[1.4][1.7.7] GravityTurn continued - Automated Efficient Launches

[DeliriumTrigger]

Recompiled version is working great here on 1.4.1 + DLC.  Thanks for the swift update, this is one of my must have mods!

[AndyMt]

Ok, then I'll make this an official release. Just have to figure out how to tell CKAN that it's not compatible with 1.3.1 or earlier any more.

[genbrien]

I'm sorry, but is 1.7.6 your newest version or the old for 1.3.x ?

because, if its the newest, ''abort'' is not working (know its been reported) and when you reach the ''coasting phase'' outside atmo then the game starts to lag really bad and there is some errors popping

 

If 1.7.6 is the old version, than I'm sorry to have bothered you, and disregard what I said

Thx for your mod

[AndyMt]

On 17.3.2018 at 8:54 AM, genbrien said:

I'm sorry, but is 1.7.6 your newest version or the old for 1.3.x ?

because, if its the newest, ''abort'' is not working (know its been reported) and when you reach the ''coasting phase'' outside atmo then the game starts to lag really bad and there is some errors popping

 

If 1.7.6 is the old version, than I'm sorry to have bothered you, and disregard what I said

Thx for your mod

Yes 1.7.6 is the old Version. I've just released 1.7.7 yesterday, don't know if it's on CKAN already...

[Skystorm]

@AndyMt It appears that CKAN is reporting 1.7.7 is compatible with KSP version 1.3 instead of 1.4.

[zspoelstra]

On 3/14/2018 at 5:40 AM, AndyMt said:

Ok, then I'll make this an official release. Just have to figure out how to tell CKAN that it's not compatible with 1.3.1 or earlier any more.

Should just need to change from using ksp_version to using ksp_version_min and ksp_version_max

 

[Capt. Henry Morgan]

This mod is perfect, and I use it for every launch.  I do have one suggestion, though.  Occasionally I'll set something up using one booster, then later switch to a different booster.  For more efficiency, performance, changing from disposable to resuable, et cetera.  In those cases, it'd be nice to have an option to throw out past launch data and start over with a new first guess.

[JAFO]

3 hours ago, Capt. Henry Morgan said:

This mod is perfect, and I use it for every launch.  I do have one suggestion, though.  Occasionally I'll set something up using one booster, then later switch to a different booster.  For more efficiency, performance, changing from disposable to resuable, et cetera.  In those cases, it'd be nice to have an option to throw out past launch data and start over with a new first guess.

I second the request for a "reset launch data" button.

At the moment I'm working around the problem by adding a letter (a, b, c, etc) to the end of the craft name if I make any significant changes to a craft.

[MaximumThrust]

I really like this mod! I find fun when the time to Ap. is less than 50 seconds, and it pitchs up a little to increase it, exacly like I do, especially when I was using MechJeb.

MechJeb tends to go horizontal too fast, sometimes it goes horizontal at 30-35 km, wasting all the fuel fighting the atm and then falling back. To avoid this I was reducing the AoA and delaying the Gravity Turn start, but it loses efficiency. And was tedious to make adjustments to every different vessel Launch Vehicle I have. It also don't deal well with third stages with low TWR, because it tries to achieve Ap too fast, and start circularizing too late.

Many thanks for this mod!

[AndyMt]

23 hours ago, Capt. Henry Morgan said:

This mod is perfect, and I use it for every launch.  I do have one suggestion, though.  Occasionally I'll set something up using one booster, then later switch to a different booster.  For more efficiency, performance, changing from disposable to resuable, et cetera.  In those cases, it'd be nice to have an option to throw out past launch data and start over with a new first guess.

Actually - for debugging purposes I've added this in kind of a hidden way: while keeping the "Alt" key pressed, click "Previous best settings" . This will reset to defaults and then you can press "First guess" which will end up with what you want :-). It also shows more information in the "Stats" window, most of which might be confusing...

As I've stated before I want to redesign the whole UI, but I just don't find the time to do it... anyway - the "reset" button will be there... sometime...

