VAB Staging-how can I place something in a precise stage?

[Klapaucius]

Is there any way to do this?  I am building a rocket, and every time I go back and put something new on, it drops that engine or coupler way up at the top of the stack.  Often this is off the screen, and I have to go scrolling up searching for it.  This is no big deal when you have only a few stages, but I have 20 (rocket, plus lander, plus shrouds etc etc).  

Edited April 21, 2021 by Klapaucius

[swjr-swis]

If there is a way, I haven't found it yet. KSP's staging logic works in mysterious ways...

[Guest]

Yes it’s very annoying. I don’t think there’s a fix unfortunately.

[bewing]

Wait until you've finished putting together the rocket before you play with the staging.

 

[Klapaucius]

On 4/21/2021 at 11:45 PM, bewing said:

Wait until you've finished putting together the rocket before you play with the staging.

 

This is not a solution. That is what I did initially, however the rocket needed tweaking. Any modification made back in the VAB resulted in new parts moving to random points way up in the stack, even if what I was replacing was the very final stage.

[Gavin786]

Re rooting your rocket so the root part is in the final stage will make this problem  much less. 

This is also highly recommended if you are using tools like Kerbal Engineer as you wont get accurate information otherwise.  There are some mods that erstwhile fix this, but I have used them and have had no success.  Ultimately it is a problem that there is no absolute fix for, nor should there be, as how can KSP be expected to know your exact staging, especially if you ever want to do something unique or exotic.

- Gavin786