[PART, 1.0.2] Anatid Robotics / MuMech - MechJeb - Autopilot - Historical thread

[Innuce]

Docking/Undocking Freezes Controls Update:

Ok, I think I figured this mess out. It is in fact related to the Octagonal Struts (both kinds).

I was told to put something inbetween Octagonal Struts and docking ports since the struts have some kind of physics problem. Well, that didn't solve the problem. It happened less frequently, but it was still there.

I believe the difinitive solution is to not use the Octagonal Struts anywhere between ANY docking ports and your main craft. I had removed the Octagonal Struts from the side ports on my craft, but not the one on the nose, and it still had problems even if I used the side docking ports.

I basically created 2 sets of crafts. One set with a single Octagonal Strut on the nose, one set without. The one with the Octagonal Strut would lock up the controls no matter how I docked, nose to nose or onto the side (without Octagonal Struts). The set without Octagonal Struts never gave me any problems at all.

As for large space stations. I cannot verify at what point Ocatagonal Struts will have an impact on your craft. If they simply cannot be between docking ports and a major piece like a fuel tank? Clear line to the nearest SAS? Command module?

All my testing was with the assistance of MechJeb2 Dev build 65, no other mods installed.

This is the successful test crafts I used...

[Pinguinpanic]

Hey I'm here for a bit of help. I just installed the newest MechJeb because I'm having a lot of problem docking two rather big (50 ton) ships. However all MechJeb says is that I need to select a target. I have tried numerous ways of selecting a target but none seem to work. So how do I pick a target in MechJeb?

[HoY]

Just a question, why do you use those struts on docking ports? The docking ports are radially mountable by default, and as far as I know that would be the only reason to have those two things installed together. Aside from being used to build tiny tiny rovers, or for surface mounting parts that can't surface mount by default, I didn't really think there was a use for them.

[Simplicity]

Try getting closer before engaging the docking autopilot.

The problem here is not with MechJeb, its with your docking method. You shouldn't change from approach to docking unless your 90meters or less and realative velocity is zero.

Thanks for that, I normally try not to get under 120m cause I fly BIG ships, and my stations are rather large, the closer I get the more chance I have for collisions and since the ships take a while to turn the value I set is a lot less by the time it finishes approach (ie: I set for 170m it is usually 120m by the time it finishes approach)

But will try it and see what happens..

[Fyrem]

my guess is to give him/her some extra space between the two ships.

[KhaosCorp]

Thanks for that, I normally try not to get under 120m cause I fly BIG ships, and my stations are rather large, the closer I get the more chance I have for collisions and since the ships take a while to turn the value I set is a lot less by the time it finishes approach (ie: I set for 170m it is usually 120m by the time it finishes approach)

But will try it and see what happens..

if your ships are so big your that worried about it you can build a lowpower retro thrust system onto your ships. I use the tiny orange radial engines for this, since during a docking approach (esp under 500meters) should be done slow,y ya don't even need to use that many. Then just hotkey all your engines in one group, and all your retro engines into another. This way you can adjust your relative velocity up or down without the need for a U-turn.

[Innuce]

my guess is to give him/her some extra space between the two ships.

Yes, as you can see it makes for a little space between the Jumbo tanks. That's what I wanted in case I need to mount something else inbetween there such as RCS.

Also, the Octagonal Struts are very light weight compared to anything else you can mount radially, or vertically for that matter. The next lightest parts are the Oscar-B tanks or one of those really small decouplers (which don't mount radially). The BZ-52 Radial Attachment Points I used on the side weigh .04 compared to the .001 for Octagonal Struts. Also, there's a clearance issue with my lifter stage, so I needed something low-profile.

I guess I didn't have to put anything extra on top, I just liked it sticking out more. Sometimes need things elevated more.

The bottom line is, there's a bug with those parts, so they should either be made not to attach to docking ports, or fixed. I'm thinking fixing them would be the easier solution.

Other than that, I use the Cubic Octagonal Struts for all kinds of things like extending the reach of landing gear, or mounting things in other useful places.

[Simplicity]

if your ships are so big your that worried about it you can build a lowpower retro thrust system onto your ships. I use the tiny orange radial engines for this, since during a docking approach (esp under 500meters) should be done slow,y ya don't even need to use that many. Then just hotkey all your engines in one group, and all your retro engines into another. This way you can adjust your relative velocity up or down without the need for a U-turn.

ooo sounds just what I need, but in all honesty I wouldn't have a clue about setting that up. (I can setup hotkeys no problem) - this thread http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/32839-!-The-death-of-a-Station will show you a picture of one of my payloads going up (the second group of pictures under the replies show you better shots of it) - I presume that I should put the retro thrusters on the outside tanks above the engines.

