[1.12.x] GravityTurn continued - Automated Efficient Launches

[linuxgurugamer]

Originally written by @Overengineer1, it was adopted by @AndyMt and continued for a while.  @AndyMt stopped and gave permission for anyone else to adopt it.  Since I really like this and use it, I've done so.

• Original thread here: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/129607-1
• Second thread here: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/148448-14

Also thanks @sarbian for all the useful MechJeb code of which parts were/are incorparated into this plugin.

New Dependencies

• Click Through Blocker
• ToolbarController

So this is what it does:

Launch a craft into a low orbit with a few customizable settings.

Performing a Gravity Turn is arguably the most efficient launch procedure. The plugin will take care of the entire ascent for you by maintaining a strict hold to prograde (as much as possible) and varying the throttle to keep the desired ascent curvature. The circularization burn will be up to you, but it's normally less than 50 m/s.

The "First Guess" button tries to find the best settings for a particular rocket. After the trajectory reaches the destination height and the vehicle leaves the atmosphere, you can revert back to launch and use the "Improve Guess" button to get a better set of parameters. Do this multiple times and you will get a very efficient launch.

There is now a settings page, to change the skin of the mod:

The following are what's available, going from the stock skin, to a "normal" skin, to a "compact" skin:

  

And the settings page:

Availability

• Download : https://github.com/linuxgurugamer/GravityTurn/releases  or  https://spacedock.info/mod/2372/Gravity Turn
• Source:  https://github.com/linuxgurugamer/GravityTurn
• License: GPLv3

Now available in CKAN

Changes

• Merged in FAR compatibility changes by @ildifa 
• Reorganized directories slightly
• Added Changelog.txt, deploy.bat, GravityTurn.version, deploy.bat, buildRelease.bat, AssemblyVersion.tt
• Replaced InstallChecker with updated version
• Added support for ToolbarController
• Fixed nullref in CopyCompactSkin due to uninitialized skin
• Changed backslashes to forward slashes for the stored config files (needed for OSX/Linux)
• FOLLOWING CHANGE INCOMPATIBLE WITH PREVIOUS VERSIONS
  • Moved storage directory from GravityTurn/Plugins/PluginData/GravityTurn/" + sub to "/GameData/GravityTurn/PluginData/" + sub
• Fixed error when the "Previous Best Settings" was pressed when there weren't any 
• Added settings page (stock settings) to allow selection of compact skin (default) normal or stock skin

Donations accepted via Patreon

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by linuxgurugamer

[Zah]

Thanks so much for picking this up, it's been holding me back from upgrading... and now that I have time...

[rmaine]

Thanks. I just now deleted the old one and installed this manually. Seems to work (I'm on 1.9.1). I do see the same old UI style instead of the nicer (mostly larger) one in the image you show above. Guessing the image above might be from something later than the beta I just installed? Also, the icon in the standard toolbar (not Blitzy) is just a white square for me; works though. If you want some logs, I can do that... well after I come back from walking the dog. :-)

[Morphisor]

Thanks for yet another excellent mod kept fresh.

Something I've been meaning to ask about this: I believe I read somewhere that it doesn't play nice with Mandatory RCS, and that's what kept me from using that mod - I can't play without gravityturn anymore.

But, doing an actual search on it, I couldn't find anything on compatibility. So... Anyone know more?

[linuxgurugamer]

1 minute ago, Morphisor said:

Thanks for yet another excellent mod kept fresh.

Something I've been meaning to ask about this: I believe I read somewhere that it doesn't play nice with Mandatory RCS, and that's what kept me from using that mod - I can't play without gravityturn anymore.

But, doing an actual search on it, I couldn't find anything on compatibility. So... Anyone know more?

I'll do some tests this evening.

One thing I do know is incompatible is WorldStabilizer, if you don't have launch clamps.  I have some ideas on how to fix that, will be working on it during my stream this evening

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, 1.8.0.1

• Fixed missing textures for toolbar buttons
• Changed to allow window dragging from anywhere in the window

Note:  After testing, I do not see any issues with either WorldStabilizer (even without launch clamps) or MandatoryRCS.  It worked fine with either/both of them

[Anjun_Li]

Hello, thank you for your results, but it bleeds some problems while I'm running. 1, when I entered the game interface, the sidebar did not show an icon, and after installing this MOD, I can not use the other. 2, after installing this MOD, I can't re-enter the game after I exit from the game to the main menu (click continue the game's archive without responding). These issues, after I deleted this MOD, have returned to normal. My version is 1.9.1

[Superfluous J]

KSP v1.8.1

You don't list Clickthroughblocker and ToolbarControl as dependencies, though I think they are. At least, one of them is

With them installed along with nothing else (except modulemanager but no configs) I get a white box instead of an icon, and when I click it I get a window titled "Gravity Turn V 1.8.0" with buttons I can click but nothing does anything. I can't put focus in the text boxes and clicking the buttons makes them animate but they don't do anything. In particular, "Launch" doesn't launch.

