Perfect Dock Alignment

[jscheiben]

Hey everyone,

Been looking around the forum here for a while and have not come across any answer to something i'm trying to do. I put a large ship into orbit with 10 docking ports(5 either side) and am in the process of putting together a fuel/rcs rig for the side of it. My question is if there is any way to line up docking ports on the rig to the exact location(X,Y,Z) of the ones on the main ship. I have dug through the quicksave file and have found the lines (dockingport2) with the location but am not 100% sure how the format works. If anyone has any ideas on how this could be done i'd appreciate it.

[AncientAstronaut]

Not exactly sure what you're asking, but if you're just trying to dock, all you have to do is set the docking port target as "target" and either manually line up the two ports or hit (PAR -) on MechJeb's "Smart ASS". (sometimes PAR + does it depending on your port location). Then guide it in with translational thrust.

[SDIR]

If you are trying to dock multiple ports together, it will be very difficult. The only way is to use the bi-couplers or tri-couplers as they have a standard shape so they have a higher likelyhood of sticking together. If that doesn't work, use the Senior docking ports.

[Nibb31]

You can use ORDA. It still works fine in 0.20.2, you just have to install it the old way.

[neistridlar]

Sounds like you want to design something with multiple docking ports perfectly aligned. I usually just design my "docking clamp arrays" so that I can grab it by the root, and put it a side, while I design the next vessel, then stick it back on. It would be helpful if you posted some pics of the craft you want to dock though, a picture says more than a thousand words

[Tex_NL]

HydroTech features an auto alignment. Depending on ship size/mass and RCS placement it keeps your ship (near) perfectly aligned.

The tri-hexagonal docking ports in THSS have build-in guides making it close to impossible to dock incorrectly.

[jscheiben]

I hope this link works, it's a bottom view of my ship/addon in orbit showing the docking ports,

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=153336737

any help would be appreciated, on a side note i went in and edited the ship config file and got them better lined up but when snapping to the surface the alignment went out again.

Edited June 16, 2013 by jscheiben

[jscheiben]

Thanks for all the tips, i used ORDA and it seems to be the one that's helped me the best, managed 3/5 docking port connections on the ship.

[neistridlar]

Cool ship. The docking might be slightly easier if you align the docking ports along the north/south axis (use control from here, and use the navball to point directly north and level with the horizon).

[Sirrobert]

You could put the original part (with the 5 docking ports) in the VAB, and than assamble the new craft against it (as in, already docked).

When done with the new ship, you can than remove the part that's already in orbit. You now have the docking ports perfectly alligned (as they were designed already against it)

[kahlzun]

Subassembly mod to the rescue!

This allows you to 'save' a set of parts for later use. Layout your ports, grab the 'root' part, drag it onto the jigsaw (which saves it), and then later add it to your new design!

Note that it wasn't updated to .20, so here are some user-made patches.

[Syhrus]

This is my favourite tutorial on the subject:

http://youtu.be/YsEHIn_ucIA

Basically your first step is to get it close to perfect, so your docking ports are almost aligned. Next, you just decouple each one until they have all been decoupled. Then just thrust away a bit, and then go back until you hit them all perfectly where they should be.

Failing that, he also talks about a quicksave edit, which is my preferred way of doing this. As much fun as trying for hours to dock everything perfectly is... I prefer to spend my time flying to other planets...

[jscheiben]

thanks for all the tips eveyone, i managed to get the parts docked and this is what i ended up with;

http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/612769210760956566/76CCF09D35B0ADA93ADD7B1360F81F369018C48C/

only problem now is that I cant seem to dock with the shielded ones on the top, guess that's a new thing i'll have to work on

[Syhrus]

Dat ship.

[Sirrobert]

thanks for all the tips eveyone, i managed to get the parts docked and this is what i ended up with;

http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/612769210760956566/76CCF09D35B0ADA93ADD7B1360F81F369018C48C/

only problem now is that I cant seem to dock with the shielded ones on the top, guess that's a new thing i'll have to work on

Damn, that's a work of art

[jscheiben]

Thanks for the nice responses to the ship, if anyone wants the craft files let me know and i'll upload them. I'll also post some other pics from different angles.

pics are here

http://steamcommunity.com/id/jscheiben/screenshots/

Specs;

303 tons

387 parts

8740 monopropellant

20826 liquid fuel

25454 oxidizer

just under 500 electric but i'm using generators hidden in the mid ships nose so it's constantly charging.

hope ya'll enjoy them and i've got more plans for it in the making and i'll post more as i go along at the above site.

Thanks again everyone.

Edited June 18, 2013 by jscheiben