If ya wanna reply maybe do it in the thread I pointing at, that way the mechjeb thread isn't hi-jacked, I would hate to upset anyone

[The_Duck]

Hi all,

I've finally gotten around to improving the autostaging interface. If you've been annoyed by the behavior of autostaging in MJ2 you might try the latest dev build (download MechJeb2.dll and copy it over GameData/MechJeb2/Plugins/MechJeb2.dll). It may well have some bugs, but you can try it if you want.

In the dev build, the ascent AP autostaging toggle has been restricted so that it only applies to the ascent AP, and there is a new global autostaging toggle in the Utilities window (new name for the old Throttle Control window). The Utilities window also has an "Autostage once" button if you know you only want to trigger the single next stage automatically.

Try it out if you're feeling adventurous; any feedback would be helpful.

[Simplicity]

Try it out if you're feeling adventurous; any feedback would be helpful.

Heads over to download the dll

[KhaosCorp]

Is there a way to limit the amount MechJeb uses roll control in space? Or plans to adjust it in the future. MJ2 seems to waste a lot of time and more importantly monoprop just to align to a maneuver node. It will roll the ship this way and that for no reason at all, takes twice as long to hit a node as it would just using pitch/yaw control.

[theSpeare]

Is there some way to customize the MechJeb windows for a given vessel? As if we're trying to restrict just some given windows for the craft

[Simplicity]

Try it out if you're feeling adventurous; any feedback would be helpful.

Well I'm no expert or anything, but it worked perfectly for me, I made sure it was UN-ticked in Utilities, then I ticked it in ascent, and left it ticked when I finished the ascent..

Everything went perfectly, I dropped off a part at my new space station, then used the landing autopilot to land back at Kerban, and at no time did my stages all join together like they used to... - Great Job

[marius86000]

Is there a way to limit the amount MechJeb uses roll control in space? Or plans to adjust it in the future. MJ2 seems to waste a lot of time and more importantly monoprop just to align to a maneuver node. It will roll the ship this way and that for no reason at all, takes twice as long to hit a node as it would just using pitch/yaw control.

+1

Or don't let mechjeb use the rcs, majbe a toggleable option for that,...rcs on for manual controll and mechjeb for pitc/yaw/roll assistance.

Edited June 6, 2013 by marius86000

[randyre]

Had this problem with other versions as well, and can't figure out what's causing it. Mechjeb launches rocket just fine, Get to orbit at height I request, sets the node for circularizing the orbit, counts down, but never fires the engines,

Use maneuver editor and create any number of maneuvers, and same issue, it won't throttle up or fire engines.

Now the only thing I can see its happening on large complex rockets, if I build a simple rocket it works as it should.

Any ideas? Once I thought I was running out of electrical power, but added a bunch of batteries and still did not fix it.

Randy

[John FX]

ahhh, ok. I was hoping. It's kinda overlapping the resources area if you've got more the 3 resource types. I was hoping I could scootch it down about an inch fix that.

Any chance of making that draggable up-down?

It would be great to be adjustable. Currently on my large screen I have two tabs stuck in the topright overlapping each other when they are open with huge amounts of space surrounding them...

[John FX]

+1

Or don't let mechjeb use the rcs, majbe a toggleable option for that,...rcs on for manual controll and mechjeb for pitc/yaw/roll assistance.

I`d like to stop it controlling the roll with a toggle switch. Sometimes I have my angle (rotation) right for docking and just need to align. Mechjeb then rolls all around and always moves straight left to align instead of moving up and left to align (using less RCS and time). Also to have MJ not use RCS optionally would be great. Sometimes I want RCS on for myself and MJ to keep aligned to a maneuver node not using all my RCS

[Innuce]

I think you can toggle RCS thrusters with an action key. Not sure if MechJeb overrides this or not. Never tried.

What I would like to see is MechJeb use all available resources. Like using main rockets for moving forward, use torque for roll/yaw/pitch, then use RCS as a last resort for fine tuning or emergencies.

For larger crafts, this could be quite cumbersome and slow. Perhaps an aggressiveness setting?

[marius86000]

I think you can toggle RCS thrusters with an action key. Not sure if MechJeb overrides this or not. Never tried.

Only a toggle option is available.

