Custom info text on craft

[Tex_NL]

Lately I am flying so many craft at the same time that I start to loose track of what I was planning to do with them. Just now I received a Kerbal alarm clock message a craft was about to enter Minmus orbit. I seriously haven't got a clue what I launched it for.

Also I have a Kerbal traning facility around Mun with a group of half trained Kerbals. I totally lost track of who's done what and who's been where. Only way to see what they've done is bring the whole group back home and launch the new recruits again.

I know I can add some description to reminders in alarm clock but those are lost as soon as the alarm clears. What I'm looking for as a way to add some custom text to my active craft. Preferably a simple plug-in (no parts) accessible through right clicking a probe core or cockpit similarly to renaming a craft.

[Slam_Jones]

I think the Notepad mod might have what you're looking for... just not 100% sure you get a different note for each ship.

[Tex_NL]

Strangely I've never noticed that mod before. But looking at the description you might be right, this might do what I am looking for. I will certainly give it a try. Thanks.

[hab136]

I name my ships according to function ("MunBus", "Minmus Experiment Prograde Kuarqs", "Refueler"), so it's usually real obvious what they're supposed to be doing. If you're giving them names like "Phoenix" then you might consider renaming them (or at least adding a suffix; "Phoenix: resupply Mun"). I run a lot of missions at once and do forget what's going on, but it's usually obvious when I see the ship what it's supposed to be doing. Not always; once or twice I've sent a ship in the wrong direction after playing until late and not paying too much attention.

>Also I have a Kerbal traning facility around Mun with a group of half trained Kerbals. I totally lost track of who's done what and who's been where. Only way to see what they've done is bring the whole group back home and launch the new recruits again.

I'm currently keeping a spreadsheet of whether I need more Scientists, Engineers, or Pilots, and where, and who is actually in the pods. It also keeps a designation for their experience level. -1, -2 for leveled-up people, -min for people that have been to the Mun but not Minmus yet, or -mun for vice-versa, -r for people that need to return. No suffix for noobs. With conditional formatting, the spreadsheet can automatically color the Kerbals according to their job and experience, which makes it real easy to see who's supposed to be going to the Mun and who's supposed to be going back to Kerbin.

Note that simply landing on Mun/Minmus is enough for full points. On other planets you have to plant a flag, but for Mun/Minmus I have a 19-Kerbal ship ("The Experiencer") that just lands, sits around for 10 seconds to be sure I got credit, then takes off and goes to the other moon. http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Experience

Also note that there are mods that will let you level up Kerbals in the field, if that's what you want. See the "stock remix" download for Kolonists.

Edited April 15, 2015 by hab136

[RainDreamer]

B9 has a data storage thingy part that you can write text description that will pop up when you load into the craft.

[Tex_NL]

B9 has a data storage thingy part that you can write text description that will pop up when you load into the craft.

I know. That's why I know my request is possible. But that's exactly what I do NOT want. The problem with a physical part is you can't add it to craft after launch. (Unless the part is KAS enabled.) And it is possible to forget a physical part. With a simple plug-in you can never forget to add it.

[RainDreamer]

I know. That's why I know my request is possible. But that's exactly what I do NOT want. The problem with a physical part is you can't add it to craft after launch. (Unless the part is KAS enabled.) And it is possible to forget a physical part. With a simple plug-in you can never forget to add it.

Apparently it is a FS module called "FSinfoPopup". I guess you can add it to all command modules, that way you won't forget it.

[Tex_NL]

This is actually a brilliant idea. I could indeed simply install that plug-in and have module manager add the functionality to all command modules.

I'll try this out later today. I'll let you know how it goes.

Edit:

ABSOLUTELY FRAGGING BRILLIANT!!! IT WORKS!

And for those that want this too it is actually incredibly easy.

Required files, you probably have those installed already:

Firespitter.dll which comes standard with a variety of mods.

ModuleManager which also comes standard with many mods.

Custom ModuleManager file (I called mine InfoDrive.cfg):

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleCommand]]
{    
    MODULE
    {
        name = FSinfoPopup
        textHeading = Craft Information
        textBody1 = 1 - 
        textBody2 = 2 - 
        textBody3 = 3 - 
        textBody4 = 4 - 
        textBody5 = 5 - 
        textBody6 = 6 - 
        textBody7 = 7 - 
        textBody8 = 8 - 
        textBody9 = 9 - 
        textBody10 = 0 - 
        textBody11 = Press [ o ] to toggle this window.
        showAtFlightStart = false
        hideAfterCountdown = true
        showOnEachFlightStart = false
        countDownDuration = 30
        toggleKey = o
    }
}

From now all command modules show a new item in their menu named 'Show info'. Click it to call up the pop-up and edit at will. The info pop-up can also be opened directly with [O].

Many thanks go out to Snjo for Firespitter.dll. Bac9 for the coding on the infodrive. Ialdabaoth & Sarbian for ModuleManager. And of course RainDreamer for putting me on the right path.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Tex_NL

[Gordon Dry]

Necroing this.

Just to mention, that the above patch will break the game if more than one part in the same vessel is patched (because it got ModuleCommand).

I know this because I had docked two vessels with the B9_Info_Drive part attached once. (that part does exactly the same).
A lot of NRE in the log and weird behaviour.