[WIP][1.8.x] SSTULabs - Low Part Count Solutions (Orbiters, Landers, Lifters) - Dev Thread [11-18-18]

[vossiewulf]

Mage, I'm having a problem with the science part of the DOS LAB. I'm using that mod that allows you to send science data to any existing mobile processing lab, and I sent a bunch of science data to the DOS LAB, and a bunch went to my Mun Pathfinder base where I have a Doc Science lab. In the latter case, it worked fine, turn on research and they're churning away on turning that science data into more science data.

However when I checked the DOS LAB, even though research was turned on, the UI said that the lab had 0 data and 0 science, but when I hit the Transmit Data button, all that science I had sent to the station was sent to KSC. So it received the data and some part of it knew it had data, but the science lab didn't see that data and didn't do any research on it. Can you check to see if there is a problem there?

[vossiewulf]

Back again, this problem is a real problem for me at the moment  What happens is the LAB intercepts all data sent to the station, and some part of it knows it has data because that data can be retransmitted to KSC, but the science part of the lab thinks there is no data. Further, the WBI workshops that have a "grab data" function say that the LAB has no data even though it does- I was hoping that by adding a Bigby workshop I could just have it grab the data from the LAB but no go.

The problem is that I made the LAB the core of the station, with a 1.25 hub on one end and a 2.5m hub on the other. To fix this myself, my only option is to detach 8 modules that are attached to the LAB and then reattach them all to say a HAB unit with the proper hubs on each end. It's technically feasible, but detaching 8 modules, three of which weigh 30t+, getting them to stop at relative rest to each other, and then redocking all of them to a new central hub is probably not going to be fun.

[Shadowmage]

@vossiewulf Sounds like your problems are with whatever 'science moving' mod you are using.

Or rather, if the DOS-LAB part functions poperly by itself (e.g. generates science, stores science, can transmit), then whatever the problem is must be with your 'science moving mod'.  I don't do anything special with science modules -- the part uses the stock science lab and storage container modules.  Thus, there is nothing in SSTU code that could be causing those types of problems.

Now, if the LAB part doesn't work properly for the stock science-lab functions -- then that might be something I can fix up, as it is likely a configuration error (because, again, I don't do anything with plugin code regarding science modules or functions).

 

In order for me to diagnose what is going on with that other mod I'll need to know what it is called.  There is a very high probability that they have 'hard coded' support for special parts and/or mods, and SSTU simply isn't on their special handling list.

What is the name of the mod, and do you have forum and/or github links for it?

[vossiewulf]

2 minutes ago, Shadowmage said:

@vossiewulf Sounds like your problems are with whatever 'science moving' mod you are using.

Or rather, if the DOS-LAB part functions poperly by itself (e.g. generates science, stores science, can transmit), then whatever the problem is must be with your 'science moving mod'.  I don't do anything special with science modules -- the part uses the stock science lab and storage container modules.  Thus, there is nothing in SSTU code that could be causing those types of problems.

Now, if the LAB part doesn't work properly for the stock science-lab functions -- then that might be something I can fix up, as it is likely a configuration error (because, again, I don't do anything with plugin code regarding science modules or functions).

 

In order for me to diagnose what is going on with that other mod I'll need to know what it is called.  There is a very high probability that they have 'hard coded' support for special parts and/or mods, and SSTU simply isn't on their special handling list.

What is the name of the mod, and do you have forum and/or github links for it?

The mod is DMagic's Science Relay, one of his modlets. It seems required to me if you're going to have orbital/Mun-Minmus-other planets bases with mobile processing labs, they need data to work and this is the only method I know of being able to choose whether you transmit data to KSC or to a lab for processing into much more science.

You could be right. But the reason I think it's the LAB is that none of the science functions are working. I have plenty of researchkits on hand, and turned on research as soon as it was in orbit, and it's produced exactly zero science, there has been no science to transmit at all.

It's WBI that hard codes a valid parts list, if you ever decide to try to integrate with his science APIs, be aware that your stuff won't work unless he modifies his configs to accept your parts as valid WBI workshops. I found this out when I sent up BDB's Holukani-OWS Orbital Workshop only to find that nothing worked and when I looked in WBI's configs I found this hard-coded list and that part wasn't listed. I had to go back in time quite a bit and replace that with the nearly identical Bigby Orbital Workshop that does exist in the WBI hard-coded list.

[Shadowmage]

Just now, vossiewulf said:

But the reason I think it's the LAB is that none of the science functions are working. I have plenty of researchkits on hand,

What is a 'research-kit'?  Certainly it is not stock.... ?

(which is why I think this is all related to the mods you are using)

[vossiewulf]

1 minute ago, Shadowmage said:

What is a 'research-kit'?  Certainly it is not stock.... ?

