A Better way to arrange Parts in VAB/SPH

[Paulestrada]

There are some Part Categories Tabs that are very cluttered. The most confusing for me is the Fuel Tanks Tab, if you are not familiarized with the new Textures it's very difficult to know what sizes the  they are, so I took the time to create this example in Photoshop of what I had in mind would be a decent solution. Tell me if you think there's a better and easier solution 

 

[Xurkitree]

Have you checked Advanced mode before making this? Its that arrow on the top left corner.

[Paulestrada]

5 minutes ago, Xurkitree said:

Have you checked Advanced mode before making this? Its that arrow on the top left corner.

Yes, I now there are other options, and mods, but they are not very newbie friendly. For the casual or new KSP Player I think a revamped Part Categories GUI would be very helpful 

[klgraham1013]

Yep,  The "sorting" in KSP has always been extremely lazy.  I went and changed all the part names so they sort properly.  Took me less then a day.  I wasn't even paid for it or anything.

Should have done it as an MM patch.  Oh well.

[Superfluous J]

I just sort by mass. I actually know what part is where now, just by glancing, so long as they're sorted by mass.

[LjSpike]

This is nicer than the current sort as you can do it by function but also size then, which is basically what I need all the time (only other thing I use is sometimes manufacturer or resource held but that's infrequent).

Just removing the cross-sectional profile sort and building it into whichever other sort you have applied like this does would work SOOO much better!

[derpotamus]

I would love this.

So would many people on reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/amp4yj/a_better_way_to_arrange_parts_in_vabsph_i_made/

[Squeaky]

I hope a mod dev with time on their hands see's this .....

Gentle nudge....

Gentle nudge with moar boosters.....

[HebaruSan]

3 hours ago, klgraham1013 said:

Should have done it as an MM patch.  Oh well.

Luckily someone else did:

 

[leatherneck6017]

A long time ago I created my own custom cfg's to use with the Filter Extensions mod. This is how I have mine set up, complete with sub-catagories inside the part size catagory.

 

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by leatherneck6017

[Duck McFuddle]

I like this idea. It would definitely make the VAB/SPH more newbie friendly. I remember when I started, the inventory was pretty confusing. 

[mattinoz]

Very much like this. Would also add a nice addition would be either give transition parts a default size so they consistently appear in only one size or have extra groups for them.

[Spyros]

16 hours ago, klgraham1013 said:

Yep,  The "sorting" in KSP has always been extremely lazy.  I went and changed all the part names so they sort properly.  Took me less then a day.  I wasn't even paid for it or anything.

Should have done it as an MM patch.  Oh well.

Can you please make it a mod ?

Edited February 4, 2019 by Spyros

[Superfluous J]

4 hours ago, Spyros said:

Can you please make it a mod ?

16 hours ago, HebaruSan said:

Luckily someone else did:

 

 

 

[MrSystems]

I created my own custom categories for fuel tanks and engines to keep everything organized. Given the typical rocket-building process, where you start with probe core, add science, antennas, and solar panels, and then everything that follows is either fuel tanks, engines, decouplers, or reaction wheels, I put all the tanks, engines, decouplers, and reaction wheels where they're easy to find based on the diameter of my rocket in each stage. (I included the appropriate-sized decouplers and engine plates with each size of engine and tank)

My categories are:

Fuel Tanks

• Adapters
• 0.625m and radial
• 1.25m
• 1.875m
• 2.5m
• 3.75m
• 5.0m
• Monopropellant
• Xenon
• Reaction Wheels
• Payload Shells

Engines

• Tiny
• 1.25m
• 1.875m
• 2.5m
• Huge
• Solid fuel
• Specialty (Xenon, Monopropellant, etc)
• Super-heavy lift boosters
• Air-breathing
• Air intakes
• Nose cones and decouplers
• Fins

It makes it easy to find what I'm looking for, and there's no need to change any parts configs.  If you want to try it the way I've got mine set up, paste the following lines at the end of the file Kerbal Space Program\GameData\Squad\PartList\PartCategories.cfg (if you create custom categories yourself using the interface in the VAB/SPH this is where the game stores that information; this isn't a hack or anything weird). It includes the parts from Making History, SpaceY, Missing History, and the Near Future packs, but if you don't have those mods installed it won't break anything. The config works across all your saved games.

