Docking Ports and 20.0+

[Absolution]

Short story: my docking ports no longer work.

Do I need to use the latest version of the part tools (20.0) to get the docking nodes to work in KSP 20.0+?

I am still bug hunting but everything looks okay to me based on what I've read on the forums (assuming that data is not out of date as of the recent patches):

-An empty named "DockingNode" in Unity with the blue Axis pointing away from the ship (or towards the incoming ship)

-Module configured in CFG:

node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -2.5, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0

*snip*

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleDockingNode
	referenceAttachNode = bottom
	nodeType = size1
}

Is there anything else I should look for or any other new details as of the recent patches?

[KhaosCorp]

In Unity are you sure your looking at local axis and not global? And +Z is facing away from the port connection?

As far as I can see you should have a working port. Hope you figure it out bud.

[LaydeeDem]

Do you have "PART { }" Wrapped around your cfg?

Example:

PART {

cfgstuff

}

[Fyrem]

while I know it has to do with how you built your part.. .but ALL other docking ports I have seen use

referenceAttachNode = top

[Absolution]

Do you have "PART { }" Wrapped around your cfg?

Example:

PART {

cfgstuff

}

I do.

Recent bug hunting and tweaking resulted in failure and here are things I've tried:

-renamed the nodes to "top"

-installed part tools version 20 and exported the parts in question

-reinstalled KSP 20.2 and the parts in question

I am trying to create a combination part that's one half command module and one half docking port to allow for pain free assemblies in space. Maybe I don't have the modules and CFG hierarchy set right. However, this was working just fine circa KSP 0.19 so unless something changed that dramatically in 20.2 I am at a loss.

More details:

Part 1 Unity hierarchy and node location/placement

Part 2 Unity hierarchy and node location/placement (these two parts are meant to meet up and dock in space)

Part 1 CFG (complete)

PART
{
// Kerbal Space Program - Part Config
// CORE_FL-CMU-01
// 

// --- general parameters ---
name = CORE_FL-CMU-01
module = CommandPod
author = Absolution

// --- asset parameters ---
mesh = model.mu
scale = 1

// --- node definitions ---
// definition format is Position X, Position Y, Position Z, Up X, Up Y, Up Z, SIZE
node_stack_top = 0.0, -2.5, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0

// --- FX definitions ---

fx_gasBurst_white = -2.5, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, activate
sound_vent_large = activate


// --- editor parameters ---
cost = 1200
category = Pods
subcategory = 0
title = FL-CMU-01
manufacturer = C.O.R.E. Concept Rocket Engineering
description = description.

// attachment rules: stack, srfAttach, allowStack, allowSrfAttach, allowCollision
attachRules = 1,1,1,1,1

mass = 7.6
dragModelType = default
maximum_drag = 0.2
minimum_drag = 0.15
angularDrag = 1.5
crashTolerance = 30
breakingForce = 15000
breakingTorque = 15000
maxTemp = 3100

vesselType = Ship
CrewCapacity = 3

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleCommand
	minimumCrew = 0
}

RESOURCE
{
	name = ElectricCharge
	amount = 50
	maxAmount = 50
}

RESOURCE
{
 name = MonoPropellant
 amount = 100
 maxAmount = 100
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleDockingNode
	referenceAttachNode = top
	nodeType = size1
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleRCS
	thrusterTransformName = RCSthruster
	thrusterPower = 1
	resourceName = MonoPropellant
	atmosphereCurve
 	{
   	 key = 0 260
  	 key = 1 100
 	}
}
}

Part 2 CFG (complete)

PART
{
// Kerbal Space Program - Part Config
// CORE_FL-HAB-01
// 

// --- general parameters ---
name = CORE_FL-HAB-01
module = Part
author = Absolution

// --- asset parameters ---
mesh = model.mu
scale = 1

// --- node definitions ---
// definition format is Position X, Position Y, Position Z, Up X, Up Y, Up Z
node_stack_top = 0.0, 2.5, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0
node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -2.5, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0

// --- FX definitions ---
fx_gasBurst_white = 0.0, 2.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, activate
sound_vent_large = activate

// --- editor parameters ---
cost = 1200
category = Utility
subcategory = 0
title = FL-HAB-01
manufacturer = C.O.R.E. Concept Rocket Engineering
description = description.