(which is why I think this is all related to the mods you are using)

Researchkits are part of WBI's science system that is closely integrated with the WBI Extraplanetary Launchpads functionality. I forgot that your LAB doesn't use them. I have a different science workshop on the station that does.

But to be clear, all I did with the LAB was hit the Start Research button, and it was manned with one two-star and two one-star scientists, and in a few weeks in orbit they've produced zero science.

WBI's science workshops all require researchkits, and since I have one of those on the station also I have a few thousand researchkits available. Also 22k rocketparts with the EL orbital workshop and an orbital building dock.

Here's the mod ecosystem, I think it's pretty mainstream and I've tried to cut much back on where I was before.

[Shadowmage]

1 hour ago, vossiewulf said:

But to be clear, all I did with the LAB was hit the Start Research button, and it was manned with one two-star and two one-star scientists, and in a few weeks in orbit they've produced zero science.

Did you load the lab with science reports first? (sorry, gotta check the obvious...)

I'll do some quick testing this evening to see if the stock-science lab portion of those parts works in my dev setup; that will at least let us know if it is a part config problem, or a mod conflict/config problem.

[vossiewulf]

1 hour ago, Shadowmage said:

Did you load the lab with science reports first? (sorry, gotta check the obvious...)

I'll do some quick testing this evening to see if the stock-science lab portion of those parts works in my dev setup; that will at least let us know if it is a part config problem, or a mod conflict/config problem.

If you mean did I run regular science experiments like magnetometer data, no, sending up science bits on a station in LKO where I've already scienced space to death doesn't result in any useful science data. The plan was simply to transmit data to it from experiments run elsewhere, I've done that in the past with the Station Science mod, its basic science module can process data from local experiments or those transmitted to it. Honestly I thought there was no difference from the science module's standpoint, they have a data queue and they shouldn't care where the data came from.

[Shadowmage]

22 minutes ago, vossiewulf said:

If you mean did I run regular science experiments like magnetometer data, no, sending up science bits on a station in LKO where I've already scienced space to death doesn't result in any useful science data. The plan was simply to transmit data to it from experiments run elsewhere, I've done that in the past with the Station Science mod, its basic science module can process data from local experiments or those transmitted to it. Honestly I thought there was no difference from the science module's standpoint, they have a data queue and they shouldn't care where the data came from.

In theory, it shouldn't matter where the science data comes from -- as long as the lab reports that it has science data to process, it should generate science points from it.  (of course, those are the stock mechanics, using stock modules, your mods might alter any/all of that...).

I just tested in a stock install, and the lab on the DOS-LAB works fine as far as stock mechanics and modules goes.  I can run an experiment, add the data to the lab for processing, click the 'Start Research' button, and it generates science points.

In the screenshot above, you can see where it lists 'Data 1/750', and 'Rate 0.0243/day' -- those are the important stats that state that the part is working properly.

Could you please provide a screenshot of the LAB's right-click menu (such as the one above), showing its data/science values/other stats?

[vossiewulf]

You're right, it works when it knows it has data. I did a crew report which was 0 value but apparently processing it offered 30 science points so I did that and they are now sciencing on that data. So the question would be why do the guys in the science lab not know they have science data when it's transmitted to them. It's not like that transmission fails, it's received and can be retransmitted to KSC so some part of the LAB knows that data is there.

[vossiewulf]

And the answer is yes, yes you can replace the DOS LAB core of an 11-module, 229 ton space station with a DOS HAB unit. I took it as a challenge. The only problem was that I didn't notice that those jerks Jeb and Bob and Bill had snuck aboard the HAB when I wasn't looking. The DOS modules I had to manual dock, the rest I just got close and then turned over to MJ to make sure of the rotation. I have no issues docking manually, but I have a hard time getting that lined up and getting the rotation right.

[Bombaatu]

@vossiewulf - One thing I've found with Science Relay is that when experiments are transmitted to a station, they don't go to the lab directly. Instead they go to a command pod or some other part capable of holding experiments. Right-click all of your parts and see if you see 'Review Data (<some number>)'. If so, click it - from there, you should be able to send it to the lab.

 

[Qwarkk]

I'm having a problem with the SSTU parts not keeping their height / color / texture settings. After creating a craft and saving it, when i reload or launch the craft im left with something like this:

It is most common with the tank parts, but has happened with the SRBs too - in both cases they weirdly keep their volume settings.

anyone else having this issue?

[Kablob]

17 hours ago, Qwarkk said:

I'm having a problem with the SSTU parts not keeping their height / color / texture settings. After creating a craft and saving it, when i reload or launch the craft im left with something like this:

It is most common with the tank parts, but has happened with the SRBs too - in both cases they weirdly keep their volume settings.

anyone else having this issue?

Yeah, I get the same thing in the 1.4.x versions. Have to manually change the tank settings every time I reload a craft file.

