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

[K3-Chris]

Got 2 bugs I've encounted in the .22 release and in some prior.

1: "Execute node" and similar operations don't turn off Smart A.S.S. you can sit pointing the direction you set it to for ages and nothing will happen until you manually turn if off, used to take priority over it.

2: Landing guidance around duna is messed up, not sure why specifically duna, but it is, been going on since .20 or so, I'll try to describe what happens: Set a specific point of the surface as your target, perhaps a location you've decided upon, perhaps another craft, MJ will execute the de-orbit burn (side note: possible to get craft to turn before they warp to the de-orbit burn similar to how they turn before warping to a node? Some slower turning craft can overshoot the burn point quite badly) after the de-orbit burn the blue estimated landing location marker is way short of the target, like 1/4 of the way to it along the surface, if you turn the landing guidance module off and re-enable the landing location estimate the blue marker moves to pretty close to your previous target, if you leave the landing guidance on it will do a "course adjustment" that burns you into an ever-increasing orbit and finally leaves the SOI of duna entirely.

I can get it to work semi-manually by letting it do the de-orbit burn, manually tweak the estimated landing and target indicators close to each other on my own and then use "land anywhere" when closer to the surface

Not sure if a bug or not but it would be nice if MJ re-enabled SAS after you disable SmartASS like it did before, or at least have the option.

[willow]

I noticed this changeset comment in the jenkins changes list (Changed landing position drawing and picking to use terrain height) I tried to read the code but I don't quite get it.

Is this a change to the map scene? Or does this mean the ground landing marker is being added to the flightscene? Because it'd be totally awesome there!

[Roxette]

... I enabled force roll, 0 degrees in docking autopilot and the ship rotated 90 degrees instead of keeping the same orientation SASS used.

Since the control parts and target parts were not changed between SASS control and Docking Autopilot control, the roll should not have changed.

I believe the roll specified in the docking autopilot is specifically referenced to the orientation of the docking ports, irrespective of how the ship as a whole is oriented. That is to say at zero degrees the ports will be aligned with their 'letter-box' markings facing the same direction.

[sarbian]

Yes, if you turn the port when building the ship then the docking angle will change too.

@K3|Chris : I ll work on this SAS bug this week. I know why it does that but I need to find a clean way to correct it. As I said earlier in the thread there is one thing bothering me : I don't see how it could have worked in earlier version, or I missed something obvious.

As for the landing on Duna : I have seen this earlier but I'll need to dissect the whole landing AP code apart, and that's not the funniest thing to do But it's on my list, since I had problem landing there too.

Right now I enjoy a few days away from the code and play KSP for a change, so please wait for a few days. I'll look into the pile of bugs, half merged patch and FAR compat later this week.

[Starwaster]

I had two ships both with control set to a docking port and the other ship's docking port as the target. I then set one ship to Kill Rot then on the other ship (the one to be doing the docking) I turned on force roll in SASS with a setting of 0 degrees.

I then turned off force roll, then click OFF on SASS so it'd go to auto when I enabled docking autopilot. Then I enabled force roll, 0 degrees in docking autopilot and the ship rotated 90 degrees instead of keeping the same orientation SASS used.

Since the control parts and target parts were not changed between SASS control and Docking Autopilot control, the roll should not have changed.

Easiest thing to test for here: Are the handles on the two docked ports lined up with each other? If so then Force Roll is working the way it should be.

[AndreyATGB]

Could you implement a function in MJ's custom node editor to snap it to a specific angle to prograde? This would be very useful for interplanetary travel. Also I'd like the option for shifting time in a node to be like the prograde and others, with a + and - rather than having to type - myself.

[Tanya Sapien]

While using a probe in Career mode, I encountered a bug with throttle. The only utilities I'd used thusfar in the flight were limit to terminal velocity and the maneuver planner. While I do have other mods installed, the only components available from other mods which were present on the craft in question were fuel tanks with default liquidfuel and oxidizer resoources in them and red LED's from B9 aerospace, neither of which should have interacted with throttle in any way. The only global mods that are present are Lazor System (which wasn't unlocked yet in that career save) Chatterer, and Hyperedit (Which I hadn't used for anything yet)

The bug itself is an issue with the pause menu detecting if the ship is throttled up. After successfully landing the probe on Ike, I wanted to go to the tracking station to check on another mission, however the pause menu indicated that I was still throttled up and that an attempt to go to the space center would revert the flight, picture below:

Time warp functions still behaved as normal, and as you can see from the image, no utilities are displaying the green text of being active, no maneuver nodes are present, and the throttle itself is at 0%. I exited the pause menu and pressed X to kill all throttle, no change. I toggled utilities on and off, no change. I attempted setting the throttle limit value to 0% and then -1% neither of those fixed it either. Performing a quicksave and then loading that did, however, fix the issue, and I was then able to return to the space center.

I have no idea how the internal architecture of the game nor of mechjeb works, so I can't identify what could have caused this. I did immediately save and backup that save instance, so if additional information is needed, I can load it up to gather the data for you.