// attachment rules: stack, srfAttach, allowStack, allowSrfAttach, allowCollision
attachRules = 1,0,1,1,1

// --- standard part parameters ---
mass = 7.6
dragModelType = default
maximum_drag = 0.2
minimum_drag = 0.2
angularDrag = 2
crashTolerance = 160
breakingForce = 15000
breakingTorque = 15000
maxTemp = 3400
fuelCrossFeed = True

CrewCapacity = 4

RESOURCE
{
	name = ElectricCharge
	amount = 200
	maxAmount = 200
}

RESOURCE
{
	name = MonoPropellant
	amount = 100
	maxAmount = 100
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleDockingNode
	referenceAttachNode = top
	nodeType = size1
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleDockingNode
	referenceAttachNode = bottom
	nodeType = size1
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleRCS
	thrusterTransformName = RCSthruster
	thrusterPower = 1
	resourceName = MonoPropellant
	atmosphereCurve
 	{
   	 key = 0 260
  	 key = 1 100
 	}
}
}

Any and all help is, borderline, desperately wanted. I've sunk about 50 hours into this project and unless I can get this to work I fear all that time was utterly wasted. I suppose I can try separating the docking ports and the craft and attach them in the VAB but one of the main goals of the project is to reduce the wobbliness of large space constructions and reducing the number of joints is critical to that. The problem with that is there is no guarantee that I can get the docking ports to work that way either.

[KhaosCorp]

I dont think it has to be seperate parts. I can think of a few mods just off-hand that use intergrated docking ports of some fasion.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/28273-0-20-2-M-M-M-(Modular-Magnetic-Module)-0-3-1

Contact either the creator of this thread or germalto.....this uses built-in ports, maybe they know a trick or two.

Wish I could be of more assistance.

[Yarbrough08]

Your Problem is "referenceAttachNode = bottom". This needs to be the name of your empty in unity, in this case: "referenceAttachNode = DockingNode"

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        referenceAttachNode = DockingNode	
        nodeType = size1
    }

Edit: You do not have to have "referenceAttachNode" at all. Rename your empty/gameobject to "dockingNode" and the game will automatically pick it up. At least it does for my animated docking port.. In my cfg all I have is:

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        deployAnimationController = 1
        nodeType = size1
    }

Edited July 11, 2013 by Yarbrough08
Additional information

[Absolution]

Your Problem is "referenceAttachNode = bottom". This needs to be the name of your empty in unity, in this case: "referenceAttachNode = DockingNode"

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        referenceAttachNode = DockingNode	
        nodeType = size1
    }

Edit: You do not have to have "referenceAttachNode" at all. Rename your empty/gameobject to "dockingNode" and the game will automatically pick it up. At least it does for my animated docking port.. In my cfg all I have is:

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        deployAnimationController = 1
        nodeType = size1
    }

That first suggestion didn't seem to work and I will try your revised suggestion to see if that does it.

Someone suggested there can only be one dockingnode per part and one of mine had two so I took out the second one and that did not work either. I am wondering if it IS working but something went wrong with the coordinates and the nodes are not loading in the locations I want them to. Therefor when I try to dock I never get the nodes close enough to "magnetize". I don't know how to test for that though.

Is my DockingNode located correctly in the part hierarchy?

[Ravski]

You've got the empty gameobject set up where you want the docking node to be. You just need to add:

nodeTransformName = DockingNode

in the

MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        deployAnimationController = 1
        nodeType = size1
    }

and DockingNode is the name of the gameobject you defined as the location of your docking node. Therefore, you also need to give different names to the gameobjects "DockingNode".

Note that the Z axis should point to the direction you want you docking node to be orientated to

[Absolution]

Okay if I understand correctly there are two things I need to fix. One is that I need unique names for each docking node. Check.

The other is that my code needs to read like the following; yes?

MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        deployAnimationController = 1
        nodeType = size1
        nodeTransformName = DockingNode
    }

[Ravski]

Okay if I understand correctly there are two things I need to fix. One is that I need unique names for each docking node. Check.

The other is that my code needs to read like the following; yes?

MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDockingNode
        deployAnimationController = 1
        nodeType = size1
        nodeTransformName = DockingNode
    }

Yes

Although, I assume your node type is a custom one, because you're supposed to use number for the stock ones.