Remove coupler in flight?

[strider3]

I accidently installed the decoupler in the screenshot in the wrong direction...you can see the arrows needed to point the other way. I am a long way into a multi-ship mining mission to Duna and all craft are orbiting Duna...I'm hoping I can edit the save file (persistent.sfs) to remove this decoupler. I have located the ship in the save file but when I tried to delete the entry for this part it jacked up my ship completely. I went back to a backup SFS I made before changing the original (PHeew!). I'm hoping I don't have to go all the way back to the start of this mission. Can anyone help with what I need to edit to remove just this decoupler?

 

[Geonovast]

Mind uploading the save file?

 

You could also install KIS/KAS, cheat a tool into Lizley's inventory, then send her out to unbolt the thing.

[Aegolius13]

 

34 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

You could also install KIS/KAS, cheat a tool into Lizley's inventory, then send her out to unbolt the thing.

You could also build a very small rocket, cheat it into a similar orbit, and crash it into the back of the ship at just the right speed to blow up the decoupler and nothing else.  

Still not sure if this is a real suggestion or a joke... I guess it depends on the outcome.  

[StrandedonEarth]

That's attached to a big engine, right? Run the engine and the decoupler will heat up and explode. Problem solved.

Explosive decoupling: it's the Kerbal way 

KIS/KAS works too. Don't leave home without a screwdriver. And never forget your towel 

 

Edited January 19, 2019 by StrandedonEarth

[Xd the great]

Or you could use the object thrower to destroy that part.

[bewing]

Explosive decoupling, Object thrower, or Kaboom!

 

[StrandedonEarth]

17 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

KIS/KAS works too. Don't leave home without a screwdriver.

I forgot to add, you will also need an engineer.

17 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

And never forget your towel 

Or your hat.

[Geonovast]

23 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Run the engine and the decoupler will heat up and explode. Problem solved.

Wouldn't the exhaust just go through that decoupler?

[StrandedonEarth]

Hmmm. My bad. I didn't stop to think the new decoupler's collider would be hollow. I usually do that when I forgot the decoupler altogther

[bewing]

Turns out that it's pretty easy to do by hand, by editing the savegame:

First, find the vessel in the savegame -- then find the decoupler part definition in it

			PART
			{
				name = Decoupler.1
				cid = 4293165958
				uid = 3679580556
				mid = 2308237323
				persistentId = 3475525883
				launchID = 3
				parent = 1
				position = 0,-1.7875018119812012,2.384185791015625E-07
				rotation = -1.00000024,0,0,0		<---- change to 0,0,0,1
				mirror = 1,1,1
				symMethod = Mirror
				istg = -1
				resPri = 0
				dstg = 1
				sqor = 0
				sepI = -1
				sidx = 0
				attm = 0
				srfN = , -1
				attN = top, -1		<---- switch with the next line, so set it to 1 
				attN = bottom, 1		<---- switch with the previous line, so set it to -1
				mass = 0.0399999991
				shielded = False
				temp = 303.23496942725257
				tempExt = 303.41199933057874
				tempExtUnexp = 303.41189893606941
				staticPressureAtm = 0.98970094610666481
				expt = 0.5
				state = 1		<---- change to 0
				PreFailState = 0
				attached = True
				autostrutMode = Off
				rigidAttachment = False
				flag = Squad/Flags/default
				rTrf = Decoupler.1
				modCost = 0
				EVENTS
				{
				}
				ACTIONS
				{
				}
				PARTDATA
				{
				}
				MODULE
				{
					name = ModuleDecouple
					isEnabled = True
					ejectionForcePercent = 100
					isDecoupled = True		<---- change to False
					stagingEnabled = False		<---- change to True
					EVENTS

This reverses the "polarity" of the decoupler, and resets it, so it can fire.

Then go into the right click menu for the decoupler, and decouple it again.

