Ack! Inverted docking port

[Gargamel]

Even though i thought i double checked each one..... I have an inverted Sr docking port on my space station. I really dont feel like starting over as I've already docked 5 or 6 assemblies.

Anybody point me in the direction of editing the craft file to flip the part over? It's currently the only open SR port on the ship, so I'm hoping it won't be too hard to identify.

Thanks peeps!

[Claw]

You are asking to do something that is pretty difficult. It seems like it should be easy, but the way that KSP stores the rotation angles makes it difficult to just go into the save file and flip it around.

Your best option is probably to hyper up a new assembly and put it in place.

[Gargamel]

It's part of the core....

I took a look at the persistence file, and I see what you mean.

So I guess I'll return my kerbalnauts, and deorbit the station.

To be honest, most of the work was getting the launcher balanced to fly right and get a successful launch so MJ could pinpoint the next one for rendezvous.

I have all the assemblies saved with their launchers, so It'll just be an issue of 6 launches or so to reassemble.

[Fendleton]

Another option would be to attach a second docking ring to a Size2->4X1.25M size adapter (you know the one. The Size 2 part that gives you 4 Size 1 parts), then have 4 Claw units attached to that. Line it up with a small RCS-powered tug, attach it over the top of the faulty docking node (or detach the old one first and get rid of it, then attach it directly) with the claws (you may need to allow pivoting in order to attach all 4 claws), then detach your tug and you've got a brand new docking ring.

You may experience mild issues such as random explosions, unplanned spontaneous disassembly, or having your station caught in a time bubble....but if you keep some quicksaves every so often so you can revert when a glitch strikes, you should be able to use this method to give a quick fix if you don't want to replace the entire core module.

[Epthelyn]

You could relaunch the core, bring it up to the station, undock all the components from the core and back them off a bit, then position the new core where the other was. After that, redock each of the parts; if you're fast enough that should just be a case of pushing forward, or going in exactly the opposite direction from the movement they made to undock.

It's not quite starting over (you'll still have all the launches pieces within very close range instead of re-launching them all from the surface), but I can see why that could be something you don't really want to have to do again. But hey, practice is practice

Alternatively you can use claws in the way Fendleton described; flipping parts in the .cfg file isn't particularly intuitive.

[EdFred]

I have edited the persistence file to do exactly what you want in the past.

Make a copy of your persistence file. Then find the VESSEL in the persistence file, and in it the appropriate PART.

It should look something like this:

PART
            {
                name = dockingPortLarge
                uid = 1779428857
                mid = 68457742
                parent = 12
                position = 0,7.25250053405762,0
                rotation = 0,0,0,1
                mirror = 1,1,1
                istg = 0
                dstg = 0
                sqor = -1
                sidx = -1
                attm = 0
                srfN = None, -1
                attN = None, -1
                attN = bottom, 12
                mass = 0.2
                temp = -199.8746
                expt = 0.5
                state = 1
                connected = True
                attached = True
                flag = Squad/Flags/blorbs
                rTrf = dockingPortLarge

I bet that yours says

attN = top, [Parent ID]

change that from top to bottom

you may have to mess with your rotation line.

When mine is correct is shows as above, however that's installed "squarely" on the parent part and not at an angle.

depending on where it was installed you may need the line to say 0,0,-1,0 instead.

If you can't get it right, well, reload the old persistence file

Edited June 28, 2014 by EdFred