[JAFO]

1 hour ago, AndyMt said:

Actually - for debugging purposes I've added this in kind of a hidden way: while keeping the "Alt" key pressed, click "Previous best settings" . This will reset to defaults and then you can press "First guess" which will end up with what you want :-).

Good to know.. many thanks!

[Jesusthebird]

On 9/23/2016 at 8:06 PM, damerell said:

If the ironmonger's shop is free, why not?

The reason to prefer Gravity Turn to MechJeb is not that MechJeb has many other features. It's that Gravity Turn does this one thing better.
 

this^

 

I am just now noticing this mod actually. ive tried MJs ascent guidence. and let me tell you..with my experience(limited like many) half the features I dont even know what they do..sometimes they dont work as id like them too(weither its MJ or the actual craft idk but most the time the craft likes to 'wobble' between what ive set it at for the ascent be it a roll degree, pitch value, or preventive options like auto-throttling for speed or thermal) and it makes for a terrible gravity turn. I need to reread the mj manual, but I dont think its completely explained per every single parameter you can change..and if it is, its a pretty basic explanation at that so people like me cant make sense of it out the gate sometimes.

currently I use MJ for manuver plans like planetary xfers, circulization, and docking. I still have to manually fly my rockets and planes tho...so Im hoping this help me with that  . Thanks!

[JAFO]

7 hours ago, Jesusthebird said:

I am just now noticing this mod actually.
...

I still have to manually fly my rockets and planes tho...so Im hoping this help me with that  . Thanks!

Sadly, GT is unlikely to help much with your planes, but when it comes to rockets, it's got you covered!

[CptAWatts]

Hello,  just wondering how do I get it to improve performance after a successful launch? I click revert to launch and it doesn't change anything when I click improve guess. Does that mean it thinks that's the most efficient launch?

Thanks.

Edited April 4, 2018 by CptAWatts

[Gordon Dry]

On 21.3.2018 at 5:23 PM, MaximumThrust said:

MechJeb tends to go horizontal too fast, sometimes it goes horizontal at 30-35 km, wasting all the fuel fighting the atm and then falling back.

It does that when it's set up to do like that... Suggestion: at 60 km (default) set to pitch up 15° (not 5° what is default if I remember correctly).

But in my actual UbM career I still have to launch manually... I should give this mod a try again.

Edit:

I gave it a shot last session, the first guess was nearly allright - personally I don't like the "strategy" of guessing a first launch and then reverting and doing another one - because of the immersion... and of the KSP memory leak that still occurs when reverting too much...

Edited April 5, 2018 by Gordon Dry

[Tyko]

Hello, I think the Launch Map function has its X and Y axis reversed. The labels are right, but the plot looks to be off 90 degrees. 

 

[Boop]

On 3/17/2018 at 7:54 AM, genbrien said:

because, if its the newest, ''abort'' is not working (know its been reported) and when you reach the ''coasting phase'' outside atmo then the game starts to lag really bad and there is some errors popping

@AndyMt I'm seeing this behaviour on one particular vessel (I think, could have sworn it was working before) with 1.7.7 via CKAN on KSP 1.4.3 (have checked the DLL itself, shows 1.7.7).

Reason for the lag is this being spammed to the log:

[LOG 09:53:04.628] GravityTurn : minorbit 670000, 70000
[LOG 09:53:04.629] GravityTurn : Saving launchDB
[LOG 09:53:04.632] GravityTurn : Exception: System.ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path.
  at System.IO.Path.GetFileName (System.String path) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at KSP.IO.IOUtils.GetFilePathFor (System.Type T, System.String file, .Vessel flight) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at GravityTurn.LaunchDB.GetBaseFilePath (System.Type t, System.String sub) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
[EXC 09:53:04.632] ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path.
	System.IO.Path.IsPathRooted (System.String path)
	System.IO.Path.GetPathRoot (System.String path)
	System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName (System.String path)
	GravityTurn.LaunchDB.Save ()
	GravityTurn.GravityTurner.fly (.FlightCtrlState s)
	Vessel.FeedInputFeed ()
	FlightInputHandler.FixedUpdate ()

As this seems to be string-related, the only thing I can currently think could affect it is the vessel name: CUS-2 "Pioneer"

[AndyMt]

2 hours ago, Boop said:

@AndyMt I'm seeing this behaviour on one particular vessel (I think, could have sworn it was working before) with 1.7.7 via CKAN on KSP 1.4.3 (have checked the DLL itself, shows 1.7.7).

