[1.8.1] Docking Port Alignment Indicator (Version 6.8.5 - Updated 12/14/19)

[NavyFish]

Many thanks for this mod NavyFish. To each their own, and I see lots of requests to add features to this mod, but IMHO, this is perfect. I can do completely blind rendezvous with this mod just the way it is. It is not overcluttered with xyz axis velocities and distances, everything you need to make a picture perfect slow controlled RZ is here.

EDIT: Ok, maybe 1 thing I'd like to see. Often times I want to dock off rotation, rather than just the 30 degrees left and right at the top of the hud, could we get rotational marks around the full 360 degrees? Thanks, and it's not even a huge thing, it's just that for my space planes expecially, I often have to shoe horn them into a station off of the rotational axis.

Thanks for the comments! In the absence of roll ticks around the entire gauge, make sure you're using "Show Roll Degrees" in the settings menu for a digital readout.

[LameLefty]

Odd. The number of ports should have nothing to do with it. I don't use KW - is the multi-port thing you mentioned a single part? If so, that might be the issue, but I haven't encountered this before.

The space station design I was having trouble with is uses the standard Rockomax HubMax multipoint connector with standard Clamp-O-Tron docking clamps mounted around it radially. The transfer stage design I was having issues with just has a standard 2.5m tank with standard Clamp-O-Trons mounted around it. I'll try again today under more controlled conditions and try to take some good screenshots. If the problem persists (and isn't just a glitch with last night's session), I'll post more details and pics.

[NinpoFox]

More than likely it is correctly controlling from the shielded docking port, but when you target the Inline port things get twisted. Does controlling from the shielded port while targeting a normal docking port (not inline) work fine? If so, that's definitely the problem.

Here's an example where I am controlling from a shielded docking port and targeting a normal docking port. I hope this helps. Thanks again for the great mod!

[fedemotta3]

Very good mod!

[xZise]

Hi, is there a way to determine the velocity in the top/bottom direction? There is the movement left/right/up/down relative to target but not in the third axis, and I don't mean the vectorial (shortest) distance. So it is negative when you are behind the docking port. At the moment you already can see THAT when your lateral displacement lines are red, but you can't see if this is changing and you have to counteract.

Fabian

[LameLefty]

All day playing around and I haven't duplicated my problems from last night. May have been user error (probably was) but if it does show back up, I'll report with details.

But today, since things are all hunky dory, I just want to say thanks, this has made docking (something I'm already good at) almost effortless. So, well ... thanks!

[NavyFish]

Hi, is there a way to determine the velocity in the top/bottom direction? There is the movement left/right/up/down relative to target but not in the third axis, and I don't mean the vectorial (shortest) distance. So it is negative when you are behind the docking port. At the moment you already can see THAT when your lateral displacement lines are red, but you can't see if this is changing and you have to counteract.

Fabian

If I understand you correctly, you want the "CVEL" value in the bottom-right of the gauge. This is short for "Closure Velocity". The Yellow Velocity Vector shows velocity perpendicular to the approach corridor, while CVEL shows velocity parallel to the approach corridor.

[gilflo]

Hello Navyfish

Would it be possible when we get near the target, let's say last 50m, when we are supposed to be align with the target, to get a greater scale, something like a zoom on the center. The nearer you are, the smaller the corrections, so with a greater scale on the center it would be easier. May be as an option....

[krenshala]

Just thought I'd share a screenshot of the KSV Kerbin that I've docked together yesterday and today using DAPI. This is the (current) results of six successful launches. It isn't ready for flight yet, as I still need to add living space, landers, probes and engines, in addition to the other three fuel/comms pods (the nearest part). Each module is docked with either three or four docking ports and the DAPI allowed me to easily line everything up correctly.

One thing I have noticed is that rotating the docking port during construction will affect how DAPI sees its orientation when you try to dock. This caused all four of the inner fuel modules to dock at 180 degrees according to DAPI. Not really a bug, but I thought I'd mention it in case others hadn't noticed or figured it out yet.

[xZise]

If I understand you correctly, you want the "CVEL" value in the bottom-right of the gauge. This is short for "Closure Velocity". The Yellow Velocity Vector shows velocity perpendicular to the approach corridor, while CVEL shows velocity parallel to the approach corridor.

Ah okay! Wouldn't be nice if there are graphics for this too? For example something like this:

Fabian

PS: Now I'm not color blind, but I guess switching between red/green might be hard to see for some color blind. Maybe draw them differently? Dotted?

[thunderstar]

ok i was sceptic about this mods, and even when i first tested it i tought it was like normal docking, but then when i learned how to use it properly, oh boy! everything became so clear and now docking is waaaay easier than ever!

thank you so much for this mod

[AbuMaia]

Ah okay! Wouldn't be nice if there are graphics for this too? For example something like this:

Fabian

Could you explain what the diagonal addition is supposed to represent? What are the green and yellow lines?

[nukeboyt]

This mod is GREAT!!!. Thanks NavyFish. Took the time to learn how to use it and now I'm a docking fool.

[CaptainKipard]

But, so long as I can switch off the duplicate numerical displays, I certainly can't argue against them being an option.

