[1.12.x] VAB Organizer (August 18)

[Nertea]

 

KSP 1.12.x

VAB Organizer [1.0.1]  Last Updated August 18, 2024

This is a small mod to help... organize the VAB, thus the boring name. Generally, I built this to mimic the hierarchical model that I have seen used by many people in the community, and myself. I'll try to find a part by 

• Looking for a function (e.g. an engine) then...
• Looking for a subfunction (e.g. a solid rocket engine) then..
• Looking for the appropriate cross sectional footprint aka bulkhead size (1.25m, Mk2, etc).
• Finally compare other things like mass, stats, etc.

This mod tries to hit #2 and #3 on that list. 

Bulkhead Tags

Bulkhead size tags are a new feature which appends a colored tag to parts according to their bulkhead size. This lets the player quickly see how big a part is in the parts listand pick it if they wish to. Tags show the size - in metres or in 'profile' where appropriate.

  

I also add a small new sort mode in the basic sorters at the top of the screen that lets you select this new Bulkhead sort order. It's enabled by default. 

Subcategories

Subcategories are new VAB parts list widgets that appear as headers within the parts drawer lists that attempt to further divide functions by subfunctions. They can be collapsed or expanded, and sort parts in these categories more easily. As an example, parts in Command may be sorted into Pods, Probes, Cockpits, etc. Subcategories are collapsible and also work in search mode, and work with the various sort modes, so you can do things like sort all the Nuclear Engines in the game by mass. 

  

Configuration and Compatibility

This basic mod supports Stock, Making History and Breaking Ground. Other mods will write and ship their own compatibility patches to assign parts to subcategories, and to configure their own exotic bulkhead profiles if they use them. There is a good amount of documentation on how to do that on Github.

I have attempted to ship a decent amount of default subcategories and bulkhead tags so that most mods will be able to make use of them without too much work. The default bulkhead profiles can be found here, and the default subcategories are here. 

Frequently Asked Questions Q: Can I contribute patches for XXX? A: No, this mod will only ever  contain patches for stock and DLCs. Patches for mods will be internal.  Q: I want a billion more default categories! A: No. Q: I disagree with your assignment of parts in stock! A: Feel free to open discussion in this thread

Licensing All code and cfgs are distributed under the MIT License

Download Mirrors

Primary (GitHub)

Issue Tracking and Source

If you appreciate this project, please consider contributing to my caffeine addiction! I really appreciate it, and also helps justify this time sink to my kids as they sometimes get to build Lego with me as a result

 

[Coldrifting]

I've been playing around with this mod since I found it on GitHub and I really like it! It even seems to work without issues with my custom categories mod. I used to spend way too much time renaming parts to align nicely in the editor and this should help a bunch. Plus it looks really cool!

Thanks for the mod!

[coyotesfrontier]

Very nice!

[B0lt]

Looks great! This wouldn't conflict with Z-theme right?

[LTQ90]

Nice mod. I use Filter extension for years now. Can i use them both safely ?

[SheepDog2142]

Hey its on here now. Been using it for awhile its amazing.

I tried to create config patches that put the sub categories in for sorting but no go. Any chance I could get a template? I have most of the work done for Tundra, OPT, Artemins construction kit and several others just need to figure out a few small things.

Edit: I found the documentation. Ill get to work I dont think that was there before when I tried. Ill throw up my configs when im done for anyone else who wants them incase some mods never get updated to support this awesome mod.

3 hours ago, B0lt said:

Looks great! This wouldn't conflict with Z-theme right?

No works great with it.

Edited August 19 by SheepDog2142

[SheepDog2142]

Beta of my support mod is up. Currently the following mods are supported but im sure there will need to be tweaking.

• Universal Storage II
• OPT Space Plane Parts
• MK-33
• Tundra Exploration
• MDAV
• Artemis Construction Kit
• Starship Expansion

 

[NateDaBeast]

Easily will become one of those mods you have to have installed. Nertea da goat.

[theJesuit]

This is great Nertea.  Thank you for another excellent mod!

[The Dressian Exploder]

Have you considered automating the categorisation of parts to some extent through looking through a part's config and adding it to a category if it satisfies certain criteria (e.g an engine might be added to the liquid fuel category if it contains an engine module which uses LiquidFuel and Oxidiser)
Not entirely sure how feasible it would be to do with something like an MM patch but if it's possible it would add compatibility to a lot of mods without requiring configs be made.