[Shadowmage]

On 8/12/2018 at 2:03 PM, Qwarkk said:

I'm having a problem with the SSTU parts not keeping their height / color / texture settings. After creating a craft and saving it, when i reload or launch the craft im left with something like this:

It is most common with the tank parts, but has happened with the SRBs too - in both cases they weirdly keep their volume settings.

anyone else having this issue?

 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 7:35 AM, Kablob said:

Yeah, I get the same thing in the 1.4.x versions. Have to manually change the tank settings every time I reload a craft file.

 

Thanks for the report, and confirmation.  I've opened an issue ticket regarding the problem here: https://github.com/shadowmage45/SSTULabs/issues/730

Please feel free to add any other relevant information to that ticket -- log files, steps to reproduce, etc.  Will try to confirm if it exists in an otherwise clean setup, and if so, should be able to have it fixed for the next release (hopefully 'soon').

 

In general development news:

Nearing completion on a major project at work and, barring some crazy management decisions, hopefully my schedule will be easing up in the next few weeks.  If it all works out I should be able to devote more time and brainpower to finishing up the outstanding 'rework' conversions, and maybe get back to actual development work on the list of planned parts.

I intend on releasing a bug-fix release that fixes most of the recently reported issues sometime this weekend; many of the fixes are already in place, needs some quick testing and packaging/uploading.  It won't address all of the outstanding issues, but will tackle many of the more mod-breaking problems (such as the one reported above).

[space_powder]

I placed the SSTU - ST - COS - LAB 2, I clicked Configure Containers, and now I can't click anything. I can't even exit the VAB

[Shadowmage]

Updated release is available:

https://github.com/shadowmage45/SSTULabs/releases/tag/0.8.43.153

Fixes for a few outstanding issues, mostly related to SRB and MUS parts.  Hopefully the next update will only be a week or two out, and should fix up most of the remaining outstanding issues.

 

[T-10a]

aw yiss, SSTU update with all of the major issues I've been having recently fixed 

[DScamp]

On 8/13/2018 at 6:35 AM, Kablob said:

Yeah, I get the same thing in the 1.4.x versions. Have to manually change the tank settings every time I reload a craft file.

It happens to me every time I load a craft/subassembly with a kerolox variant MFT tank.

[tater]

@Shadowmage

So NASA is apparently using SSTU to recolor their rockets...

 

Edited September 7, 2018 by tater

[Shadowmage]

On 9/1/2018 at 8:00 PM, DScamp said:

It happens to me every time I load a craft/subassembly with a kerolox variant MFT tank.

Thanks for the confirmation;  are there precise steps that reproduce the problem, or is it a bit more random?

(So far I've been unable to reproduce the issue during testing, so have not been able to proceed any further with investigations; has been reported multiple times, so I have no doubt that there is a problem... I just haven't been able to see it yet)

[RaiderMan]

2 hours ago, tater said:

@Shadowmage

So NASA is apparently using SSTU to recolor their rockets...

 

wait...what?

[tater]

1 hour ago, RaiderMan said:

wait...what?

It was a sounding rocket they launched today. I refer to the novel (and shiny!) color scheme. Looks straight out of SSTU:

(right click and "view image" lets you get tot he giant version)

Edited September 7, 2018 by tater

[DScamp]

10 hours ago, Shadowmage said:

Thanks for the confirmation;  are there precise steps that reproduce the problem, or is it a bit more random?

(So far I've been unable to reproduce the issue during testing, so have not been able to proceed any further with investigations; has been reported multiple times, so I have no doubt that there is a problem... I just haven't been able to see it yet)

Unfortunately it seems to be random...it seems to happen more often with the LV and MUS tanks. After I reload the craft a few times, the problem seems to not manifest itself as often anymore. This happens with sub-assemblies and craft files btw.

I do have a lengthy list of mods installed so I am afraid I won't be as much of a help. Maybe it could be a problem with B9PartSwitch & ISFS installed together? Anyways, let me know if I could do anything to help. Your work is immensely appreciated! 

[Shadowmage]

On 9/7/2018 at 7:50 PM, DScamp said:

Unfortunately it seems to be random...it seems to happen more often with the LV and MUS tanks. After I reload the craft a few times, the problem seems to not manifest itself as often anymore. This happens with sub-assemblies and craft files btw.

I do have a lengthy list of mods installed so I am afraid I won't be as much of a help. Maybe it could be a problem with B9PartSwitch & ISFS installed together? Anyways, let me know if I could do anything to help. Your work is immensely appreciated! 

Thanks for the confirm.

I guess I'll have to do some extended testing sessions to see if I can trigger the problem.  Hopefully I'll get a few hours later this week to bash at it --- likely won't take long to fix the problem once I find where it is.