Docking Port -> No Stabilization

[John Kermin]

Hi,

I have a problem: I wanted to build an MK3 Cargo bay as part of my bigger ship and inside a lander (Pod, Tank, Poodle, etc.) with a docking port on its nose that is docked to another docking port which in turn is connected to the Cargo bay by an Infernal Robotics Arm. So the Idea was that I would not have to fly in and out of the Cargo bay, instead the arm would swing the Docking Port (incl. Lander) out of the Cargo bay into a 90° angle, which would make it much easier (and cooler looking) to dock and un-dock that little "captains barge". But as it turns out, the connection Arm -> Docking Port has absolutely no stabilizing effect. It is just a point connection and the Lander pivots around it. Just swinging which ever way it pleases. The docking port stays firmly attached to the arm, but only in the one point it freely pivots around.

So the Question is: Is there any way (or mod) which would make this work ? Because a) its freakin' cool and b) I foresee a bunch of explosions and dead Kerbonauts in the near future if i have to maneuver in and out of that tight cargo bay.

P.S.: I am aware that i could stabilize the Lander with struts but that would defeat the purpose of it leaving and returning(!) to the main vessel. Also i do have the mod (Kerbal Joint Reinforcements) installed that supposedly reinforces joints but its not helping here. In fact there doesn't seem to be any kind of stress on the joint at all. It doesn't even try to keep the docking port in place.

Edited July 16, 2016 by John Kermin

[Spricigo]

The answer it's still struts. 

Kerbal Attachment System  let you place then while in EVA. 

Also worth mentioning: decoupling/undocking will break remove struts between the separated parts

[John Kermin]

7 minutes ago, Spricigo said:

The answer it's still struts. 

Kerbal Attachment System  let you place then while in EVA. 

Also worth mentioning: decoupling/undocking will break remove struts between the separated parts

Sadly that doesn't really help because even if i strut the Lander to the cargo bay (which at least would prevent it from thrashing around the rocket during flight), as soon as i move the arm and the struts break the whole thing just swings around the pivot point. Same goes for docking. How am i supposed to strut it in place if its completely out of control and swing around like a wrecking ball. (No collision once docked, and i am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing in this case).

[bewing]

There are gigantic red warning signs all over the Infernal Robotics arms that say "do not ever put a docking port on a robotic arm." So I think you are in trouble right from step 1.

[John Kermin]

13 hours ago, bewing said:

There are gigantic red warning signs all over the Infernal Robotics arms that say "do not ever put a docking port on a robotic arm." So I think you are in trouble right from step 1.

Thx for pointing that out. I totally missed those BUUUUUT if i don't connect it directly to a docking port the glitch is exactly the same:

So at this time i just accept that this isn't working. Maybe somebody has an idea to accomplish the same goal (getting the Lander clear of the bay prior to undocking and into the bay after docking) by different means.

[bewing]

Maybe try one more experiment -- try radially mounting your docking port, so that the robotic arm is not attaching "through" the docking port to the probe, even indirectly. Of course it's less convenient, but it might work.

[pincushionman]

On July 16, 2016 at 1:21 PM, John Kermin said:

Thx for pointing that out. I totally missed those BUUUUUT if i don't connect it directly to a docking port the glitch is exactly the same…

Not "directly to a docking port," any part that moves or is moved by IR parts glitches the docking ports attached to them. which is weird, since I swear I've seen an old video of a construction rover doing just that with ports on an arm. Maybe previous versions of IR attempted this but it was taken out due to bugs. You might want to check the IR thread, someone might know there.

You also could try re-rooting so the arm port is the root, and therefore "the rest of the ship" is actually what moves by the IR parts, but that might not help much since it would kill the docking ports on "the other end of the arm" - the rest of the ship.

[John Kermin]

Yeah that is all really not practical in the sense that it creates more problems than it solves. I will probably just have to accept that it is a bug that is not fixable. I am trying other solutions now. Thx for trying to help though!

 

[Tyko]

Cool way to do docking. Can you share a few more pix of your setup? Maybe from different angles? Maybe we can see something

Also, you may want to ask directly on the Infernal Robotics thread - that's where you'll find the really passionate IR people.