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

[Tarrow]

I'm getting some errors with MJ on 0.23.5. The deltaV window stops updating and the log has this:

Same here (on both the quick release last night and also on the 198 release). A quicksave / quickload seems to resolve issue until the next staging event. Still managed to get myself a new pet rock with Jeb's help

edit: also no deltav displaying for ion engines. I'm working on an estimate of "lots of deltav".

Edited April 3, 2014 by Tarrow

[MaverickSawyer]

OK, anyone else having issues with the autowarp feature causing you to reach 50x time warp, then being spit out of time warp?

(I'm on Build 197)

[DMagic]

OK, anyone else having issues with the autowarp feature causing you to reach 50x time warp, then being spit out of time warp?

(I'm on Build 197)

This happened to me on a stock install yesterday (obviously without the autowarp, just using the regular keyboard command). I'll see about trying to repeat it and report it.

[Meridius]

having problems with docking. MJ cannot dock. I started a new game and built two "orion" style capsules with stock docking ports (clamp-o-tron). No dice, flies around using up monopropellant, then looses lock.

[aradapilot]

So it seems like people are using MJ 2.1.1 with ksp 0.23.5, but with some problems...when do we expect an update to MJ?

[Jean Deaux]

My MJ 2.1.1 isn't working at all. I get no menu's, no options, no nothing. Module is still available for adding/using, but it just doesn't do anything.

[FlexGunship]

BUG REPORT: During an ascent using the new two-engined LF booster, MechJeb did not adjust throttle based on the "limit to terminal velocity" option. All other options would limit the throttle. (I am using FAR but no other mods. Don't know if that matters.)

BUG REPORT: Delta-V calculator in VAB doesn't change when switching reference bodies.

[BigD145]

So it seems like people are using MJ 2.1.1 with ksp 0.23.5, but with some problems...when do we expect an update to MJ?

It was updated minutes/hours after .23.5 came out.

[Jay Carr]

Where's the update? I read back couple pages but either missed or...wasn't patient enough. All I could find was the link to 2.1.1 at the head of the thread.

[goldenpeach]

You can use parts of MJ to rendez-vous with asteroids. Like matching planes. Once that is done you have to fiddle with the maneuver nodes to get an intercept and when you have it MJ can burn it (about a 10km max

incounter). If you can get that part out of the way you can use MJ rendez-vous planner to get closer and match speed. Maneuver nodes are a bit better now, you can make minute ajustments when you scroll on those markers and you can add or detract extra orbits too. But MJ is mostly useless to fly an asteroid once you got it, especially the big ones. I did a class C and every time I did a new maneuver I had to redock to it so the center of mass was inline with the node. Hope this helps.

The same way you intercept anything else in space. Existing rendezvous works fine. Intercept <at time X> after <burn time> works just fine too. (there's an actual MJ2 function named Intercept that has those parameters)

Seriously, no extra Mechjeb functionality is required to intercept asteroids.

Come to think of it, the docking module probably will work too. Control from the grapple hook. Mechjeb will ***** that you aren't controlling from a docking port. It will also ***** that you aren't targeting a docking port. But while it's doing its *****ing and grumbling, it's still trying to dock with the thing you told it to dock with. Make sure you have enough forward velocity while it's lined up and moving forward and... BOOM! Captured asteroid.

Oops I can't say the word that rhymes with 'itching'. So uh... Mechjeb will 'itch'. Because it's allergic to non-docking ports I guess. Or something.

Thank you for the tip!

How can I make the intercept?

I never been able to do one

[TheClassiestMedic]

I've got the same problem, unfortunately. I've updated to the newest version, but MechJeb doesn't do anything more than sit there, no sidebar shows up, and ALCOR tells me I don't have an autopilot installed. I really want to take a look at some of the dV stats for these new rockets, and reexamine tweaked old ones like the ion engine

[RocketPilot573]

Is anyone else getting this problem where trying to enter timewarp throws null reference exceptions and rips apart the ship? This is happening with both the latest build and the 2.1.1 version. It even seems to happen on ships without Mechjeb... However, these ships also have the claw, which may be extremely bugged.

[TheClassiestMedic]

I've just found a way to make MechJeb work, for others who have the same problem.

Some helpful person on the KSP subreddit linked to a working .dll

Here's the post:

http://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/221a34/mechjeb_broken_from_new_patch_click_here/

[agl81]

On the front page of this thread, under the download link, there is a link that says "source code available here". Follow that and look for the zip file under Last Successful Artifacts. That'll get you going until they officially release something.

[Lekke]

Is anyone else getting this problem where trying to enter timewarp throws null reference exceptions and rips apart the ship? This is happening with both the latest build and the 2.1.1 version. It even seems to happen on ships without Mechjeb... However, these ships also have the claw, which may be extremely bugged.