[Nertea]

15 hours ago, The Dressian Exploder said:

Have you considered automating the categorisation of parts to some extent through looking through a part's config and adding it to a category if it satisfies certain criteria (e.g an engine might be added to the liquid fuel category if it contains an engine module which uses LiquidFuel and Oxidiser)
Not entirely sure how feasible it would be to do with something like an MM patch but if it's possible it would add compatibility to a lot of mods without requiring configs be made.

The exact opposite of what I want, which is zero maintenance and tuning from me for other mods. 

[JadeOfMaar]

17 hours ago, The Dressian Exploder said:

Have you considered automating the categorisation of parts to some extent through looking through a part's config and adding it to a category if it satisfies certain criteria (e.g an engine might be added to the liquid fuel category if it contains an engine module which uses LiquidFuel and Oxidiser)
Not entirely sure how feasible it would be to do with something like an MM patch but if it's possible it would add compatibility to a lot of mods without requiring configs be made.

Wildcards exist and can and will make life hard pretty quickly. I have prior experience in such things as getting certain subsets of engines to -not- get the Persistent Thrust module and Nertea has never given the impression that he's into writing catch-all configs for other people's mods. Nertea seems like the sort of modmaker who only ever has their own mods in their install.

Writing catch-all configs for other people's mods is something I do, though, and it takes a certain passion and dedication... I'm not going to attempt this myself. I've already written VABO configs for at least half of Angelo Kerman's mods and I quickly found that wildcards that defy this automation idea easily exist among these:

• Crew cabins (Not all cabins are habs. There's temporary "crew transport" like the Mk3 cabin and then there's an airlock. Not all airlocks have the word "airlock" in them, like the OPT J ones)
• Command parts (There's a distinction between generic drone cores and station (drone) cores, and between manned pods for ascent/orbit vehicles and pods for rovers)
• Structural (This girder is a hub. This girder or truss is an adapter)
• Fuel tanks (Some mods provide all-purpose tanks which can be LFO, Mono, Cryo, Fusion etc. And some mods make specialty tanks into all-purpose tanks like any mod that adds fuel options to CryoTanks)

 

[KspNoobUsernameTaken]

 

19 hours ago, The Dressian Exploder said:

Have you considered automating the categorisation of parts to some extent through looking through a part's config and adding it to a category if it satisfies certain criteria (e.g an engine might be added to the liquid fuel category if it contains an engine module which uses LiquidFuel and Oxidiser)
Not entirely sure how feasible it would be to do with something like an MM patch but if it's possible it would add compatibility to a lot of mods without requiring configs be made.

Give it some time, I'd bet a few months down the line all or most part mods will have VABOrganizer support, whether by Nertea, mod authors, or others.

 

1 hour ago, JadeOfMaar said:

I've already written VABO configs for at least half of Angelo Kerman's mods

Hasn't this mod existed for all of three days? How are you this fast?!!

[modus]

11 hours ago, JadeOfMaar said:

I've already written VABO configs for at least half of Angelo Kerman's mods 

Just a suggestion, maybe you can collab with that other hero, @SheepDog2142, who has this: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/topic/225797-wip-sdvabo-vab-organizer-support-mod/

Again, just an idea.

[SheepDog2142]

13 hours ago, KspNoobUsernameTaken said:

 

Give it some time, I'd bet a few months down the line all or most part mods will have VABOrganizer support, whether by Nertea, mod authors, or others.

 

Hasn't this mod existed for all of three days? How are you this fast?!!

Love to work with him  on this. Im about done with SOCK and Benjis planetside to add to the collection. 

Edited August 21 by SheepDog2142

[JadeOfMaar]

38 minutes ago, SheepDog2142 said:

Love to work with him  on this.

Howdy. I've been aware of your project for a bit. I would share my configs once I've built them up, however, I don't agree with the current No-Derivs license. I don't believe any restrictive license should apply to a mod that consists only of configs and I enjoy when people take and learn from the configs I write.

Configs only tell the game how to behave. There isn't such depth to them that they need to be protected from potential thieves.

