[WIP] Kip Engineering: Now updating - Universal Docking Ports

[Mokmo]

Back from some testing. Seems there is no magnet force on the ports. i just... rubbed the port round until it connected....

So experience:

Universal with Universal: Magnets and docks

Stock with Universal: No Magnets

Edit: Ok more tests, seems the stock ports don't like the Universals that aren't the same size. Medium Universal docks fine with Clampotron but not with Jr. Covered and normal clampotrons don't like the Large ones. And by don't like i mean no magnet and random docking after a while...

Then eventually magnets kick in...

Edited April 17, 2014 by Mokmo
moar testing... For science

[CaptainKipard]

Sorry Mokmo. I'm not trying to ignore you, it's just that the plugin belongs to Toadicus. I can't do anything about it.

[toadicus]

Back from some testing. Seems there is no magnet force on the ports. i just... rubbed the port round until it connected....

So experience:

Universal with Universal: Magnets and docks

Stock with Universal: No Magnets

Edit: Ok more tests, seems the stock ports don't like the Universals that aren't the same size. Medium Universal docks fine with Clampotron but not with Jr. Covered and normal clampotrons don't like the Large ones. And by don't like i mean no magnet and random docking after a while...

Then eventually magnets kick in...

Mokmo, sorry for my delinquency here. I've been WAY too busy at work lately and have fallen a bit behind on my support.

To be extra clear: which ports are you driving with, and does it make a difference? In my testing I did not have any issue getting the magnets to fire while driving with the 2.5-meter universal port and docking to other universal ports and all three dock ports, but that was just a launchpad trial. Do you have issues specifically when driving stock ports and trying to dock with universal ports of various sizes? Is the issue seen when driving universal ports and trying to dock with stock ports? Does it have the same inconsistent behavior in either case?

Technically speaking, the universal and stock ports are all the same animal assuming my MM patch is getting applied correctly.

Actually, with that in mind, can you also let me know what version of ModuleManager you have installed? During testing I had a couple of weird issues with MM 2.0, though I thought I'd concluded they were my fault.

[Mokmo]

Mokmo, sorry for my delinquency here. I've been WAY too busy at work lately and have fallen a bit behind on my support.

To be extra clear: which ports are you driving with, and does it make a difference? In my testing I did not have any issue getting the magnets to fire while driving with the 2.5-meter universal port and docking to other universal ports and all three dock ports, but that was just a launchpad trial. Do you have issues specifically when driving stock ports and trying to dock with universal ports of various sizes? Is the issue seen when driving universal ports and trying to dock with stock ports? Does it have the same inconsistent behavior in either case?

Technically speaking, the universal and stock ports are all the same animal assuming my MM patch is getting applied correctly.

Actually, with that in mind, can you also let me know what version of ModuleManager you have installed? During testing I had a couple of weird issues with MM 2.0, though I thought I'd concluded they were my fault.

Hello, it was a holiday weekend so i guess delays are normal

The more i use these, i see the magnets kick in, but not always. Most of the time backing off a few meters does the trick on the return.

And as for your second question: Modulemanager 2.0.1, which would be part of the problem ?

I'm pretty happy someone got this to work, ever since KSP 19.2 i wanted something like this

[CaptainKipard]

Most of the time backing off a few meters does the trick on the return.

This sounds like normal KSP behaviour.

[Raven.]

I have an interesting issue. I sent up a 2.5 universal docking port with a station module. Sent up a capsule that originally had a stock 1.25 m docking port. Couldn't dock at all. Reverted the flight and replaced the stock 1.25 m docking port with the 1.25 universal port provided in this mod. Sent the capsule up and ran across the same thing, no engagement of the magnets and no docking after rubbing the two docking ports around a bit.

Originally I had Module Manager 1.5.6. Updating to version 2.0.1 yielded the same results. I've also checked the installation to make sure that the mod installed correctly.

Is there anything I'm missing?

[Mokmo]

This sounds like normal KSP behaviour.

I don't get that a lot with stock ports, but you might be right.

[CaptainKipard]

You're both right though it shouldn't happen that often. It must be a problem with the plugin.

