Attaching Structural Tubing on Radial Decouplers or Sides of Cylinders

[MkThunderwd]

Maybe there is a good reason, but KSP refuses to allow structural tubing to be placed on the side of cylinders and radial decouplers.

Ex: T-12 Structural Tubing --> on --> TT-38K Radial Decoupler

The same diameter fuel take tank and other parts can be mounted on the side, but not tubing.

If possible, please change it so this can be done. It doesn't really make sense not to allow it and it will enable some emergent functionality.

Thanks!

 

[Geonovast]

Welcome to the forum, @MkThunderwd

As the game is no longer being developed, this change seems really unlikely.  Fortunately it's possible with some very light modding as a simple ModuleManager patch.

If you don't have it already, install ModuleManager

Create a text file inside your GameData folder.  I like to put one-off patches like this in a folder named MyPatches or something.

Name the file whateveryouwant.cfg

Open the file with a text editor.  Inside put this:
 

@PART[Tube1]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 0.625,0,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube1p5]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 0.9375,0,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube2]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 1.25,0,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube3]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 1.875,0,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube4]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 2.5,0,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

Your GameData folder structure should be like this:

GameData
          Squad
          SquadExpansion
         ModuleManager.4.2.3.dll
          MyPatches
                    whateveryouwant.cfg


I have only tested this as far as the patches applying and it doing what you want in the VAB.  For all I know this was prohibited intentionally because it caused problems.  Comes with no warranty.

[MkThunderwd]

Wow. That worked very well.

The only thing I changed was the Y value to make placement at the height midpoint of the smallest variant:

@PART[Tube1]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 0.625,-0.3125,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube1p5]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 0.9375,-0.3125,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube2]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 1.25,-0.3125,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube3]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 1.875,-0.3125,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

@PART[Tube4]:NEEDS[SquadExpansion/MakingHistory] {
    node_attach = 2.5,-0.3125,0,1,0,0,0
    @attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
}

If something like this could find it's way into a patch, that would be awesome. Fixed on my end. Thanks!