simple way to trigger an action at an exact time. And now vital considering you can easily bury parts inside stock service bays, making accessing their right-click menus awkward or impossible. It would be like Squad not allowing people to use a joystick until you upgraded a facility. And I'm not the only KSP player who thinks this way.

When I started playing KSP 1.0, I was happy AGExt was there to fix this game flaw. Personally, I'd like it if AGExt just defaulted to "OverrideCareer = 1". Providing a menu button to toggle this setting in game would help too.

One important note. It seems you have to exit the game and restart for AGExt to note a change to OverrideCareer; it's not enough to go to the main menu and reload a save.

[Diazo]

I consider Squad limiting the use of Action Groups in career games to when the player has upgraded a building facility to be a major design mistake. Action Groups are an interface device, an alternate to the right-click menus, important when you need a simple way to trigger an action at an exact time. And now vital considering you can easily bury parts inside stock service bays, making accessing their right-click menus awkward or impossible. It would be like Squad not allowing people to use a joystick until you upgraded a facility. And I'm not the only KSP player who thinks this way.

When I started playing KSP 1.0, I was happy AGExt was there to fix this game flaw. Personally, I'd like it if AGExt just defaulted to "OverrideCareer = 1". Providing a menu button to toggle this setting in game would help too.

For better or worse, regardless of what Squad does, my design has to default to what base KSP does. Since this means limiting the action groups as per the VAB/SPH level, that is also the default for AGX.

This is also not something I'd want to provide a menu button for, being able to enable the override and then disable it from within the same game session probably is not worth the headaches it would cause. If you assign actions then disable the override, should I activate the actions when you press the key? (Nevermind the shenanigins in the code that would be required.)

One important note. It seems you have to exit the game and restart for AGExt to note a change to OverrideCareer; it's not enough to go to the main menu and reload a save.

This is working as designed, the AGExt.cfg file is read on game load then is read from memory from that point on. As the settings in the AGExt.cfg file are global to all save games, this is does not cause issues generally. I assume you tried alt-tabbing while KSP was running to edit the AGExt.cfg file to run into this?

D.

[Jacke]

This is working as designed, the AGExt.cfg file is read on game load then is read from memory from that point on. As the settings in the AGExt.cfg file are global to all save games, this is does not cause issues generally. I assume you tried alt-tabbing while KSP was running to edit the AGExt.cfg file to run into this?

Yes I had. Didn't realise the config file was loaded on game start rather than save game load (but should have figured that out). Understandable that you've made your decisions this way.

[zorphon]

Wow thanks for this mod. The UI is fantastic, and I was able to precisely calculate tiered decoupler releases simultaneously and in order using action groups from this mod. It was easy to set up, and just took a few minutes of tinkering around and viewing the tutorial pictures to understand. Thanks again, this was a lifesaver. I hardly even press Space after launch now because I have everything set up as action groups for staging.

[Diazo]

As I don't have a joystick/controller to test, I can't find the issue in my code for assigning joystick/controller buttons to action groups.

If you are having the issue where you have a controller/joystick and cant' assign it's buttons to AGX, can you please go into the KSP settings window and bind the button in question to an action, then post here what that button is called on the settings screen please?

(You can revert this afterwards, I just need to see what KSP calls your joystick/controller button.)

Thanks,

D.

[Temeter]

As I don't have a joystick/controller to test, I can't find the issue in my code for assigning joystick/controller buttons to action groups.

If you are having the issue where you have a controller/joystick and cant' assign it's buttons to AGX, can you please go into the KSP settings window and bind the button in question to an action, then post here what that button is called on the settings screen please?

(You can revert this afterwards, I just need to see what KSP calls your joystick/controller button.)

Thanks,

D.

With a single pad (+windows priority) the first button is Joystick1Button0. The Axis binding say 'Controller (XBOX 360 For.Axis1'.

Otherwise it's not that much of an issue, in the worst case scenario one can just get XPadder and bind those 4 buttons to number keys, and the other action keys work fine.

[Diazo]

I was afraid of that.

Joystick1Button0 is (supposedly) a valid keybind that AGX already listens for. As this is not working I'm not sure what is going on.

I'll take another look at the code but it may end up being joystick buttons can only be used on groups 1-10 via the KSP settings screen.

D.

[Temeter]

I tried the listed Joystick1Button0 too (ofc didn't work).

Well, Unity screwing something up with gamepads is not exactly a new thing from a user-perspective.

[Diazo]

Joystick/controller button workaround

Alright, Unity's flaky support for joysticks and controllers strikes again. To get your joystick/controller button working as an action group trigger please do the following steps:

1) Load KSP and go into the VAB. (Max upgraded VAB if in career mode.)

2) Place any part so you can access the AGX menus.

3) Click on the keybinding button in the bottom right of the Main Window. By default this is Alpha1 for Group 1.

4) In the Keybindings window that has now appeared, click the "Show Joysticks" button in the top right corner.

5) Note the "Button Test" text box in the bottom right of this window.

6) Press a button on your joystick or controller. Does the text in the Button Test window change? Yes, goto step 7. No, goto step 8.

7a) Yes, the text changed. Yay! You can use the buttons on the joystick or controller to activate action groups through AGX.

7b) When you press the button, note the text in the ButtonTest box, something like "Joystick0Button1".

7c) With your mouse, select that same button on screen, this will assign that joystick/controller button to this action group.

7d) Confirmation will be that the Keybinds window vanishes and that action group now displays "Joystick_Button_" as its keybind in the main AGX window.

8a) No, the text did not change. Work-around time.

8b) Close KSP.

