How can I change the motor direction with the KAL-1000 controller?

[Zwartekop]

Hello, first time posting here

I'd like to know if it's possible to change the direction of a motor in flight with the controller. I noticed in the KAL-1000 controller there's an option to "toggle motor direction" but I don't know how to use it. I included an image below:

 https://imgur.com/a/GigkXF0

I've tested it in flight and it doesn't change the motor direction when I play the rail. Any ideas?

 

[AHHans]

Hoi @Zwartekop, welkom bij de Forums.(*)

A single action - like "toggle motor direction" - in the KAL sequence is triggered whenever there is a point or marker (a blue square) at the time-stamp in the sequence that is being played. You can add more points with the "+" in the toolbar which adds a point at the current time-stamp, and which you then can drag around.

So in your example it should change the motor direction about halfway through the sequence. Are you saying that it doesn't do that?
[Edit:] Just gave it a try and here it worked as it should.

P.S. (*)Is that correct? And I assume that the meaning is clear enough that I don't need to add an English translation, even if that violates the letter of the forum rules.
P.P.S. If you add a ".png" or ".jpg" to imgur URLs of images, then you get the URLs of an image file that you can directly include in a forum post.

Edited March 20, 2020 by AHHans

[Zwartekop]

1 hour ago, AHHans said:

Hoi @Zwartekop, welkom bij de Forums.(*)

A single action - like "toggle motor direction" - in the KAL sequence is triggered whenever there is a point or marker (a blue square) at the time-stamp in the sequence that is being played. You can add more points with the "+" in the toolbar which adds a point at the current time-stamp, and which you then can drag around.

So in your example it should change the motor direction about halfway through the sequence. Are you saying that it doesn't do that?
[Edit:] Just gave it a try and here it worked as it should.

P.S. (*)Is that correct? And I assume that the meaning is clear enough that I don't need to add an English translation, even if that violates the letter of the forum rules.
P.P.S. If you add a ".png" or ".jpg" to imgur URLs of images, then you get the URLs of an image file that you can directly include in a forum post.

I figured out why it doesn't work I think. I mapped the KAL-controller to respond to the yaw input in absolute control mode:

• if I'm yawing left, the KAL-controller is at 0%
• no input puts the controller at 50%
• right yaw input gives 100%

Because the controller teleports in increments of 50% and doesn't roll over the marker it isn't triggered. I've noticed that it also doesn't work if the KAL-controller timeline is less then a couple seconds long: 2.5 seconds and it doesn't work,  5 seconds is fine if I remember correctly. Not sure if this is a bug or a feature. Very annoying.

[AHHans]

26 minutes ago, Zwartekop said:

I mapped the KAL-controller to respond to the yaw input in absolute control mode:

Ah, yes. I don't think the single actions on the KAL work well together with absolute control mode. I'm not sure that a KAL will trigger them when it "teleports" directly on top of them.

If you are trying to do something like yaw control with a tail rotor by running a propeller forwards or backwards, then I'd suggest to keep the propeller RPM constant and change the pitch of the propeller blades instead.
[Edit:] Or use the collective control mode that was introduced with KSP 1.9.

Edited March 20, 2020 by AHHans

[Zwartekop]

1 hour ago, AHHans said:

Ah, yes. I don't think the single actions on the KAL work well together with absolute control mode. I'm not sure that a KAL will trigger them when it "teleports" directly on top of them.

If you are trying to do something like yaw control with a tail rotor by running a propeller forwards or backwards, then I'd suggest to keep the propeller RPM constant and change the pitch of the propeller blades instead.
[Edit:] Or use the collective control mode that was introduced with KSP 1.9.

I'm trying to make my own SAS system with reaction wheels that can get saturated. Propellers won't be an option in space I'm affraid. 

[AHHans]

2 hours ago, Zwartekop said:

I'm trying to make my own SAS system with reaction wheels that can get saturated.

Ah, best of luck with that! Are you aware of issue #22946? (Feel free to vote that up. )

Hmmm... Wouldn't "incremental control" be a more appropriate mode for self-made reaction wheels?

[Zwartekop]

4 hours ago, AHHans said:

Ah, best of luck with that! Are you aware of issue #22946? (Feel free to vote that up. )

Hmmm... Wouldn't "incremental control" be a more appropriate mode for self-made reaction wheels?

I feel like this is a seperate bug though? Unless this is a feature and I'm somehow not getting it. (I'm talking about toggle points not working when you go over them in high increments)

[AHHans]

52 minutes ago, Zwartekop said:

I feel like this is a seperate bug though?

Ah, this issue #22946 has nothing to do with the toggle points or so. It is just something that came to my mind when you wrote that you are working on doing your own reaction wheels. It means that when you have your own reaction wheels, then the built-in SAS will not be able to use them.