Docking port bug

[uncle_jew]

I have KSP v1.04 (full purchased version, Windows 32).

I was practicing docking on a modular space station I built - pulled out modules and redocked them or moved them onto different docking ports. At one point, I split the space station into two halves, moved them ~70 meters away from each other, then tried redocking. I think I went to Kerbal Space Center inbetween, then used the KSC tracking station to switch control back to my space station.

Despite a perfect alignment, the docking ports refused to attract each other (Clamp-O-Tron Sr. on both sides). Repeated docking attempts didn't help. Moving spacecraft ~100m apart and redocking didn't help either. Spacecraft touched each other for several seconds, then slowly drifted apart. I searched the Internet and found lots of bug reports about this very issue, beginning in 2013. The workaround suggested was to edit persistent.sfs and change State=Acquired into State=Ready for the docking port affected. This fixed my issue too - after changing persistent.sfs and reloading the game, the docking was successful on the very first attempt.

It's beyond belief that the bug still exists after first having been reported back in 2013 (together with a known workaround). I would think if the developer cannot find the root cause of the bug, they would at least implement a workaround so that the bug wouldn't bother users (e.g. a docking port automatically switching back into "ready" mode after 30 seconds, so that this bug would not have any persistent effects).

Is there any mod that would automatically solve this issue by automatically changing docking ports to "State=Ready"? It is kind of uncool to manually check persistent.sfs before every docking attempt.

[kujuman]

While I don't think there are mods that fix that bug, it's an (relatively) avoidable one. The state=acquired gets stuck in that state when the game saves when the docking ports are magnetized and the game is then resumed from that save state. So as long as you don't save mid-docking or switch scenes mid-docking you should be pretty safe. And just in case you don't know, you can switch between nearby craft using the "[" and "]" keys by default, so you don't need to go to the tracking station.

But yeah, it's one of those annoyances that should get fixed.

[Claw]

That's because we have yet to see someone post a consistent way to replicate this in stock. It happens, and happens a lot. But I haven't heard of a consistent way to make it happen.

Cheers,

~Claw

[uncle_jew]

state=acquired gets stuck in that state when the game saves when the docking ports are magnetized and the game is then resumed from that save state.

This could be it - I indeed switched to the other spacecraft using the [ key in order to disable SAS while the docking ports were already attracting each other. At what distance do docking ports become "magnetized"?

It happens, and happens a lot. But I haven't heard of a consistent way to make it happen.

And that's why I suggested adding a workaround instead - look for signs of this problem and automatically correct it. I doubt no one can produce a savegame containing the bug.

Just like spacecraft software, KSP ought to be failsafe - not knowing exactly why a bug happens is no excuse

[Pisces]

I have the same probem too. I docked 3 things into a station successfully but failed to dock in the fourth docking mission. They didn't attract and the docking port was just a DECORATION. I even try undock and then redock but it didnt work.The port had no use at all at that attempt. Now I think the problem is I quick saved during mid-docking.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Pisces