[Galane]

Yes, if you turn the port when building the ship then the docking angle will change too.

I never rotate docking ports, they just go on the ship how ever the VAB sticks them on. Is SASS *not* aligning force roll to the docking ports even when *both ships* are being controlled from their docking ports and targeting the controlling port on the other ship?

Same ports, same control, same targets should equal same roll angle in both SASS and Docking Autopilot.

-------------

Another issue I had last night with build 102 is with maneuver planner and two ships docked end to end, each with a single engine pointing in opposite directions. With one engine disabled and the control part selected on the ship with the active engine, it was hit or miss if it would throttle up when the time came to change the periapsis or circularize.

It would rotate to get into position then sometimes it'd auto warp, sometimes not but instead of throttling up it would just fly past the node. Then I changed active engines and control parts and it'd work correctly *one time*. Then it'd fail to throttle up again until I switched active engines and control parts.

For example, I'd set the active engine and control part then quicksave. If it didn't throttle up I'd reload, change ends and it would do the periapsis change burn at apoapsis. So I'd quicksave and try to circularize at periapsis. Nope, no throttle action until I'd change active ends on the docked pair of ships. I was being careful to make sure the controlling part was always on the same ship as the active engine. (Learned that one when my little deorbitizer probe almost managed to push a piece of space junk to a Mun intercept from LKO because I'd left control on the docking port of the booster I wanted to bring down.)

It would always turn the correct direction to aim the active engine for the burn, but just wasn't running the throttle half the time. Took quite a while and many saves and reloads to get the orbit down to 15KM circular from the 16~17KM slightly elliptical orbit the ships had been pushed into after several dockings and Kethane transfers and fuel conversions. I could have undocked the two halves of the refinery/fuel depot and changed orbits separately, but that would've used more of the painstakingly harvested fuel to rendezvous and re-dock.

Those little puffs of RCS to back away after undocking can accumulate into some fairly large orbit changes over time.

Would it be possible for landing guidance and maneuver planner to detect and warn when there are no active engines on the same side of a docking port as the active control part? "Warning: No active engines on the controlling ship. Thrust may not go the direction you want." For example, if you have a booster with a probe core and a docking port but no fuel, then dock something with fuel to it so it can be de-orbited but forget to set control from here to the half of the docked pair with the fuel and active engine, Landing Guidance will aim the wrong direction and burn all the fuel going up and out with a prograde burn instead of a retrograde one. User error, would be nice if MJ could say "Hey, this might not do what you want, are you sure you got this right?".

[Dzuari]

I can't seem to get this to load in my game. I've tried placing the DLL in;

KSP\plugins

KSP\GameData\Squad\Plugins

KSP\GameData\Plugins

and the parts in

KSP\Parts

KSP\GameData\Squad\Parts

KSP\GameData\Parts

Nothing seems to work, can someone tell me what i'm doign wrong?

[AndreyATGB]

Structure should be \Kerbal Space Program\GameData\MechJeb102\Plugins. Mine is called 102 so I can remember what build I'm using but it's irrelevant. The MJ folder should have parts as well. If it doesn't load in career, you need to "buy" it from the tech tree.

[Dzuari]

Structure should be \Kerbal Space Program\GameData\MechJeb102\Plugins. Mine is called 102 so I can remember what build I'm using but it's irrelevant. The MJ folder should have parts as well. If it doesn't load in career, you need to "buy" it from the tech tree.

I tried a KSP\GameData\MechJeb Folder also but that doesn't work either.

Edit: Nvm, got it, thanks.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Johnno
Merged posts

[sarbian]

OS ? Antivirus ? Where is your game installed (avoid program files) ? Other mods with dll work ?

[therealcrow999]

I came across other threads about Antivirus. I am using free Avast, what is there to do to allow this or any other game to run a little better?

OS ? Antivirus ? Where is your game installed (avoid program files) ? Other mods with dll work ?

[Damaske]

Not sure if this has been talked about, but i have been having trouble with the auto-land on the spaceplane Guidance thingy. It keeps crashing me into the ground before the runway, or it will nail the hilly area from space approach. I can not land to save my life (or jeb's) so to have this working will help with my space plane testing. I do not adjust anything and still have it on the 3 for the autoland glideslope. ALSO does that auto-land control the throttle also or are you meant to manually adjust it yourself?

Other than those i really do LOVE this mod makes it so easy for me to fly, meet up and join other ships together as with move about the Kerbalverse.

[Nompl]

I think the MechJeb Part is causing a bug for me. If my vehicle is under great acceleration oder slowed down the "mass centre" of my vehicle seems to shift. The camera is rotating around 20 meters away of the craft and if i turn the ship is also rotating around the "new mass centre". I already tried to uninstall any other mods but the bug still persist. Does anybody else has the same problem or even a solution?

Sorry if this has already been postet.

[MDBenson]

Someone's likely already mentioned this by now but the Land at Target function has some fairly painful issues in several places. It doesn't seem very stable when executing de-orbit and correctional burns at high altitude, and when I tried to land on Mun with a craft I tested extensively and repeatedly and found to be well balanced and a good performing lander on Kerbin, it went ape-**** when it got near the ground (possible error when zeroing horizontal velocity?) and flipped my lander upside-down and crashed it.