 

Edited January 20, 2019 by bewing

[sturmhauke]

1 hour ago, bewing said:

This reverses the "polarity" of the decoupler, and resets it, so it can fire.

 

Well it worked for Geordi LaForge.

[strider3]

On ‎1‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 9:55 PM, bewing said:

Turns out that it's pretty easy to do by hand, by editing the savegame:

First, find the vessel in the savegame -- then find the decoupler part definition in it

			PART
			{
				name = Decoupler.1
				cid = 4293165958
				uid = 3679580556
				mid = 2308237323
				persistentId = 3475525883
				launchID = 3
				parent = 1
				position = 0,-1.7875018119812012,2.384185791015625E-07
				rotation = -1.00000024,0,0,0		<---- change to 0,0,0,1
				mirror = 1,1,1
				symMethod = Mirror
				istg = -1
				resPri = 0
				dstg = 1
				sqor = 0
				sepI = -1
				sidx = 0
				attm = 0
				srfN = , -1
				attN = top, -1		<---- switch with the next line, so set it to 1 
				attN = bottom, 1		<---- switch with the previous line, so set it to -1
				mass = 0.0399999991
				shielded = False
				temp = 303.23496942725257
				tempExt = 303.41199933057874
				tempExtUnexp = 303.41189893606941
				staticPressureAtm = 0.98970094610666481
				expt = 0.5
				state = 1		<---- change to 0
				PreFailState = 0
				attached = True
				autostrutMode = Off
				rigidAttachment = False
				flag = Squad/Flags/default
				rTrf = Decoupler.1
				modCost = 0
				EVENTS
				{
				}
				ACTIONS
				{
				}
				PARTDATA
				{
				}
				MODULE
				{
					name = ModuleDecouple
					isEnabled = True
					ejectionForcePercent = 100
					isDecoupled = True		<---- change to False
					stagingEnabled = False		<---- change to True
					EVENTS

This reverses the "polarity" of the decoupler, and resets it, so it can fire.

Then go into the right click menu for the decoupler, and decouple it again.

 

You are the MAN! That worked completely as you advertised. In hindsight...I should always look for bewing answers. I looked at "Kaboom"...2014?...really? LOL. I'm in a very low Duna orbit...so burning the thing off is not an option.

You, Sir, are the Bomb!

Thank you, bewing...I promise to pay more attention in my future vessel construction.

[Geonovast]

8 hours ago, Victor3 said:

I promise to pay more attention in my future vessel construction. 

You could also get into the habit of using the stack separators instead of the decouplers.

[strider3]

9 hours ago, Geonovast said:

You could also get into the habit of using the stack separators instead of the decouplers.

That would probably alleviate the problem of goofing up construction.

[sturmhauke]

27 minutes ago, Victor3 said:

9 hours ago, Geonovast said:

You could also get into the habit of using the stack separators instead of the decouplers.

That would probably alleviate the problem of goofing up construction.

It also creates more debris to worry about.

Edited January 22, 2019 by sturmhauke

[strider3]

4 minutes ago, sturmhauke said:

It also creates more debris to worry about.

True, but debris is easy to get rid of in the Tracking Center?

[sturmhauke]

1 hour ago, Victor3 said:

True, but debris is easy to get rid of in the Tracking Center?

A couple pieces, sure. A couple hundred, not so much.

[Geonovast]

You can set the debris limit in your game settings.  Range is 0-10000.  Default is 250.  Once you exceed the limit, it starts deleting, starting with the oldest, so you're never over the limit.

If you're worried about debris, lower the limit.

[Ethanrocco]

I mean this is just my opinion, but if you dont want to waste your time redoing the entire mission, be the kerbal you are, save the game and alt+f12, and aim the wack-a-kerbal so it only destroys the decoupler. of course you dont need to, just my opinion  

[Duck McFuddle]

When I remember I just use the grey decouplers that shoot off both ways (Or something like that). You could also blow it off with the engine like StrandedOnEarth said, or use the cheat object thrower to knock it off.