Here's my log that ends on the launch pad after clicking launch a few times, I'm pretty sure though the problem is this, which is repeated thousands of times:

[LOG 04:56:43.492] GravityTurn : could not load lock_on icon!

[defunct site link removed by moderator]

 

[linuxgurugamer]

On 3/24/2020 at 4:57 AM, 5thHorseman said:

KSP v1.8.1

You don't list Clickthroughblocker and ToolbarControl as dependencies, though I think they are. At least, one of them is

With them installed along with nothing else (except modulemanager but no configs) I get a white box instead of an icon, and when I click it I get a window titled "Gravity Turn V 1.8.0" with buttons I can click but nothing does anything. I can't put focus in the text boxes and clicking the buttons makes them animate but they don't do anything. In particular, "Launch" doesn't launch.

Here's my log that ends on the launch pad after clicking launch a few times, I'm pretty sure though the problem is this, which is repeated thousands of times:

[LOG 04:56:43.492] GravityTurn : could not load lock_on icon!

Make sure you have the latest version (1.8.0.1), that fixes the white box.

And thanks for the hint about dependencies.  FYI, it needs both the ToolbarController and the ClickThroughBlocker.

Please retry your test after updating to the latest version, thanks

[linuxgurugamer]

8 hours ago, Anjun_Li said:

Hello, thank you for your results, but it bleeds some problems while I'm running. 1, when I entered the game interface, the sidebar did not show an icon, and after installing this MOD, I can not use the other. 2, after installing this MOD, I can't re-enter the game after I exit from the game to the main menu (click continue the game's archive without responding). These issues, after I deleted this MOD, have returned to normal. My version is 1.9.1

First, please make sure you have the dependencies installed.

Not sure what you mean when you say "I can not use the other", please explain.

After you've installed the dependencies, please rerun your tests, and if still having problems, provide a log file, please.

 

[Daelkyr]

Will this work with KRASH for using the Best Guess feature?

[linuxgurugamer]

2 hours ago, Daelkyr said:

Will this work with KRASH for using the Best Guess feature?

Good question.  I have no idea, it's something to look into.  

[leatherneck6017]

2 hours ago, Daelkyr said:

Will this work with KRASH for using the Best Guess feature?

 

12 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Good question.  I have no idea, it's something to look into.  

Yes, it works.

[linuxgurugamer]

6 minutes ago, leatherneck6017 said:

Yes, it works.

Thank you

[IntoSpaceAgain]

On 3/24/2020 at 4:57 AM, 5thHorseman said:

KSP v1.8.1

You don't list Clickthroughblocker and ToolbarControl as dependencies, though I think they are. At least, one of them is

With them installed along with nothing else (except modulemanager but no configs) I get a white box instead of an icon, and when I click it I get a window titled "Gravity Turn V 1.8.0" with buttons I can click but nothing does anything. I can't put focus in the text boxes and clicking the buttons makes them animate but they don't do anything. In particular, "Launch" doesn't launch.

Here's my log that ends on the launch pad after clicking launch a few times, I'm pretty sure though the problem is this, which is repeated thousands of times:

[LOG 04:56:43.492] GravityTurn : could not load lock_on icon!

 

 

On 3/24/2020 at 8:56 AM, linuxgurugamer said:

Make sure you have the latest version (1.8.0.1), that fixes the white box.

And thanks for the hint about dependencies.  FYI, it needs both the ToolbarController and the ClickThroughBlocker.

Please retry your test after updating to the latest version, thanks

Hi @linuxgurugamer, I'm having the same problem as @5thHorseman, although with KSP 1.9.1. I have version 1.8.0.1 of GravityTurn, as well as both dependencies. Log: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hbeocv7k5c5ezif/KSP.log?dl=0 

I also noticed that the GT window ingame is titled "Gravity Turn V 1.8.0" and I'm wondering if there was an upload issue to Github, since the zipfile is named "GravityTurn-1.8.0-1.8.0.1.zip".