[ChickenMacNugget]

I'd also like to confirm I'm having this issue. I've reinstalled all parts (including Toadicus' ModuleManager) and I've been testing with a ship that starts with a docked clamp-o-tron port, decoupled, rotated to the other side of the ship, where I have the largest Universal Docking Port, and it simple will not connect no matter what I do.

I can make a video tonight showing this action if it helps at all? Simple put there seems to be no magnetism present with the Universal ports.

Interestingly enough, when I use the VAB and make a large universal docking port connected to another at the bottom of a ship, and undock them on the launchpad, then drop the landing gear and allow them to sit on top of each other for a few seconds, it will eventually dock after some glitching about as they rub together, but again there doesn't seem to be any magnetism present. I might try this in orbit later today too.

[TK421d]

just tried to dock a 1.25 to a 2.5 myself, to no avail glad to know it wasnt just me

[toadicus]

Hey all, checking in. I have been absolutely swamped at work the past couple of weeks (10 days in a row this streak!), but I'm reading the reports and will get to it as soon as I can. In the meantime, after the kids are in bed tonight I'll upload a debug build so that you can post logs that should be useful to me.

Also, when reporting, please be specific as to whether your issue is that docking is flatly impossibl, or if there is no magnetism, but docking works.

As with any mod, the most useful reports should have logs and, in this case persistence files, whenever possible.

Thanks for understanding, folks, I know it's frustrating when things don't work when you need them!

[TK421d]

Thanks for understanding, folks, I know it's frustrating when things don't work when you need them!

meh, no frustration here. stuff happens.

with mine, its just normal collision, no magnetism or anything, just bumps off each other. in the morning ill send up another ship to see if normal 2.5-2.5 and 1.25-1.25 will mate up.

[toadicus]

OK, I've had a (very) quick look at things, rebuilt the binary, and have an idea. I haven't tested it at all, but here goes.

http://toad.homelinux.net/KSP/AdaptiveDockingNode/AdaptiveDockingNode_Debug.zip

In that archive are two files. I'd like to recommend this testing procedure:

1. Unpack UnivDockPorts.cfg over the existing file in /path/to/KSP/GameData/KipEng/parts/UnivDockPorts/. Test your vessels and see if things are better.
   
2. If things are not better, unpack AdaptiveDockingNode.dll over the existing file in /path/to/KSP/GameData/AdaptiveDockingNode/. Test your vessels, pack up output_log.txt, your persistence or craft files, and try to list any mods I'd need to operate your vessels. Deliver said package to me via your preferred Internet dumping grounds.
   

My hunch at this point is that the order of the modules in the parts matters. In all of my testing, I was using Kipard's original part config with a modulemanager patch, which would have applied my module after Squad's. In Kipard's release, my module is written into the part configs before Squad's. So, my guess is the adaptive module isn't able to initialize properly, because it's starting before Squad's docking module and some of the info it needs isn't there yet.

Am I right? Who knows!

Edited April 24, 2014 by toadicus

[TK421d]

i just tried the new files.

neither step had any effect on the vessel i posted earlier, normal collision, no magnetism or docking.

sent up a test ship with both 1.25 and 2.5m ports,

like-size ports mated perfectly.

mismatched sizes still no magnetism or docking.

i just looked at my output_log and it was empty? 0kb? the test-craft i made was a new sandbox to test it, here's the save/craft though (vanilla parts) https://www.dropbox.com/s/c5ycyfrhzbreg59/default.zip

[CaptainKipard]

I'm not sure but I think that to test a new part you'll need to build an entirely new craft with the new parts. I don't think it's enough to use a ship that you built before you updated.

[toadicus]

i just tried the new files.

neither step had any effect on the vessel i posted earlier, normal collision, no magnetism or docking.

sent up a test ship with both 1.25 and 2.5m ports,

like-size ports mated perfectly.

mismatched sizes still no magnetism or docking.

i just looked at my output_log and it was empty? 0kb? the test-craft i made was a new sandbox to test it, here's the save/craft though (vanilla parts) https://www.dropbox.com/s/c5ycyfrhzbreg59/default.zip

In Windows if you have the log file open when you start the game, you'll wind up with a zero-length file. If you're on Mac or Linux the log actually lives elsewhere: ~/.unity3d/Squad/Kerbal\ Space\ Program/Player.log.

