Need Help Attached Subassemblies/Merged Assemblies

[Phanixis]

I want to attached a small rocket to a spaceplane using radial decomplers to place the rocket on top of the spaceplane. Both the rocket and spaceplane designs are already completed. After loading the spaceplane in the hanger, I add the rocket by using the merge function. However, I am only allowed to attach the nose of the rocket to the spaceplane, no other parts of the rocket will make attachments no matter what I do. How do I get the program to allow me to attach the side of the rocket to the spaceplane's radial decouplers, rather than the nose?

Thanks for the help.

[Kerbal01]

ive also ran in

to this issue, help would be appreciated.

[Starhawk]

Open the rocket in the VAB or SPH. Use the 'Root' gizmo (#4) and select the part you will want to attach by as the root part. Save the craft.

When you merge, you should now be able to attach the rocket the way you want.

Happy landings!

[Phanixis]

Open the rocket in the VAB or SPH. Use the 'Root' gizmo (#4) and select the part you will want to attach by as the root part. Save the craft.

When you merge, you should now be able to attach the rocket the way you want.

Happy landings!

This almost works. I set the root part to the section of the rocket I want to attached, and now I can correctly attach the rocket to the radial decoupler on top of the spaceplane, but now the command pod comes off of the rocket when I merge it. It is almost like the program is still trying to grab the rocket by the command pod when it first loads the part and then realizes it is no longer the root part, removing it from the rest of the rocket. And once removed, it can no longer be reattached to the subassembly, rendering the whole subassembly worthless. I tried making the command pod one of the two root parts but then it goes right back to attaching only to the command pod again. Its a real pain in the rear.

Any idea how to work around this problem?

Thanks.

[Starhawk]

Well. I was only going by theory. When I tried it, I got the same result as you.

Looks like it's bug report time.

As far as workarounds go, try saving the rocket as a sub-assembly. You have to click the little 'Enable Advanced Mode' tab at the top left to access the sub-assemblies. I have successfully used these to attach craft to other craft.

Happy landings!

[Phanixis]

I never even noticed the subassemblies tab. Too many things in this game or either hidden or not obvious. This is much more elegant than merging ships, but unfortunately succumbs to almost the same problems. I can again only attach the subassembly by either the nose or the tail. If I attempt to set new roots so I can attach it to radial decouplers, this time I am informed that it is not a valid subassembly.

[Starhawk]

OK. Try this. Create the sub-assembly from scratch, starting with the part you will eventually want to use to attach to the decouplers. The correct part will then be the root. Save this craft as a sub-assembly. Load the other part of the craft, and you should now be able to attach the sub-assembly in the desired manner.

Hope this helps.

Happy landings!