 

[linuxgurugamer]

36 minutes ago, IntoSpaceAgain said:

 

Hi @linuxgurugamer, I'm having the same problem as @5thHorseman, although with KSP 1.9.1. I have version 1.8.0.1 of GravityTurn, as well as both dependencies. Log: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hbeocv7k5c5ezif/KSP.log?dl=0 

I also noticed that the GT window ingame is titled "Gravity Turn V 1.8.0" and I'm wondering if there was an upload issue to Github, since the zipfile is named "GravityTurn-1.8.0-1.8.0.1.zip".

 

I'll get the version number to display the full version number, the V1.8.0 is correct, missing the final digit 1.

Seems that a directory is missing from the build, I'm looking into it.

 

[linuxgurugamer]

I've also observed the launch button not launching,  am looking into that as well. 

I hope to get something out later this evening

[Superfluous J]

12 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Make sure you have the latest version (1.8.0.1), that fixes the white box.

Sorry for the late reply, I sleep all day and just got to my computer after waking up to start working from home

The reported problems all happened after installing the contents of the zip GravityTurn-1.8.0-1.8.0.1.zip into Gamedata of a fresh 1.8.1 KSP install. I did this after seeing the same problems in a full JNSQ install. GravityTurn.version shows the version of the mod as 1.8.0.1

It seems you got more feedback during the day but I hate leaving a bug report dangling

[linuxgurugamer]

Update, I've solved the problem, but want to do a few more tests before I update.  

Will explain the issue later, was very strange

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, out of beta, 1.8.0.3

• Fixed total unresponsiveness of mod 
• Fixed error when the "Previous Best Settings" was pressed when there weren't any 
• Added settings page (stock settings) to allow selection of compact skin (default) normal or stock skin

Now available on Spacedock:  https://spacedock.info/mod/2372/Gravity Turn

For those interested in what was wrong, I had changed the parameters to the DragWindow() to allow dragging from anywhere in the window.  What happened was due to the way all the windows were implemented, the DragWindow() which is supposed to be at the end of the window function was at the beginning.  So the RECT which was defined was eating all the events.  So clicking on a button, while appearing to do something, wasn't doing anything.

Very strange, but I'll now know what to look for in the future.

[rmaine]

Speaking of the "previous best settings", button, I've been meaning to ask if someone knew what happens when I don't press any of the "first guess", "improve guess", or "previous best settings" buttons, but just hit "launch" without pressing any of those. I assume one of those is essentially the default? Or is that actually some different thing?

[leatherneck6017]

3 minutes ago, rmaine said:

Speaking of the "previous best settings", button, I've been meaning to ask if someone knew what happens when I don't press any of the "first guess", "improve guess", or "previous best settings" buttons, but just hit "launch" without pressing any of those. I assume one of those is essentially the default? Or is that actually some different thing?

By default, when launching a new vessel (as in never seen by GT before), the mod will automatically make a first guess. Improve guess only works after a "recorded" launch. Recorded meaning either it was successful or you aborted and saved in the GT GUI.

[DStaal]

30 minutes ago, rmaine said:

Speaking of the "previous best settings", button, I've been meaning to ask if someone knew what happens when I don't press any of the "first guess", "improve guess", or "previous best settings" buttons, but just hit "launch" without pressing any of those. I assume one of those is essentially the default? Or is that actually some different thing?

I haven't tried LGG's version yet - but in all previous versions of the mod if you didn't hit anything there is a 'default' set of settings that it always uses.  First guess tries to work out something better than that (I think based on initial TWR).

[Superfluous J]

Just tried it out in JNSQ and it works great. Ignoring margins of error it was essentially the same fuel spent (though it spent the tiniest freaction more so SUCK IT COMPUTER ALGORITHM) as my own best launch.

Yet Another Must Install Mod

[linuxgurugamer]

1 hour ago, 5thHorseman said:

though it spent the tiniest freaction more

Compared to what?

4 hours ago, DStaal said:

I haven't tried LGG's version yet - but in all previous versions of the mod if you didn't hit anything there is a 'default' set of settings that it always uses.  First guess tries to work out something better than that (I think based on initial TWR).

I haven't changed any of that, only the gui stuff