[TK421d]

just launched some more parts to my station, and took a node with both 2.5 and 1.25 ports to avoid just starting over with it. spent a couple frustrated minutes not being able to dock the node. thought, hmm, lets see if its upside down? spun a quick 180, and presto-docked.

i didnt realize these nodes had an "UP" direction. my earlier docking attempts might have worked if i had tried to rotate them.

maybe we could get a stripe on the north rim to help with direction matching?

[CaptainKipard]

Are you saying that you rolled until R (on the Docking Port Alignment Indicator) showed 180 degrees?

If that works then it's a bug. Docking ports should be able to dock regardless of roll.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard

[TK421d]

Are you saying that you rolled until R (on the Docking Port Alignment Indicator) showed 180 degrees?

If that works then it's a bug. Docking ports should be able to dock regardless or roll.

just tried rotating all 4 directions with the other ship (1.25 port) to the station 2.5 port. and nope, no luck.

before i docked to the new node i added i rolled 90 degrees to what i knew was "up" and tried all 4 directions, and only the last one up<->up mated.

[Mokmo]

[*]If things are not better, unpack AdaptiveDockingNode.dll over the existing file in /path/to/KSP/GameData/AdaptiveDockingNode/. Test your vessels, pack up output_log.txt, your persistence or craft files, and try to list any mods I'd need to operate your vessels. Deliver said package to me via your preferred Internet dumping grounds.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/190zea0inoaw0r0/o2woutAKJU

The output log showed all three stock docking ports had something done to them by MM, but i don't know what else to look for.

[toadicus]

BobsYerUncle and Cpt. Kipard, while that sounds weird it might actually be helpful. Docking ports do, in fact, have a feature that allows rotation-specific docking, though I'd never got it to work on stock ports before. Maybe by some virtue of Kip's modeling the roll restriction does work, and since we're not setting the property it's enforcing a strict 0° roll.

Mokmo, did you take that log using the debug .dll I uploaded? If so, I uploaded the wrong .dll. If not, please do. There's no chatter from my plugin at all without it.

Thanks all! I might have a couple hours to spend on this tonight.

*EDIT*

I think I found it! As usual, the basic problem is that I'm an idiot.

Edited April 26, 2014 by toadicus

[toadicus]

OK! All interested parties, please give this new .dll a try.

http://toad.homelinux.net/KSP/AdaptiveDockingNode/AdaptiveDockingNode.dll

As it turns out, when you're trying to look at distances, you should compare the location of one vessel with that of another vessel (perhaps, for example, the vessel you're flying), and not the origin of the universe.

True story.

[Mokmo]

Mokmo, did you take that log using the debug .dll I uploaded? If so, I uploaded the wrong .dll. If not, please do. There's no chatter from my plugin at all without it.

That's the only log file i know of, this was done with both files of the zip at the right places. it was in /KSP_data/ I'm testing your newest solution.

Aaaaaaand Just docked a Jr with your large port. First shot got magnets. I think you're on to something.

Great work Jeb can finally go home

[CaptainKipard]

Thanks for testing guys. And thanks for fixing Toadicus. I know how it feels to be confounded by trivial programming mistakes. And that moment when you finally realise what's wrong.....

Let me know when you update your Spaceport download.

[TK421d]

Sweet

Oh, and my firm belief is that there are no stupid mistakes, only that we feel stupid for making them. (but maybe thats just because i make so many... lol)

FYI: i just tested on my normal play heavily modded game, and all parts that i could never mate before are behaving perfectly, all ports would mate to all other mods ports.

the ones i tested:

Vanilla ports

Cpt. Kipard's Universal ports

Lack Luster Labs

FusTek Station parts

Goodspeed's lighted stockalike ports

Edited April 26, 2014 by BobsYerUncle