Action Groups not working with symmetrical parts

[MaramonJ]

I'm trying to set up action groups to turn off one group of engines and turn another on, but it won't let me select symmetrical engines separately, and it the slated action only works on the first one you selected. My space planes are spinning out every time I try to swap to my nuke engines, and there's no way I can make all of the changes manually in time. Any help?

[SRV Ron]

If you assemble symmetrical engines separately, you can then select them separately. Otherwise, selection will default to how they were assembled.

[pebble_garden]

You know, I've noticed this too, and thought I had simply built something wrong. I had a set of solar panels attached in 4-way symmetry and only one of them actually responded to the action group. I know it worked before, so perhaps it really is a bug.

Actually, this particular issue with the solar panels went like this:

1. I attached my solar panels but forgot to turn on 4-way symmetry, so I only attached the one, and didn't notice my mistake.

2. I immediately set up the action group to toggle the panels.

3. Flew my thing into orbit, and THEN realized my blunder.

4. Later I reloaded the craft in the VAB and clicked on the panel with 4-way symmetry on, and everything was cool. I didn't check the Action Group, as it was already set up.

5. Flew the fixed craft into orbit, and even though I had four panels, only the original one responded to my Action Group keypress.

I've never seen that behavior before but wasn't sure if it was a new bug or not.

Anyway, that's what I saw. Perhaps others can confirm or deny the bug.

Note to the original poster: I suspect you meant to post in the Questions section, not Tutorials.

Edited August 14, 2013 by pebble_garden

[SRV Ron]

If you have selected symmetrical engines for an action group and it is not affecting all engines, reset the selection and try again. Sometimes those groups get unset during modification of your rockets.

If those engines were added separately, such as a custom cluster on a Rockomax fuel tank using small cubes, add each one separately to the same action group number. They will then activate all at once.

[Jackissimus]

I am very aware of this bug, although I don't know it's ever been put into a bug report. I've just learned to live with it.

Everytime you detach some parts and reattach them again, you have to go over your action groups in that part of your craft and set them again ... otherwise hitting the action button will activate only one of the symmetrical parts as pebble points out in his no. 5.

[Ted]

Moved the thread.

The issue is not really a bug, it's more of a design choice. If symmetry wasn't taken into consideration when setting Action Groups, you would have to go through adding each and every one of your panels, legs, etc. to the action group - which would become tiresome to say the least. Thus, it's more efficient to have it on by default, although it would be nice for there to be a toggle there.

[richfiles]

Except when creating massive science spam satellites, this can be troublesome. Used the three way stack converter to make a stack of 9 Science Jr. and 9 Mystery Goo devices. Tried assigning them to action groups, only to discover that they were assigned in triplicate.

I agree that symmetrical parts should automatically be assigned to action groups together, but I think there needs to be a button on the part that lets you manually split the symmetry int he action group window, for cases like mine. I had to tear my construction apart and redo it, and then play with the fine rotation till it was right, since I didn't have the automatic rotation from symmetry anymore.

So what I'm suggesting, would be a feature request...

Say you have an SC-9001 Science Jr. in 3 way symmetry. I'm just saying that in addition to the reset button, there should be a split/merge button on any part with assigned symmetry. reset would reset the assigned actions, and merge would regroup split symmetrical parts' actions. So what you see now is:

----------------------

SC-9001 Science Jr.

< Toggle Doors

< Observe Materials ...

< Reset materials Bay

[Reset]

----------------------

What I propose would be this:

----------------------

SC-9001 Science Jr.

< Toggle Doors

< Observe Materials ...

< Reset materials Bay

[Reset] [split x3]

----------------------

If you press the [split xN] button, it would display this:

----------------------

SC-9001 Science Jr.

< Toggle Doors

< Observe Materials ...

< Reset materials Bay

----------------------

< Toggle Doors

< Observe Materials ...

< Reset materials Bay

----------------------

< Toggle Doors

< Observe Materials ...

< Reset materials Bay

----------------------

[Reset] [Merge x3]

----------------------

Pressing [Merge xN] would rejoin the action items into a single set of menus for all three parts.

I guess that would be really nice in many situations. Symmetry is not only used to make things pretty, but to also keep things balanced. It sucks to have to do symmetry manually, when you need more control.

I'd also suggest that since most keyboards treat number pad numbers and the numbers over the letters as separate keys, it'd rock to allow an extra set of action groups (0-9 on the number pad) to allow us extras. Sometimes I like to use RCS, Brakes, Lights, Gear, and Abort for... well, those things!

Sorry, just my ramblings on a tiny little change I'd love to see, regarding how I'd like to see this game improved. Not sure if anyone else agrees, but that's my thought on it.

***Oh my! Dis old post... I still think it'd be an improvement. Blame Google for pulling such an old post!

Edited July 6, 2015 by richfiles