Do you have kerbal alarm clock installed? I had the same happen when I had it installed.

[Lekke]

Thank you for the tip!

How can I make the intercept?

I never been able to do one

The intercept you have to do with the maneuver node. MJ can't do it. Maybe watch a youtube vid about it so you get an idea of how to do it.

[vardicd]

I have the latest dev build and haven't had a problem so far.

[Jethro Bodine]

I don't think this is MechJeb's fault, but I'll ask here anyway...

Anyone else no longer able to display delta V stats for ion engines? It worked just fine for me immediately after 0.23.5, but then stopped working some time after Squad's patches. It doesn't display with Kerbal Engineer either, thus I'm fairly certain it's something to do with the engines themselves.

Any ideas or tips on how to get it working again would be greatly appreciated!

[Maarek_Stele]

okay, got the patched dll, but having issues with the docking autopilot. When it links up, it puts rcs on 100% and craft goes out of control.. Anyone else having this problem?

[technogeeky]

I'm confused about the interaction between FAR and MechJeb. When I loaded FAR and launched a rocket design with which I was very familiar. The rocket already had standard aero parts juse because I thought they looked nice (nose cones on jettisoned fuel tanks, procedurial fairings on the payload). And instead of the usual, gradual fight to get into orbit, followed by a circularization burn of ~ 400 to 600 m/s... I was in space very, very rapidly and suddenly and instead had a circularization burn of ~ 2000 m/s.

I understand that I don't have any reference point, and the ones that I might have (Earth, Earth's atmosphere, seeing many real launches from Earth) aren't really comparable here. But what is going on? Is it just the default 6.9 km turn profile mismatching the setup of FAR? Is there a better ascent profile I could use?

[MaverickSawyer]

Possible oversight (still running build 197): MJ does not initiate burns ahead of the manuever node. Not a problem as of yet, but a concern for later.

[Starstrider42]

I'm confused about the interaction between FAR and MechJeb. When I loaded FAR and launched a rocket design with which I was very familiar. The rocket already had standard aero parts juse because I thought they looked nice (nose cones on jettisoned fuel tanks, procedurial fairings on the payload). And instead of the usual, gradual fight to get into orbit, followed by a circularization burn of ~ 400 to 600 m/s... I was in space very, very rapidly and suddenly and instead had a circularization burn of ~ 2000 m/s.

I understand that I don't have any reference point, and the ones that I might have (Earth, Earth's atmosphere, seeing many real launches from Earth) aren't really comparable here. But what is going on? Is it just the default 6.9 km turn profile mismatching the setup of FAR? Is there a better ascent profile I could use?

You'll want to make two changes: install the FAR compatibility extension, and don't use the default launch profile. Honestly, I'm surprised your rocket didn't flip over and/or blow up if you made a sudden turn at 7 km.

I've found that a turn start of 0.2-0.5 km seems to work well with FAR, as well as a turn shape of 35-60%, depending on the TWR of my engines (surprisingly, for lower TWR, you want a steep ascent, or MechJeb will get confused and basically give you an almost-hovering flight path).

EDIT: can somebody explain what the percentage in the turn shape actually means? I couldn't find anything on it in the MechJeb Wiki.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Starstrider42

[technogeeky]

You'll want to make two changes: install the FAR compatibility extension, and don't use the default launch profile. Honestly, I'm surprised your rocket didn't flip over and/or blow up if you made a sudden turn at 7 km.

I've found that a turn start of 0.2-0.5 km seems to work well with FAR, as well as a turn shape of 35-60%, depending on the TWR of my engines (surprisingly, for lower TWR, you want a steep ascent, or MechJeb will get confused and basically give you an almost-hovering flight path).

EDIT: can somebody explain what the percentage in the turn shape actually means? I couldn't find anything on it in the MechJeb Wiki.

From here, you can find some jargon that basically says "it's a number and you can play with it."

[Starstrider42]

From here, you can find some jargon that basically says "it's a number and you can play with it."

"I couldn't find anything" means "I only found non-answers". I can't judge the optimal value of a mysterious, arbitrary parameter.

[Omen]

I'm not sure if this is a bug or if the physics engine was updated and mechjeb hasn't been updated for it yet. But every system of automatic node manning and executing are slightly off. I'll set ascent incline to 0 and I end up at a 45 degree angle. Whenever it's in the middle of acceleration the vehicle will start to tilt away from the maneuver target and screw up the whole node, whether it be on the ground or far off in orbit. I tried using the auto landing on the moon and ended up crashing at 400 m/s because it throttled too late. Keep in mind that i'm using unmodified vanilla parts that, until yesterdays update, worked flawlessly with mechjeb. I've already tried reinstalling KSP and mechjeb to see if any files were screwed up.