I can land the same lander flawlessly with the 'Land Anywhere' option, and also using a vertical velocity hold plugin it handles in vertical flight perfectly, it has ample and well balanced RCS. I can't find anything wrong with the lander itself.

If you'd like me to test more extensively around different bodies/planets etc. and see what happens I'll gladly do so using Hyperedit and some time.

[Damaske]

Someone's likely already mentioned this by now but the Land at Target function has some fairly painful issues in several places. It doesn't seem very stable when executing de-orbit and correctional burns at high altitude, and when I tried to land on Mun with a craft I tested extensively and repeatedly and found to be well balanced and a good performing lander on Kerbin, it went ape-**** when it got near the ground (possible error when zeroing horizontal velocity?) and flipped my lander upside-down and crashed it.

I can land the same lander flawlessly with the 'Land Anywhere' option, and also using a vertical velocity hold plugin it handles in vertical flight perfectly, it has ample and well balanced RCS. I can't find anything wrong with the lander itself.

If you'd like me to test more extensively around different bodies/planets etc. and see what happens I'll gladly do so using Hyperedit and some time.

I have no troubles with the landing assistance it is just with the bloody spaceplane one that is messing up. I have no clue as to why it is doing that and crashing me. ONCE more i have no trouble with landing vertical except for a late burn to slow down to land, instead of a increasing burn till full power and then fade off as the craft settles to the ground.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Damaske
Stupid caps lock was on! !

[Starwaster]

I think the MechJeb Part is causing a bug for me. If my vehicle is under great acceleration oder slowed down the "mass centre" of my vehicle seems to shift. The camera is rotating around 20 meters away of the craft and if i turn the ship is also rotating around the "new mass centre". I already tried to uninstall any other mods but the bug still persist. Does anybody else has the same problem or even a solution?

Sorry if this has already been postet.

that's not MJ.

You say it happens during great acceleration so it sounds like part of the stack's connections broke. Press F3 when that happens. If it says that there was a failure in any connections then note the Max G's. Multiply that number by 9.82

The result is the upper acceleration limit for your craft. Keep it under that limit.

I prefer a value of 21 m/s. It's a little excessively cautious but it's also good for fuel conservation.

[Nompl]

that's not MJ.

You say it happens during great acceleration so it sounds like part of the stack's connections broke. Press F3 when that happens. If it says that there was a failure in any connections then note the Max G's. Multiply that number by 9.82

The result is the upper acceleration limit for your craft. Keep it under that limit.

I prefer a value of 21 m/s. It's a little excessively cautious but it's also good for fuel conservation.

Hmm ok, tried it again. No connections broke and happend again only with MechJeb attached.

http://puu.sh/5gEqV/db61ff4562.jpg

[BigD145]

Landing is "by the seat of your pants". Mechjeb can be hard on a vehicle by going full burn at the last second. It sounds like your vehicle has some structural failure or instability.

[Starwaster]

Hmm ok, tried it again. No connections broke and happend again only with MechJeb attached.

http://puu.sh/5gEqV/db61ff4562.jpg

What other parts is that ship made from?

[buckau]

I do not know if I am in the correct place but I would like to get some help with Mechjeb 2.1. First off I would like to say I love the app it’s the best,

But I am having a problem with using it to dock when I use the Clamp-O-Tron SR Docking port. It always goes and sets itself up alongside the target docking port, it never lines up to the Docking port. It works well with all the other Clamp-O-Tron Docking ports. Is this a problem that I alone am having or have others had it?

I have figured out that the Clamp-O-Tron SR Docking port has a + side and a – side but that does not seem to make much difference.

I would appreciate any help I can get

Thanks

Edited November 13, 2013 by buckau

[Starwaster]

I do not know if I am in the correct place but I would like to get some help with Mechjeb 2.1. First off I would like to say I love the app it’s the best,

But I am having a problem with using it to dock when I use the Clamp-O-Tron SR Docking port. It always goes and sets itself up alongside the target docking port, it never lines up to the Docking port. It works well with all the other Clamp-O-Tron Docking ports. Is this a problem that I alone am having or have others had it?

I have figured out that the Clamp-O-Tron SR Docking port has a + side and a – side but that does not seem to make much difference.

I would appreciate any help I can get

Thanks

Sounds like you have one or both of the ports on backwards. I've docked those ports using MJ before with no trouble. There's nothing unusual about them that would prevent MJ from docking them.

[Balorn]

Sounds like you have one or both of the ports on backwards. I've docked those ports using MJ before with no trouble. There's nothing unusual about them that would prevent MJ from docking them.

To add on a bit to that, the wiki has nice illustrations showing the right orientation. I've used Mechjeb to dock with them many times on my refueling depots.

[Nompl]

What other parts is that ship made from?

All other parts are stockparts. But as already mentioned I tried several times to reproduce the bug with the same vehicle without mechjeb part. Found out that it only happens with AR202 case not with the pod version.