CUSTOM_PARTLIST_CATEGORY
{
	categoryName = Stock Rocket Fuel Tanks
	icon = R&D_node_icon_fuelsystems
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Unknown
		icon = stockIcon_fallback
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Adapters
		icon = stockIcon_module
		PARTS
		{
			part = Size1p5.Size0.Adapter.01
			part = Size1p5.Size1.Adapter.01
			part = Size1p5.Size1.Adapter.02
			part = Size1p5.Size2.Adapter.01
			part = Size1p5.Tank.05
			part = Size3.Size2.Tank
			part = Size4.EngineAdapter.01
			part = Size3.Size4.Adapter.01
			part = fueltank-adapter-5-375-1
			part = fueltank-adapter-5-375-2
			part = SYtank3mCone
			part = SYtank3mCone2
			part = SYtank5mCone2
			part = SYtank5m3mAdapter
			part = adapterSize3-Mk3
			part = SYadapter3-2-1
			part = SYadapter4-2-1
			part = SYadapter4-3
			part = SYadapter5x4
			part = adapterSmallMiniTall
			part = Size3to2Adapter
			part = largeAdapter
			part = fueltank-adapter-5-375-3
			part = adapterSize2-Size1
			part = fuelLine
			part = strutConnector
			part = Size3To2Adapter.v2
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 0.625 and smaller
		icon = number1
		PARTS
		{
			part = miniFuelTank
			part = externalTankCapsule
			part = externalTankToroid
			part = externalTankRound
			part = Decoupler.0
			part = miniFuselage
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 1.25m
		icon = number2
		PARTS
		{
			part = fuelTankSmallFlat
			part = fuelTankSmall
			part = fuelTank
			part = fuelTank.long
			part = EnginePlate1
			part = Decoupler.1
			part = Tube1
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 1.875m
		icon = number3
		PARTS
		{
			part = Size1p5.Tank.01
			part = Size1p5.Tank.02
			part = Size1p5.Tank.03
			part = Size1p5.Tank.04
			part = EnginePlate1p5
			part = Decoupler.1p5
			part = Tube1p5
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 2.5m Rockomax
		icon = number4
		PARTS
		{
			part = Rockomax8BW
			part = Rockomax16.BW
			part = Rockomax32.BW
			part = Rockomax64.BW
			part = EnginePlate2
			part = Decoupler.2
			part = Tube2
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 3.75m Kerbodyne
		icon = number5
		PARTS
		{
			part = Size3SmallTank
			part = Size3MediumTank
			part = Size3LargeTank
			part = EnginePlate3
			part = Decoupler.3
			part = Tube3
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 5.0m Kerbodyne S4
		icon = number6
		PARTS
		{
			part = Size4.Tank.01
			part = Size4.Tank.02
			part = Size4.Tank.03
			part = Size4.Tank.04
			part = EnginePlate4
			part = Decoupler.4
			part = Tube4
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Monopropellant
		icon = R&D_node_icon_largecontrol
		PARTS
		{
			part = radialRCSTank
			part = monopropMiniSphere
			part = rcsTankRadialLong
			part = rcsTankMini
			part = RCSFuelTank
			part = Size1p5.Monoprop
			part = RCSTank1-2
			part = monoprop-tank-375-3
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Xenon
		icon = fuels_xenongas
		PARTS
		{
			part = xenonTankRadial
			part = xenonTank
			part = xenonTankLarge
			part = xenonTank.1p5
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Reaction Wheels
		icon = R&D_node_icon_advflightcontrol
		PARTS
		{
			part = advSasModule
			part = asasmodule1-2
			part = reactionWheel.1p5
			part = sasModule
			part = SYsasR3m
			part = SYsasR5m
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Payload Shells
		icon = R&D_node_icon_hypersonicflight
		PARTS
		{
			part = fairingSize1
			part = fairingSize1p5
			part = fairingSize2
			part = fairingSize3
			part = fairingSize4
		}
	}
}
CUSTOM_PARTLIST_CATEGORY
{
	categoryName = Engines
	icon = stockIcon_engine
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Unknown
		icon = stockIcon_fallback
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Tiny
		icon = number1
		PARTS
		{
			part = microEngine
			part = radialEngineMini
			part = smallRadialEngine
			part = liquidEngineMini
			part = LiquidEngineRV-1
			part = EnginePlate1
			part = Decoupler.0
			part = radialLiquidEngine1-2
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 1.25m
		icon = number2
		PARTS
		{
			part = liquidEngine303
			part = liquidEngine3
			part = radialLiquidEngine1-2
			part = liquidEngineT15
			part = liquidEngine2
			part = SYengine1mK1
			part = liquidEngine
			part = SSME
			part = engine-lfo-advanced-125-1
			part = engine-lfo-125-2
			part = LiquidEngineRK-7
			part = EnginePlate1p5
			part = Decoupler.1
			part = toroidalAerospike
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 1.875m
		icon = number3
		PARTS
		{
			part = LiquidEngineLV-T91
			part = LiquidEngineLV-TX87
			part = EnginePlate2
			part = Decoupler.1p5