[AccidentalDisassembly]

I've written a patch that may cover a fair amount of ReStock(Plus) - if anyone wants to include it in a patch (and maintain it! :)) people are 100% free to take this and do with it as they please:

Spoiler

// ReStock (Plus) VAB organizer patches

// ReStock fuel tanks

@PART[restock-nosecone-375*|restock-fuel-tank*|restock-fueltank*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = lfo
  }
}

// ReStock aero cones etc.
@PART[restock-nosecone-0625-1]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = noses
  }
}


// ReStock probes and command

@PART[restock-drone-core*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = probes
  }
}

// ReStock LFO engines

@PART[restock-engine-torch|restock-engine-125-valiant|restock-engine-125-pug|restock-engine-boar]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = lfoEngines
  }
}

// ReStock Ore/other resource tanks

@PART[restock-oretank*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = resources
  }
}

// ReStock reaction wheels - miscategorized as 'wheels'

@PART[restock-reactionwheel*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = reactionWheels
  }
}

// ReStock RCS thrusters

@PART[restock-rcs-block*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = rcs
  }
}

// ReStock service bays

@PART[restock-service-bay*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = serviceBays
  }
}

// Adapters
@PART[restock-adapter*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = adapters
  }
}


// Science
@PART[restock-materialbay*|restock-goocanister*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = science
  }
}

@PART[restock-sciencebox-*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = scienceStorage
  }
}

// Comms - relay, reflector, direct

@PART[restock-antenna-*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = direct
  }
}

@PART[restock-relay-*]:FOR[VABOrganizer]:NEEDS[VABOrganizer]
{
  %VABORGANIZER
  {
    %organizerSubcategory = relay
  }
}

 

 

[Coldrifting]

I hate to burst your bubble but I think restock plus already has configs on its GitHub repo, I just don’t think they’re in a release yet, but you can download them and they work. https://github.com/PorktoberRevolution/ReStocked/blob/140d6fa93442eb1730df4ddc68261c0a9bfc4d77/Distribution/RestockPlus/GameData/ReStockPlus/Patches/VABOrganizerRestockPlus.cfg

[AccidentalDisassembly]

36 minutes ago, Coldrifting said:

I hate to burst your bubble but I think restock plus already has configs on its GitHub repo, I just don’t think they’re in a release yet, but you can download them and they work. https://github.com/PorktoberRevolution/ReStocked/blob/140d6fa93442eb1730df4ddc68261c0a9bfc4d77/Distribution/RestockPlus/GameData/ReStockPlus/Patches/VABOrganizerRestockPlus.cfg

No problem for me, I just used the patch in the meantime to get the juicy, juicy categorization ahead of time 

[Coldrifting]

9 minutes ago, AccidentalDisassembly said:

No problem for me, I just used the patch in the meantime to get the juicy, juicy categorization ahead of time 

Yeah I ended up doing the same thing. 

[SheepDog2142]

1 hour ago, JadeOfMaar said:

Howdy. I've been aware of your project for a bit. I would share my configs once I've built them up, however, I don't agree with the current No-Derivs license. I don't believe any restrictive license should apply to a mod that consists only of configs and I enjoy when people take and learn from the configs I write.

Configs only tell the game how to behave. There isn't such depth to them that they need to be protected from potential thieves.

I can chage it the moferators had me pick one so i just grabbed one from google. 

[JadeOfMaar]

13 minutes ago, SheepDog2142 said:

I can chage it the moferators had me pick one so i just grabbed one from google. 

CC-BY-NC-SA (the forum's standard but GitHub doesn't have this in its license selector) or MIT (GitHub has this) will do just fine. They are not identical in function so be sure to read them through, but they are the baseline permissive licenses used around here. Be sure to click the Licenses link in each site's navbar after and lookup the other licenses and see what they mean.

[SheepDog2142]

16 minutes ago, JadeOfMaar said:

CC-BY-NC-SA (the forum's standard but GitHub doesn't have this in its license selector) or MIT (GitHub has this) will do just fine. They are not identical in function so be sure to read them through, but they are the baseline permissive licenses used around here. Be sure to click the Licenses link in each site's navbar after and lookup the other licenses and see what they mean.

Yea I dont really care if other people take it and mess with it the goal is just to get everyone that wants the parts organized the configs to do so.
I updated it.

Edited August 21 by SheepDog2142

[SergeantBlueforce]

I know I'm late to say it, but its amazing to see Nertea is back. Can't remember the last time I played the game without his mods.

[KeaKaka]

How easy/possible would it be to add custom subcategories via a patch?

I'm thinking that maybe if a mod were to have a set of parts that would be better suited separated from, say, other liquid engines, would it be possible for that mod to add a custom subcategory without it being included as a default one in VABO?

Edited August 23 by KeaKaka