Construction help - switch end on items

[Sokar408]

I have always wondered, when I about to place a struct, I always hold it in one end. This is not a problem if you just move around a struct, however I tend to build stuff that I want in symmetry mod, in single mod first, then pick the part of again and use symmetry, as it tends to make things easier. However every now and again when I pick the part up, it forces me to try and join the wrong end of the construction to the main body, and since I haven't found a way to switch to the other end, I often have to rebuild stuff.

I'm using Editor Extension, and sometimes when I try and use symmetry to build, it tend to try and mirror instead. Does anyone know how to navigate that?

[M4ck]

Could you post some pics of it? I also use Editor Extensions heavily and don't really understand what you mean here...

[Levelord]

I'm a bit confused on what your exact problem is, do you have any pictures to illustrate it to me? Maybe I can help you out.

[Vanamonde]

It happens sometimes when you rotate a part, place it, and then add to it. The construction interface seems to forget which end is which and, if you move it later, tries to attach the wrong end of the strut to the mother part, so that the piece you added to it is inside the mother part. I don't think there's any way to undo it once it happens. You just have to build the sub-assembly again in default orientation, and then rotate it before placing it.

[Sokar408]

Sorry for the poor explanation. Sceenshot

Here my intend was to make a solar panel on both sides of the struct (upper side, and lower side) in symmetry mode. Instead its trying to mirror on the top surface. I'd really like to know how this works, because sometimes I really want mirroring but can't find it, and other times (like this one) I just want the damn symmetry

[Vanamonde]

Oh, that's a different problem. Symmetry works around the construction room's default axis. Place that strut sticking straight up on the top of your construction, use symmetry to place solar panels on each side, then move the whole assembly to the side. But be careful: if you then use symmetry to double the doubled sub-assembly, the interface can get stuck in a weird 3X symmetry which consists of 1) the part you place, 2) its mirrored piece, and 3) a phantom second duplicate which you can't see because it lies precisely in the same space as one of the others, but it adds mass to your ship on that side, draws power, burns fuel, etc. Very frustrating, and the first time it happened, it took me forever to figure out why my ship kept lolling over to one side. The thing to watch for when that happens is that the VAB button switches to 3X symmetry while you're trying to double the doubled part.

[M4ck]

You have 3x "rocket" symmetry. it is by default set to the root part(in this case, probably the pod). Its symmetry "line"(I've forgotten the proper word, it seems...) is vertical, so the panels are placed symmetrical around a vertical line of symmetry. You can either pick up the girder, place it on top of your craft so it is in line with the pod, place panels on it and move the girder back, or use a SelectRoot addon(very useful when used with subassembly manager) to make the girder the core part, place panels and select the pod to be the core part again

Edit: I am too late... Again. By the way, the bug Vanamonde mentioned can happen with any symmetry greater than two. You can identify it quite easily as the "clipped" side with ghosts parts looks like it was covered in some moving textures, changing rapidly to brighter and darker shades.

Edited September 3, 2013 by M4ck

[Vanamonde]

ghosts parts looks like it was covered in some moving textures, changing rapidly to brighter and darker shades.

Yes, but it's hard to see. It's most evident, for some reason, on tires and light fixtures, where you might see shimmering patches of parallel lines.