[1.11.x] RCS Build Aid v1.0.6

[m4v]

2) What are .asciidoc files? That is a non-standard file extension AFAIK (I have used mac/lin/win on a daily basis for years), and KSP is a multi-platform game, so sticking to using well-established standards - .txt or .rtf would be more appropriate perhaps?

asciidoc is a markup language for write documentation that it can be read "as is" with any text editor or parsed for create a HTML document such as the one when you read the readme from github.

They are just plain text files, you should be able to read them with any text editor. The only reason I can think that would prevent reading them would be the Unix line endings, Linux and Windows happens to use different code sequences for a new line and I'm a Linux user. Any "decent" text editor should recognize either type but I can see editors in Windows failing to recognize the line endings of other platforms.

I guess the most simple solution would be for me to switch to Windows line endings.

Edited February 1, 2014 by m4v

[Azimech]

I love this mod. It's a standard on my list and I don't build a single spaceplane without it.

[kiwiak]

Can i display center of mass info for half of fuel?

[Neutrinovore]

Can i display center of mass info for half of fuel?

Sure. The markers will move in real time as you tweak the fuel levels in any given fuel tank. I know this because I was messing around with the new KSO mini-shuttle. The only way to get it to sit properly on its landing gear is when it's empty, or almost empty, of fuel. The CoM is behind the rear landing gear when full, but as I moved the fuel sliders I watched the marker move forward until it was well in front of the rear gear.

Cheers, friend, and have fun.

[likke_A_boss]

Sure. The markers will move in real time as you tweak the fuel levels in any given fuel tank. I know this because I was messing around with the new KOS mini-shuttle. The only way to get it to sit properly on its landing gear is when it's empty, or almost empty, of fuel. The CoM is behind the rear landing gear when full, but as I moved the fuel sliders I watched the marker move forward until it was well in front of the rear gear.

Cheers, friend, and have fun.

Wut? How did you fix the COM glitch? It still doesn't work for me...

[kiwiak]

Sure. The markers will move in real time as you tweak the fuel levels in any given fuel tank. I know this because I was messing around with the new KSO mini-shuttle. The only way to get it to sit properly on its landing gear is when it's empty, or almost empty, of fuel. The CoM is behind the rear landing gear when full, but as I moved the fuel sliders I watched the marker move forward until it was well in front of the rear gear.

Cheers, friend, and have fun.

Thx man. Why didnt i thought to use tweakables?

This mod is something stock game shoudl definetly have.

[Neutrinovore]

Wut? How did you fix the COM glitch? It still doesn't work for me...

Lol, yeah, well, I didn't. But the Dry CoM marker still appears for me, so that's what I used.

Someone was saying on another thread that this glitch is caused by having a module in a part that has a resource with a maximum value of zero. Like when engines generate electricity, but don't store it. I haven't been able to check this out yet, however.

[Mystique]

Was it reported already that RBA stops showing CoM and thrust when using B9 pack engines?

[NathanKell]

Post right above yours...

[Neutrinovore]

Was it reported already that RBA stops showing CoM and thrust when using B9 pack engines?

Btw, that was the problem. On any engine that shows 'NaN' for thrust and/or TWR, you need to go into the config file. Somewhere in there will be a resource module, probably (but not always) for ElectricCharge, and it will read something like:

RESOURCE

{

name = ElectricCharge

amount = 0

maximumAmount = 0

}

Apologies if the nomenclature isn't correct, I'm doing this on my phone from memory. But it will be similar to what I've written above, if not exact.

Okay, anyway, it's the 'maximumAmount = 0' call that's the killer here, as I understand it. You can simply change it to any positive number you want, and the problems in RCSBuildAid should go away. Also in MechJeb's 'Vessel Info' window, that had the same problem, btw.

Or you can just delete the resource module altogether, that's usually what I do, I haven't noticed any problems so far.

Hope this info helps.

[NathanKell]

Nope, all you do is make a file of some name, give it a cfg extension, and place it in game data. Fill it with this: (Requires ModuleManager 1.5.6+)

//Starwaster and NK
@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleEngines],@RESOURCE[ElectricCharge]]
{
	@RESOURCE[ElectricCharge]
	{
		%isTweakable = false
		%hideFlow = true
	}
}

It's the lack of those two values for those resource nodes, when combined with maxAmount=0, that causes the issue. The little patch above will add it for any engine that lacks it, fixing the error.