Reason for the lag is this being spammed to the log:

[LOG 09:53:04.628] GravityTurn : minorbit 670000, 70000
[LOG 09:53:04.629] GravityTurn : Saving launchDB
[LOG 09:53:04.632] GravityTurn : Exception: System.ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path.
  at System.IO.Path.GetFileName (System.String path) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at KSP.IO.IOUtils.GetFilePathFor (System.Type T, System.String file, .Vessel flight) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at GravityTurn.LaunchDB.GetBaseFilePath (System.Type t, System.String sub) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
[EXC 09:53:04.632] ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path.
	System.IO.Path.IsPathRooted (System.String path)
	System.IO.Path.GetPathRoot (System.String path)
	System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName (System.String path)
	GravityTurn.LaunchDB.Save ()
	GravityTurn.GravityTurner.fly (.FlightCtrlState s)
	Vessel.FeedInputFeed ()
	FlightInputHandler.FixedUpdate ()

As this seems to be string-related, the only thing I can currently think could affect it is the vessel name: CUS-2 "Pioneer"

It most likely is related to the filename. " characters are not allowed in filenames. As the filename is partially composed of the vessel name, this is the reason. Of course invalid characters should be removed/replaced so this cannot happen...

I'll add this to the list:

https://github.com/AndyMt/GravityTurn/issues/49

Edited May 31, 2018 by AndyMt

[Zah]

This is my workhorse mod for launches. There's just one thing I haven't figured out yet: how do I launch into a south-facing polar orbit?

Setting the inclination to 270° will cause it to turn in flight after heading north xD

[AVaughan]

From memory, -90 works

[RealKerbal3x]

Sorry if this is an incredibly noob-ish question, but how do I actually get the mod to put my craft into a circular orbit? I tried it with the default settings and it just puts me on a suborbital trajectory with a apoapsis of 80 km. Am I doing something wrong or am I just a complete doofus?

[MaxwellsDemon]

More likely the former than the latter.   Two possibilities occur to me:

1.  If you're playing a campaign game, you may not have researched the tech that makes Gravity Turn auto-circularize your orbit; or

2.  You might not have enough delta V remaining in the stage to circularize.

If the first, you'll need to manually circularize the orbit...

(Or, it might be something else, of course, but I'd check those two first.)

[DStaal]

3 minutes ago, MaxwellsDemon said:

More likely the former than the latter.   Two possibilities occur to me:

1.  If you're playing a campaign game, you may not have researched the tech that makes Gravity Turn auto-circularize your orbit; or

2.  You might not have enough delta V remaining in the stage to circularize.

If the first, you'll need to manually circularize the orbit...

(Or, it might be something else, of course, but I'd check those two first.)

Third possibility: You don't have MechJeb installed.  (GT just adds a MechJeb node to circularize, it doesn't do that burn itself.)

[Paaaad]

12 minutes ago, RealKerbal3x said:

Sorry if this is an incredibly noob-ish question, but how do I actually get the mod to put my craft into a circular orbit? I tried it with the default settings and it just puts me on a suborbital trajectory with a apoapsis of 80 km. Am I doing something wrong or am I just a complete doofus?

GravityTurn WILL NOT perform your  circularization burn for you- rather, it automatically turns off once your craft is above the atmosphere and your apoapsis is at the target height. It will automatically hand off control to Mechjeb if you have that mod installed however, which will circularize for you.

[RealKerbal3x]

1 minute ago, Paaaad said:

GravityTurn WILL NOT perform your  circularization burn for you- rather, it automatically turns off once your craft is above the atmosphere and your apoapsis is at the target height. It will automatically hand off control to Mechjeb if you have that mod installed however, which will circularize for you.

I know that, but surely it should perform a more efficient ascent. It didn't pitch beyond 45 degrees during the launch, leaving me to perform a burn of >1km/s after it turned off.