How to assemble circular to radial to radial to circular

[Dave Kerbin]

There is something in the VAB I'm having trouble with. I have no trouble attaching a radial part to something like a fuel tank, for example attaching a radial docking port to the side of an orange tank. I also don't have any trouble correctly attaching a matching radial docking port to the first one (with the correct side attached). However I can't seem to find any way to attach another orange tank to that - I basically want 2 orange tanks linked together by radial docking ports.

I've tried clicking and moving the orange tank onto the already assembled docking port pair and I've tried linking an orange tank with docking port to another orange tank with a docking port, both by dragging the orange tank and dragging the docking port. I've tried rotating but the tank always wants to fly around and attach somewhere else as soon as I bring it near the docking port.

Is there a trick to make this happen?

Edited August 30, 2013 by Dave Kerbin

[Tiron]

There is something in the VAB I'm having trouble with. I have no trouble attaching a radial part to something like a fuel tank, for example attaching a radial docking port to the side of an orange tank. I also don't have any trouble correctly attaching a matching radial docking port to the first one (with the correct side attached). However I can't seem to find any way to attach another orange tank to that - I basically want 2 orange tanks linked together by radial docking ports.

I've tried clicking and moving the orange tank onto the already assembled docking port pair and I've tried linking an orange tank with docking port to another orange tank with a docking port, both by dragging the orange tank and dragging the docking port. I've tried rotating but the tank always wants to fly around and attach somewhere else as soon as I bring it near the docking port.

Is there a trick to make this happen?

Not that I've ever found, unfortunately.

best you can do is like, use strut cubes to rotate the node connection. :|

[shand]

there are some tricks that might help.

if you can somehow align the docking ports they will bind on physics takeover. so if the two tanks are attached by some other method first (perhaps a radial decoupler or similar) they will attach by docking ports and you can lose the bit you dont want.

Its all about what you want. it is do-able.

[blizzy78]

Might want to try this technique.

[shand]

ooo i like that technique!

know if it survives a trip to subassembly manager?

[blizzy78]

Yes, it does. Actually it's not so much about Subassembly Manager. After the parts are connected, it's the game that doesn't care anymore about how these parts got together. It's just the editor that's preventing you from attaching them in the first place.

Edited August 30, 2013 by blizzy78

[Geschosskopf]

Might want to try this technique.

Hmm, thanks for the tip.

I have a related question of my own, too. I have a payload consisting of 3 modules: a lander and 2 Hitchhiker cans. All 3 modules have Sr. docking ports on both ends. I originally built them with the lander on top and the 2 cans below, then the whole ascent stage below that. This flies but wobbles a lot so to make it safer, I wanted to change the order so the cans were on top, then the lander, then the ascent stage.

So, I grabbed the separator for the ascent stage and set that aside. No problem. Then I pulled off the bottom can module and went to put it on top of the lander. Big problem. The can module now only has 1 attachment node, on its top end, so refuses to connect with the top of the lander, even though the can's bottom was just attached to the ascent stage a minute ago. I suppose I could flip the can module end for end but I'd rather not because it's got a probe core in it that I don't want to confuse as to which way is up.

How do you solve that problem?

[blizzy78]

You can trick the editor into providing an attach node wherever you want using the method shown:

- Put an OKTO2 below the bottom can.

- Make the OKTO2 the new root.

- Remove the can module.

- Put the rest back onto the OKTO2.

- Make any part the new root, then remove the OKTO2.

- Put the removed can module on top. Notice that it has an attach node where it had been attached to the OKTO2.

The trick is, once you remove part of the craft, the removed part will provide an attach node at the spot where it was attached before, regardless of what the craft currently looks like. Except for single parts, which will provide all their default attach nodes.

Edited August 30, 2013 by blizzy78

[Geschosskopf]

Thanks. I'll have to try that root-and-branch mod.

[Cranium]

Alternatively, if you do some camera magic, by moving the entire craft off center, and then clicking only the farthest point away from the attachment point on the part you want to add, if the attachment point gets to the rest of the craft before your mouse does, it should attach as intended, rather than radially.

[little square dot]

Either the 'select new root' mod or 'subassembly manager' will do the trick. They both are extremely handy, and go a long way towards making-up for the shortcomings of the editor. When combined with 'editor tools' the sky's the limit, and assembly is almost frustration-free.

Absolutely essential mods IMO, even for the anti-mod crowd. I completely understand why some folks choose to avoid mods that impact gameplay, but those who opt for limitation and frustration over editor optimizing mods are all nuts. That's science*.

[thereaverofdarkness]

Try stacking the fuel tanks end-to-end and putting your docking ports on, then popping a tank off the end and attaching it port to port to the other tank.