8c) Find the KSP_Install\GameData\Diazo\AGExt\AGExt.cfg file.

8d) Find the "LockOutKSPManager = 1" entry and change it from one to zero. So to "LockOutKSPManager = 0"

8e) Restart KSP and go to the settings menu.

8f) Unbind all keyboard keys from Action Groups 1 through 10.

8g) Bind the joystick/controller buttons to action groups 1 through 10 as you desire.

8h) The joystick/controller assignments made in the settings screen will always activate the group they are bound to. There will be no indication of this in AGX during gameplay.

8i) Bind keyboard keys to actiongroups as desired through AGX. It is perfectly okay to bind a keyboard key in AGX to an action group that is assigned a joystick/controller button in the settings menu, both will activate the group.

8j) Caution: Ensure you unbind all keyboard keys from action groups 1 through 10 in the settings menu. If you do not unbind all keys and leave the defaults in place, pressing the '1' key will activate the actiongroup twice, once via KSP, once via AGX. This can make it appear as if the action group did not activate if it has a toggle action assigned as the single keypress will activate and then immediately deactivate that action.

Hopefully this will enable more of you to use your joysticks/controllers to fly, let me know how it goes.

D.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Diazo

[Tivec]

Hello! I have been using AGX since well, as long as it has been around I think. So, first of all I'd like to say thank you to Diazo for this excellent mod.

I have a feature request, if it is at all possible to implement: The VAB/SPH merge function does not copy over actions over action group 10 from the merged vessel. Is it possible to make it so it imports all? It should also be noted that it fails to import the names of actions 10 and below.

[Diazo]

Can you clarify what you mean by merge? Do you mean attaching sub-assemblies?

Actions on group 10 not importing is probably just a typo in the code where I used <10 rather then <=10 so it processes only groups 1-9 and will be a simple fix.

Action Names not importing on 10 and below is a bit odder. (I'm assuming you mean Action Group Names, and not the names of the actual actions themselves here.) Action Group Names are exclusive to AGX, they don't exists in base KSP so I have no clue why they would not be working only on groups 1-10.

If you can get me a few more details it should not take me too long to fix this.

D.

[Temeter]

Hopefully this will enable more of you to use your joysticks/controllers to fly, let me know how it goes.

D.

Thanks, I'll try it next time and let you know!

[Tivec]

Can you clarify what you mean by merge? Do you mean attaching sub-assemblies?

Actions on group 10 not importing is probably just a typo in the code where I used <10 rather then <=10 so it processes only groups 1-9 and will be a simple fix.

Action Names not importing on 10 and below is a bit odder. (I'm assuming you mean Action Group Names, and not the names of the actual actions themselves here.) Action Group Names are exclusive to AGX, they don't exists in base KSP so I have no clue why they would not be working only on groups 1-10.

If you can get me a few more details it should not take me too long to fix this.

D.

No, it's not "merge" using subassemblies, click the load button, select another craft, and click the "merge" button in the lower left. Unless this is a mod that does it, but I'll get you some screenshots if you can't find it

[Diazo]

I did not know that even existed.

I'll check into it when I get home after work.

D.

[Diazo]

Version 1.32d

Download here.

-External Interface tweaks

-Monitor FAR spoiler actions correctly

-Add KIS config so parts will stack in inventory

-Fix MERGE option in editor when loading a second craft

(1.32d) ModActions compatibility.

@Tivec: Alright, this should fix the Merge action so it now loads actions and action group names correctly. As I was not aware of that feature before, AGX actually did nothing at all when you used it previously, it was AGX monitoring the default action groups that gave it the partial behavior you saw before.

Regardless, it is fixed now and everything should work as expected when you Merge a craft.

Note that I had to tweak my save/load routine slightly for this. Please post if you notice actions behaving oddly, especially if an action you previously deleted seems to magically come back.

D.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Diazo

[Beetlecat]

Hooray! Awesome update, Diazo. Thanks for maintaining this excellent set of mods.

[Tivec]

@Tivec: Alright, this should fix the Merge action so it now loads actions and action group names correctly. As I was not aware of that feature before, AGX actually did nothing at all when you used it previously, it was AGX monitoring the default action groups that gave it the partial behavior you saw before.

You are aweseome!

Thanks for the update, that'll allow me to dedicate ranges (say, group 20-30) for my satellites, so I don't risk mixing up with my launcher action groups

I must say, AGX, together with Smart Parts, can make for some really fancy stuff

[Diazo]

.zip file update

When I made the version 1.32a .zip release file I screwed up and placed the version 1.32 .dll file in it.

Please grab the Version 1.32b .zip file to actually update to the latest version.

No changes, I just had to increment the version so that CKAN would see the update.

Sorry about this,

D.

[Baythan]

Hello Daizo, I've only just started using this mod, and I love it! I just have a small question that I have so far not found an answer to (entirely possible I missed it as I was skimming the last several pages).

I'm using RemoteTech, but with the XF Config that allows Antenna to be activated/deactivated without a connection to KSC or any other command center. Now, I know you implemented a Bypass Remotetech option, but that option turns itself off when changing vehicles/going EVA/etc. I was just wondering if there was an easy way to either have that option able to be permanently turned on(kinda cheaty in an RT-enabled career, but oh well) or possibly detect the XF config for Antenna and allow action groups that Activate/Toggle them.

This is probably not something many people would need, and mostly an issue when launching probes and doing a slightly flatter ascent, leaving the range of the DP-10 before getting to a safe altitude for the Communotron 16(or forgetting to turn on the 16's before leaving range).

If there's no simple solution, I'll just have to adjust the way I do things. No more dropping probes back to Kerbin with those 16's as the only antenna.