Docking Port Design: I need help

[Dyna Soar]

Hello,

i want to make my own docking port, because i have no idea how to stow a rover in a cargo bay. I can use a decoupler to release the rover, but when the rover returns to  the garage again i just can close the doors and that's it. That is not satisfying me. So i am thinking of a small docking device, may be with magnetic power. I think the 1x1 Plate will do the job.

 

 

I opened the cfg file of the Docking Port and copied the Docking Module into the cfg file of the 1x1 Plate. End even the node Attachements.

 

 

But it won'work.

 

 

 

Why is there no decouple function? I don't get it. I read in the wiki that there are much more functions like magentic fore implemented in the module? Why are these options  missing in the docking port cfg? 

 

Thank you for your Help in advance.

 

Bye

Ulf

 

 

[DMagic]

Docking ports require a very specific setup and won't work by just copying the module from the standard part. You have to specify which transform is to be used for the actual docking location on the part. For that you need to know the names of the transforms in the part, if they are in a suitable location (at the edge of the model) and if they face in right direction. 

There are probably some parts that could be made to work as docking ports, but I doubt any of the standard structural parts will work.

[Stone Blue]

If anything then, maybe the Radial Attachment Point

could be made to work...Its the closest part model to a docking port... ???

[hellblazer]

KAS 

[msasterisk]

Why not just use a normal docking port?

If a nornal one is too big, how about the tiny one?

Edited March 23, 2016 by msasterisk

[Badsector]

@Dyna Soar Watch this you don't need to add a magnet.

[nli2work]

The Wiki isn't entirely correct.

If you use " referenceAttachNode " you need to have a stack node defined in the config. Top/Bottom etc. name doesn't matter, as long as the definition and module config match.

If you use " nodeTransformName " you need to embed a transform in the MU file, with Y+ pointed in the direction you want to dock from.

"nodeType" now accepts multiple types, i.e. size0,size1,size2 etc. So you can have a docking port that will attach to all other size ports.

"ControlTransformName" is an embeded transform that is used to orient the navball when you select "Control From Here" button. If non is specified the part's root node is used.

Edited March 25, 2016 by nli2work

[Dyna Soar]

Thank you for your answers. I try to design my own own part. It is difficult for me because i have no idea how to use the blender and unity programs.I hope that i will be succesfull and it will take some time.

Bye Ulf

[Fwiffo]

On 3/25/2016 at 1:02 PM, nli2work said:

If non is specified the part's root node is used.

I know this thread is a bit old, but your post is very helpful - it's the first thing I've found that goes into detail and clarifies referenceAttachNode etc.  But what exactly is a part's root node?  Is it just the first node_stack to occur near the top of the CFG?

[nli2work]

2 hours ago, Fwiffo said:

I know this thread is a bit old, but your post is very helpful - it's the first thing I've found that goes into detail and clarifies referenceAttachNode etc.  But what exactly is a part's root node?  Is it just the first node_stack to occur near the top of the CFG?

It's the orientation of the node that hosts PartTools export script. Generally it has Y+ Up; Z+ Forward; X+ Right (toward launch pad), as seen from default viewpoint in the VAB. When you take control of a docking port with "Control From Here" the navball reorients to match the orientation of the object specified by ControlTransform name. This is useful when your docking port points in a different direction than the part's default... like the Mk2 docking port with bay doors.