Perhaps a separate optional narrow window that extends from the side of the main window that just lists the values in a column.

I would group them according to the axes they represent

Edited September 9, 2013 by Cpt. Kipard

[xZise]

Could you explain what the diagonal addition is supposed to represent? What are the green and yellow lines?

It's the closure distance to the target where the distance/velocity gets greater the higher the the lines are. The green line indicate the distance (like the green crosshair) and the yellow line indicate the velocity in direction to the target. It's only an idea trying to visualize how far you have to go forward to connect to the other docking port.

Fabian

[lincourtl]

Is my Docking Port Alignment Indicator out of alignment here? Shouldn't the red target be pretty much center? In every other way it agrees with Lazor Docking Cam.

I tried it out with blizzy's Docking Tutorial mod as well, but saw no misalignment there.

BTW: Bloody fantastic mod. Thank you so much for making this.

[Dave7]

The orange circle isn't centered because your ship isn't perpendicular to the dock. This is also represented in Lazor docking cam in the lower right where the °X 1.579 and °Y -6.185 are I believe. Use WASD to rotate until it's centered.

Edit: the orange circle is always the first thing I center. After that it's all IJKLHN to maneuver to the dock with only slight adjustments with WASD if needed. SAS usually keeps it fairly straight.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Dave7

[lincourtl]

Ah. I wasn't sure how many degrees those reticles are supposed to indicate. Visually it seemed like it was greater to me. I'm guessing it must be 5 degrees per tick on the reticle then?

Edited September 10, 2013 by lincourtl

[Dave7]

Yep, same for the rotation angle scale on the top. I always get that to 0, 90, 180 or 270 when I center the orange circle as well.

[AbuMaia]

It's the closure distance to the target where the distance/velocity gets greater the higher the the lines are.

Fabian

Do I understand correctly that "higher" means closer to the outside? Or is it towards the centre?

[krenshala]

Do I understand correctly that "higher" means closer to the outside? Or is it towards the centre?

The closer to the center, the closer you are to being aimed directly at the port you are trying to dock to.

[xZise]

Do I understand correctly that "higher" means closer to the outside? Or is it towards the centre?

This depends on how you would define it. It was only a suggestion by me to add into the mod, so it is NavyFish's responsibility (if he decides to uses this) in which direction the chart goes. I personally meant with higher going towards the center. Actually there could be a silhouette of a docking port added to help with determine in which direction the graph needs to be moving to get better results.

Is my Docking Port Alignment Indicator out of alignment here? Shouldn't the red target be pretty much center? In every other way it agrees with Lazor Docking Cam.

I tried it out with blizzy's Docking Tutorial mod as well, but saw no misalignment there.

BTW: Bloody fantastic mod. Thank you so much for making this.

Afaik the white lines in Romfarer's mod are the same as the orange crosshairs in the DPAI, and if you look closely also the LDC is slightly off to the left and top. Maybe the DPAI scales differently and exaggerate "more" than the LDC.

What I'm wondering if you could add an option to mirror the DPAI (either only one axis or on both axes). It's a bit confusing which direction you have to rotate to move the orange marker in the right direction.

Fabian

[lincourtl]

Afaik the white lines in Romfarer's mod are the same as the orange crosshairs in the DPAI, and if you look closely also the LDC is slightly off to the left and top. Maybe the DPAI scales differently and exaggerate "more" than the LDC.

Yeah, the difference in scale was what was throwing me. I'm used to Lazor Docking Cam and those 6 degrees just visually appeared to be far greater to me on DPAI. I didn't realize the ticks on the reticle represented five degrees. It's not an exaggeration. It's just different.

I would really like to see these two mods merge because I like NavyFish's analog visual representation of distance, and I like his visual design a lot. On the other hand, I really like Romfarer's mock camera image, plus it suits my docking style better. Which is best described as "seat of my pants" -- why move along just one axis when you can careen around all three at once.

Either way, both of these mods are fantastic. If I had to pick though, I'd rather Navyfish's DPAI be added to stock. The only change I'd make is to be able to toggle it on and off.

[RoboRay]

I would really like to see these two mods merge because I like NavyFish's analog visual representation of distance, and I like his visual design a lot. On the other hand, I really like Romfarer's mock camera image, plus it suits my docking style better.

I loved the Lazor Docking Cam, but I simpy detest the Romfarer plugin (and quit using his docking cam) because of all the baggage that comes with it. If there were a way to merge them by only incorporating the camera functionality and leaving all the other mess out, that would be fine... but I wouldn't want anything to do with this mod if it required the full Romfarer plugin. I understand that some people find things like altered physics distances and exploding launch clamps interesting, but I really do not.

Operation-wise, though, there's no functional difference. You can "careen around" all axes at once with either instrument.

[lincourtl]

If there were a way to merge them by only incorporating the camera functionality and leaving all the other mess out, that would be fine...

I only use the docking cam myself. I understand what you mean about the extra baggage. All I'd want added is the mock docking cam.

Operation-wise, though, there's no functional difference. You can "careen around" all axes at once with either instrument.

Yep. For some reason, I just like doing it with the docking cam more. I'm odd like that.