[Andon]

You can actually do a "temp" fix without changing anything by tweaking the slider on the engine. It'll go from NaN to 0.0 and once done on all of the engines, the indicators will return.

[Superfluous J]

I'd been away from this mod for a while due to not using RCS very much lately, and someone mentioned that you now do engine thrust offsets so I just had to see it for myself. Well done! You've regained a thankful user

[GavinZac]

Edit:

And another question/suggestion. I'm using TeakableEverything where I can adjust the thrust limits for RCS in the VBA. The RCS Build Aid does not respond to changing those thrust limits. Would it be theoretically possible to take this influence into account?

+1 For this, especially when using B9's S2 cockpit - surely the finest Spaceplane Cockpit, visually at least - which 'helpfully' has RCS built into one side of it, which causes everything to be off-centre. I can put its thrust down to 0 with TweakableEverything, but RCS BuildAid can't respond to it properly like it does with the engines, which is a pity.

[m4v]

+1 For this, especially when using B9's S2 cockpit - surely the finest Spaceplane Cockpit, visually at least - which 'helpfully' has RCS built into one side of it, which causes everything to be off-centre. I can put its thrust down to 0 with TweakableEverything, but RCS BuildAid can't respond to it properly like it does with the engines, which is a pity.

This is actually a problem with TweakableEverything, since it doesn't update the thrust values of the RCS when you change them, but only at the last moment when you launch the vessel. You will have to poke the author of that mod for get this working.

[GavinZac]

This is actually a problem with TweakableEverything, since it doesn't update the thrust values of the RCS when you change them, but only at the last moment when you launch the vessel. You will have to poke the author of that mod for get this working.

Ok, makes perfect sense. Cheers.

In the mean time, if anyone else is having this problem, this makes it go away:

@PART[B9_Cockpit_S2]{
	!MODULE[ModuleRCS]{}
}

[Spenzor]

Is there any way to make the CM and Dry CM markers smaller? My one complaint about using this is that having the markers up can make it difficult to see where you're actually placing the thrusters - or failing to place them. This is no fault of yours, mind you - the stock CM marker is ridiculously huge.

[m4v]

Is there any way to make the CM and Dry CM markers smaller? My one complaint about using this is that having the markers up can make it difficult to see where you're actually placing the thrusters - or failing to place them. This is no fault of yours, mind you - the stock CM marker is ridiculously huge.

Yes, go to the Mass tab and drag the slider.

[m4v]

Version 0.4.5
-------------
* The circular arrow now is proportinal to the expected angular acceleration
  instead of torque.
* The coordinate system is now referenced to the vessel.
* Use Windows line endings in text files, so Windows users doesn't have to ditch
  their beloved notepad (source files unchanged).
* Workaround for engines of outdated mods.

Because the circular arrow is now proportional to the angular acceleration you might find some situations where you have torque, but no circular arrow, which mostly means that the rotation rate is small (big vessels are harder to turn).

Edited March 14, 2014 by m4v

[J.Random]

I should say this mod is a life saver for small probes and landers when you try to pack a lot of surface-attached equipment into tiny volume and can not afford to attach everything in symmetrical pairs.

[ethan829]

Anyone tried this in 0.23.5?

[Superfluous J]

Anyone tried this in 0.23.5?

Yeah. I used it to center the thrusters on my asteroid tug (still hasn't been used yet). Seemed to work just fine.

[Jikahn]

So far this seems to actually work better for me in 0.23.5 than 0.23.0. Previously the DCoM wasn't displayed properly, now it is.

[Geschosskopf]

Hmm, it didn't work for me at all in 0.23.5. The axes were all wrong. When I'd hit a translation key, the blue arrows and other graphics all showed rotation axes instead.

[m4v]

Hmm, it didn't work for me at all in 0.23.5. The axes were all wrong. When I'd hit a translation key, the blue arrows and other graphics all showed rotation axes instead.

Check that the button at the bottom says "Mode: TRANSLATION" and not rotation.