			part = LiquidEngineRK-7
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = 2.5m
		icon = number4
		PARTS
		{
			part = engine-lfo-advanced-25-2
			part = SYengine2mR1
			part = LiquidEngineKE-1
			part = engine-lfo-25-1
			part = LiquidEngineRE-I2
			part = liquidEngine1-2
			part = LiquidEngineRE-J10
			part = engineLargeSkipper
			part = liquidEngine2-2
			part = SYengine2mM1
			part = EnginePlate3
			part = Decoupler.2
			part = liquidEngine2-2.v2
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Huge
		icon = number5
		PARTS
		{
			part = Size3EngineCluster
			part = Size3AdvancedEngine
			part = SYengine5mM9
			part = SYengine5mM5
			part = SYengine5mR5
			part = SYengine5mR7
			part = Size2LFB
			part = EnginePlate4
			part = Decoupler.3
			part = Decoupler.4
			part = SYadapter5x4
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Solid Fuel
		icon = R&D_node_icon_advrocketry
		PARTS
		{
			part = SYSRB.25X29
			part = SYSRB.25X23
			part = SYSRB.1875X
			part = SYSRB.25L
			part = SYSRB.1875L
			part = MassiveBooster
			part = SYSRB.25S
			part = SYSRBradial01
			part = SYSRB.1875S
			part = SYSRB.0625L6R
			part = solidBooster.1p5
			part = SYSRB.0625L9
			part = solidBooster1-1
			part = SYSRB.0625L5
			part = solidBooster.sm
			part = solidBooster
			part = launchClamp1
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Specialty
		icon = fuels_xenongas
		PARTS
		{
			part = sepMotor1
			part = SYejectatron
			part = ionEngine
			part = orbital-engine-0625
			part = orbital-engine-125
			part = nuclearEngine
			part = omsEngine
			part = orbital-engine-375
			part = vasimr-25
			part = mpdt-25
			part = pit-25
			part = vasimr-125
			part = mpdt-125
			part = pit-125
			part = vasimr-0625
			part = mpdt-0625
			part = ionArgon-0625-3
			part = pit-0625
			part = ionXenon-0625-3
			part = ionXenon-0625-2
			part = ionXenon-0625
			part = ionArgon-0625-2
			part = ionArgon-0625
			part = engine-rocket-pack-1
			part = engine-rocket-pack-2
			part = nuclearEngine.1p5
			part = nuclearEngine.size0
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Super Heavy Lift Boosters
		icon = R&D_node_icon_basicrocketry
		PARTS
		{
			part = SYSRB.375L08
			part = SYSRB.375L21
			part = SYSRB.375L30
			part = SYSRB.375L12
			part = Decoupler.3
			part = EnginePlate3
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Air Breathing
		icon = R&D_node_icon_aerospacetech
		PARTS
		{
			part = miniJetEngine
			part = nfa-vtol-0625-1
			part = RAPIER
			part = nfa-vtol-125-1
			part = JetEngine
			part = turboJet
			part = nfa-multimodal-125-1
			part = turboFanEngine
			part = nfa-multimodal-25-1
			part = nfa-turbofan-25-1
			part = nfa-multimodal-25-2
			part = nfa-turbojet-25-1
			part = nfa-turbofan-25-2
			part = nfa-propfan-125-1
			part = nfa-turboprop-125-1
			part = nfa-atomic-jet-25-1
			part = turboFanSize2
			part = nfa-atomic-multimode-25-1
			part = nfa-liftfan-10-1
			part = nfa-liftfan-375-1
			part = nfa-liftfan-25-1
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Air Intakes
		icon = R&D_node_icon_highaltitudeflight
		PARTS
		{
			part = miniIntake
			part = CircularIntake
			part = shockConeIntake
			part = ramAirIntake
			part = airScoop
			part = radialEngineBody
			part = nacelleBody
			part = MK1IntakeFuselage
			part = nfa-enginepod-large-1
			part = nfa-intake-largecircular
			part = nfa-enginecooler-25-1
			part = nfa-intake-largeshock
			part = nfa-intake-largeramp
			part = nfa-intake-radial-2
			part = nfa-enginenacelle-25-2
			part = nfa-intake-radial-1
			part = nfa-enginenacelle-25-1
			part = nfa-enginepod-2
			part = nfa-enginepod-1
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Nose Cones and Decouplers
		icon = stockIcon_subassemblies
		PARTS
		{
			part = standardNoseCone
			part = noseCone
			part = pointyNoseConeA
			part = pointyNoseConeB
			part = SYSRBconeSize2
			part = SYSRBconeSize2slanted
			part = rocketNoseCone
			part = SYSRBconeSize1
			part = SYSRBconeSize1slanted
			part = pointyNoseConeA.1p5
			part = pointyNoseConeB.1p5
			part = radialDecoupler
			part = radialDecoupler2
			part = radialDecoupler1-2
			part = decoupler-radial-1
			part = SYdecouplerRadial1
			part = SYdecouplerRadial2
			part = SYSRBconeSize3slanted
			part = SYSRBconeSize3
			part = smallHardpoint
			part = structuralPylon
			part = strutConnector
		}
	}
	SUBCATEGORY
	{
		categoryName = Fins
		icon = stockIcon_aerodynamics
		PARTS
		{
			part = wingShuttleDelta
			part = wingStrake
			part = wingShuttleStrake
			part = structuralWing
			part = structuralWing4
			part = delta.small
			part = basicFin
			part = winglet3
		}
	}
}