[GeorgeT93]

I usually just press "R" to turn RCS on when I want MechJeb to use it, and then press it again when I want it to stop using RCS, and that seems to work fine. If I'm turning toward any given point in space, I'll press "R" to turn on RCS. Then MechJeb starts rotating the ship in the direction I want to be pointing. When the ship starts to roll towards that point, I turn RCS off until the point I'm aiming for is almost centered. Then I turn RCS back on so I don't drift past the point. Once Mechjeb fires the engines, I turn RCS back off again. This has been the only way I could figure out to conserve monopropellant.

[Climberfx]

B9 pack, engines are not showing info in the Propulsion, dV, power, etc...

Will it be added on Mechjeb?

[daver4470]

I usually just press "R" to turn RCS on when I want MechJeb to use it, and then press it again when I want it to stop using RCS, and that seems to work fine. If I'm turning toward any given point in space, I'll press "R" to turn on RCS. Then MechJeb starts rotating the ship in the direction I want to be pointing. When the ship starts to roll towards that point, I turn RCS off until the point I'm aiming for is almost centered. Then I turn RCS back on so I don't drift past the point. Once Mechjeb fires the engines, I turn RCS back off again. This has been the only way I could figure out to conserve monopropellant.

I do that too. However, the docking autopilot overrides your toggle, and uses the RCS whenever it decides it needs it. Which is, as you probably could guess, an awful lot.

The thing that bugs me about RCS and MechJeb is that MechJeb prioritizes RCS use (it seems) over everything else. Virtually every capsule I use can easily stay fixed on a heading using ASAS alone. But SmartASS prefers to fire every single RCS thruster to maintain an equilibrium of offsetting forces, ignoring the ASAS. I'd love to see changed logic, such that SmartASS thinks along the lines of "I've determined I need to turn 35 degrees to port. Do I have ASAS? If so, I use ASAS to turn, else I use RCS to turn. I now analyze my turning. If turning does not equal expected results, and I'm using ASAS, I now attempt maneuver with RCS, else I leave RCS off." And so forth. Which means that SmartASS and the MechJeb autopilots would only wind up using RCS for translation maneuvers, or for craft where ASAS turning is too slow or nonexistent, and not for every single pitch/roll/yaw maneuver, greatly increasing their RCS efficiency.

(Just my $.02, Duck....!)

EDIT: Also, MechJeb doesn't seem to prioritize engine gimbal control vs. RCS thrusting. Again, I find myself having to leave RCS off on launch, because if I don't, the ascent autopilot will just burn away RCS fuel to maintain a gravity turn that the main engine gimbal and/or the launcher ASAS could easily be maintaining. (And do, if you turn RCS off.) Which I think could be fixed using basically the same logic -- look at the most efficient way to do something first, then go to RCS only if the first option is insufficient.

Edited June 6, 2013 by daver4470

[GeorgeT93]

I do that too. However, the docking autopilot overrides your toggle...

Ahh! Well that would explain why I hadn't encountered that. According to Steam, I'm at around 187 hours played, but I still haven't even attempted a docking. So far, my focus has been on unmanned rovers after a successful manned trip to the Mun and back. Lately, I've been focusing on mapping out all the planets and their moons, so I've launched a number of satellites. But I haven't built a space station or anything else that I've needed to dock to (yet), so I had no idea that the docking autopilot overrides the RCS toggle. Guess I better plan on taking extra monopropellant with me when I am ready to start making docking maneuvers! LOL! Thanks for the info!

-George

[Space ghöst]

I wanted to let everybody know that with the help of The_Duck, the MechJeb1m part has been fixed to work with KSP 20.2. I've also had the pleasure of being asked to update the older MechJeb parts. The new updates shouldn't be more then a couple days or so, as I still have a few errands to do. Once completed the parts will be linked to the front page here.

Just remember that you'll need MechJeb2 installed for it to work properly.

MechJeb1m.zip (1.8 MB) - source included

https://mega.co.nz/#!p4pEFTAY!B264hRhrsUKCkOOFhHzUXQWTZ8FFfm6kgtbv-dYZmuQ

My blog post here. I hope you enjoy the part as much as I have.

[Schrimschrim]

How the hell can i install this addon.

I did everything what in the tutorial is written in.

I have copied the part the DLL.. all the files in the folders but there is no diffrence.

Maybe i have to activate the addon inside the game?

EDIT:

Everything what happened .. i have lost in the main menu the background of a planet. i just see now the Kerbin in background not a gray planet. and when i press on start game .. there still is the kerbin and not the crashed prober on the gray planet.

How can i fix this!?

Edited June 6, 2013 by Schrimschrim