Antennae shouldn't auto retract

[tg626]

...after transmitting data. And you should be able to manually open them after transmitting.

That is all.

[tutike2000]

Why not auto-retract?

Also, as far as I know you can manually extend them by right clicking.

[Random Hooded Stranger]

Why not auto-retract?

Also, as far as I know you can manually extend them by right clicking.

I thought that only happened if you're using Remote Tech

[Hotaru]

Agreed, that's been driving me crazy since I bought the game. The problem is, before they've transmitted any data you can right-click to extend or retract them, but that option vanishes after the first time they transmit! And since they auto-retract after transmission, they're then permanently stuck in the retracted position (except when transmitting again). It's not a huge issue, mostly cosmetic, but extremely annoying. And it's not a mod causing it, it still behaves so even in a 100% stock install.

[Tex_NL]

Why not auto-retract?

Also, as far as I know you can manually extend them by right clicking.

Indeed you can but that's not what tg626 is talking about. After transmitting science antennae close and stay closed. They can no longer be opened by right clicking.

This is an old issue that at one point was fixed but was reintroduced one or two updates later. Best thing to do is assign an action group to toggle antennae. Once closed by science they still respond to action groups

[annallia]

Agreed, that's been driving me crazy since I bought the game. The problem is, before they've transmitted any data you can right-click to extend or retract them, but that option vanishes after the first time they transmit! And since they auto-retract after transmission, they're then permanently stuck in the retracted position (except when transmitting again). It's not a huge issue, mostly cosmetic, but extremely annoying. And it's not a mod causing it, it still behaves so even in a 100% stock install.

Put 'toggle" on a hotkey. Works even after you lose the ability to extend it via right click.

Edit- Ninja'd!

[Captain Sierra]

Put 'toggle" on a hotkey. Works even after you lose the ability to extend it via right click.

Edit- Ninja'd!

This can be difficult when you have a multi-antenna array (to look good) because its hard to tell which antenna will respond to science (not to mention symmetry and what not). One solution is to have "Extend", "Retract", and "Toggle". (but thats a discussion for after this gets put in suggestions & bug reports)

[Bloody_looser]

Glad to see antennae enthusiasts out there.

I like antennae, and I like them extended.

As for multi-antenna setups the best one is always used for transmissions.

If all antennae are the same, well it seems to be kinda random. Or at least I didn't see any logic in it.

Assigning all of them to the same action group (toggle) does the trick.

So, you have all of them extended. You transmit, one of them folds and gets stuck.

Then you hit your action button, the rest of them fold. Press it again - all your antennae are up and erect again.

[Tex_NL]

Assigning all of them to the same action group (toggle) does the trick.

So, you have all of them extended. You transmit, one of them folds and gets stuck.

Then you hit your action button, the rest of them fold. Press it again - all your antennae are up and erect again.

I can confirm this method to be correct and effective.

[AbacusWizard]

I do often link all the antennas to a hotkey if I have any hotkeys left, but on all but the simplest vessels I often have all of them reserved for some other purpose already.

[Tex_NL]

I do often link all the antennas to a hotkey if I have any hotkeys left, but on all but the simplest vessels I often have all of them reserved for some other purpose already.

Action Groups Extended

[klesh]

Assigning all of them to the same action group (toggle) does the trick.

So, you have all of them extended. You transmit, one of them folds and gets stuck.

Then you hit your action button, the rest of them fold. Press it again - all your antennae are up and erect again.

Once reopened via action groups, can they be re-closed via right click? I'll have to test that out.

[Guest]

They STILL not fixed it?!!!

My threads:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/106735-Communotron-88-88-stuck

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/94185-fix-sounds-and-antennas

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/113768-Science-lab

I think everyone of us have at least one "Damn antennas" thread in support sub-forum!

[Windspren]

Put 'toggle" on a hotkey. Works even after you lose the ability to extend it via right click.

Edit- Ninja'd!

Actually, it doesn't. I just tried it on my scanning probe and it didn't work.

[annallia]

Actually, it doesn't. I just tried it on my scanning probe and it didn't work.

Really? I never had it fail. I just ran into the bug in my newest career, I hit the hotkey and all the extended antennae retracted, hit it again and they all extended.

[Guest]

True, there is a bug, probably still not fixed in 1.x.x

Reproduce (0.9) :

Extend Antenna.

Leave it extended.

Transmit data from capsule or science device.

//Antenna will retract by itself.

//You cannot extend it now from right-click menu anymore.

//But next science transmission will extend-transmit-retract again.

//But you can extend it from action group key, and I think it fixes it, at least until next time.

P.S.

It's about fifth time I posting it on this forum, many users confirmed bug.

[klesh]

Actually, it doesn't. I just tried it on my scanning probe and it didn't work.

I just tried it too, with different results.

probe, battery, thermometer, launch clamp, the 3 antennae set to toggle on action group 1

cycled the action group a few times, it works. Temp reading, transmit, game chooses communotron-88. It finishes and closes.

action group 1 pressed, nothing happens. Action group 1 pressed again resulting in the communotron-88 reopening, the communotron-16 and the DTS or whatever the middle one is called both closed!

I have the full right click control over the 2 antenna that were used to transmit, and only action group control over the one that did transmit. Its easy enough to set the other two back to match the action group controlled antenna.

[Archgeek]

As for multi-antenna setups the best one is always used for transmissions.

If all antennae are the same, well it seems to be kinda random. Or at least I didn't see any logic in it.

Knowing how some things are coded, I'd say it's likely along the lines of "The first one placed on the antenna bearing part closest to the craft root", since the game's craft function logic radiates outward from the root of a craft in a depth-first search, and when things are in the same node of the tree they tend to be simple lists ordered by placement.