 

 

[Tyko]

This is great and a lot of work...would there be any way to use the node size to group parts so you don't have to discretely name each part?

[MrSystems]

5 minutes ago, Tyko said:

This is great and a lot of work...would there be any way to use the node size to group parts so you don't have to discretely name each part?

I did it all by hand clicking and dragging using the 'Add custom category' button in the VAB editor, and was surprised to find the information stored in the GameData\Squad folder instead of baked into the saved game file. It took maybe an hour, but it's saved me a lot more time than that since. I hadn't yet learned how to play around with configs at the time, so I don't know if there was an easier way.

And the good news is, now that it's been done once, it's just a copy-paste for anyone else who wants to use it.

[Spyros]

For anyone interested in using it: I made this mop which sorts all parts within their original categories  (including tanks, by their size), thus there is no need for any sub-categories (custom or not):

 

 

[The Aziz]

On 1/15/2019 at 6:48 PM, The Aziz said:

This. Since the overhaul I spend twice as much time in VAB, trying to figure out which tank is which. I know, their names didn't change, but I personally never looked at names - I was getting what I wanted by simply looking at the part thumbnail.
And, those sorting buttons at the top, what are they? Mass, Name, Cost, Size. And while first three are pretty self-explanatory, size is totally messed up.

Here's an example: I took some parts from the list going from the top and placed them in order. Do you see any inconsistency?

Mk0 fuselage, 1.25m short tank, adapter from Mk0 to 1.875, another adapter from 1.25 to 1.875, tank of the same size, 1.25m to Mk2 adapter, short 2.5m tank, THEN long 1.25m tank(!), then Mk3 short, then Mk2 to 2.5m adapter.
What. How. Why. My guess is they are actually sorted by their surface area.

What we actually need here, is sorting by one of the nodes (preferably bottom one, seems to work better than upper), and it could still be called "Size". Here's how it would look:

Better? I hope so.

 

Just quoting myself. I wouldn't even need sorting and groups, just proper arrangement.

[chbenengeli]

I wish that,

1) there were a way of marking favorite parts such that these parts' tiles or their tiles' borders were colored, making them more visible in the parts lists. There could also be a whole new sub-category of favorite parts.

2) there were more ways to sort parts, specifically a way that brings favorites to the top of the list, and a way that brings recently used parts to the top.

3) the search bar searched parts' specs, descriptions, and even maybe their .cfg files (the scope of the search could itself be configurable, so you could tell it how thoroughly to search) so that you could type in "3.75" and immediately see all parts with "3.75m" in their descriptions, or "LH2," or "liquid fuel RCS" or "SpaceY" and see everything that matches. This would make a lot of the Advanced Mode lists redundant, since you could search for a resource or manufacturer or form factor.