[WIP] ActiveStruts Dev Thread [updated 10.10.2014]

[marce]

Cool. I'll try this out.

Thanks!

Btw: If someone knows how to hide the magic cube in the science tree please let me know!

[Master Tao]

You should be able to just remove TechRequired = start. I found a part elsewhere that was missing that line. It worked fine in Sandbox, but didn't show up in the tech tree.

[marce]

You should be able to just remove TechRequired = start. I found a part elsewhere that was missing that line. It worked fine in Sandbox, but didn't show up in the tech tree.

Thanks, seems to work!

Well, it works in new careers. If you have already "unlocked" (it's in start and available from the beginning) the cube it will still appear. However, it disapperas in a new career.

I won't update the download just for that since it's in no way game breaking but will include the change in the next version.

[Nori]

Didn't run into any issues testing it. The spawning works out really nice.

A suggestion would be to allow ESC to cancel the attaching.

[marce]

Didn't run into any issues testing it. The spawning works out really nice.

A suggestion would be to allow ESC to cancel the attaching.

Ahh, that's good to hear! Thanks for testing!

Could you do me a favor and create a GH issue for the ESC abort? That way I won't forget to check if it's possible when I do the next version

[Nori]

Ahh, that's good to hear! Thanks for testing!

Could you do me a favor and create a GH issue for the ESC abort? That way I won't forget to check if it's possible when I do the next version

Done. Took me a while to find your repository though.

One other thing I thought of. When I first tried using it in the editor (I have had ActiveStruts installed for a long time but haven't used them a ton yet) I got the angle wrong so the line was showing up red. But when I clicked it spawned a pink box. I could continue to click and get more boxes. Didn't seem to be a issue, but maybe that could be gotten around somehow?

[marce]

Done. Took me a while to find your repository though.

One other thing I thought of. When I first tried using it in the editor (I have had ActiveStruts installed for a long time but haven't used them a ton yet) I got the angle wrong so the line was showing up red. But when I clicked it spawned a pink box. I could continue to click and get more boxes. Didn't seem to be a issue, but maybe that could be gotten around somehow?

Thanks! Haven't I linked the repo in the OP? Ooops

Actually I'm locking the editor input when the line is red to avoid that... Maybe a glitch, will have a look, thanks for reporting.

Well, to cheer you up: here's a short video of something I'm working on. Be aware: very WIP and still kills Jeb most of the time by sacrificing him to the Kraken, but should be useful once finished (especially with ChopIt and the new distance requirement).

[Nori]

Thanks! Haven't I linked the repo in the OP? Ooops

Actually I'm locking the editor input when the line is red to avoid that... Maybe a glitch, will have a look, thanks for reporting.

Well, to cheer you up: here's a short video of something I'm working on. Be aware: very WIP and still kills Jeb most of the time by sacrificing him to the Kraken, but should be useful once finished (especially with ChopIt and the new distance requirement).

http://youtu.be/2DwVuHl2syY

WOW! You have no idea how useful that would have been yesterday... Was KAS EVA attaching radial chutes (30 of em......) and it was getting kind of crazy with the physics. A tether would have been AMAZING!

[Aeon-Phoenix]

Awesome mod.

However ever since i installed it, i get strange visits from the kraken.

Happens only in orbit and only when you (or mechjeb) initialize timewarp.

Had it happen with the official release as well as the experimental one.

The effect is basically that EVERYTHING in the scene explodes. like everything (also other ships within range). Damage log shows nothing other than Integrity loss of every.. single... piece build into the ship.

Really strange thing. I did not had the Kraken in my game since... woah. a long time.

The funny thing is: the ship that is exploding worked fine for days now and does not even have a piece of AS installed o.O

I try some more repro of the issue to nail it down further but i'm pretty sure your mod. or the works between your mod and another (mayhaps KAS or Infernal Robotics?) are the cause. Cause before the game was crystal.

Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news. I really like the concept of this mod *sadface*

[marce]

WOW! You have no idea how useful that would have been yesterday... Was KAS EVA attaching radial chutes (30 of em......) and it was getting kind of crazy with the physics. A tether would have been AMAZING!

Enabling "normal" KAS operations is one reason I'm trying to do it while keeping the "KAS storage space" on the Kerbal empty (=not require it to carry a part for this).

Awesome mod.

However ever since i installed it, i get strange visits from the kraken.

Happens only in orbit and only when you (or mechjeb) initialize timewarp.

Had it happen with the official release as well as the experimental one.

The effect is basically that EVERYTHING in the scene explodes. like everything (also other ships within range). Damage log shows nothing other than Integrity loss of every.. single... piece build into the ship.

Really strange thing. I did not had the Kraken in my game since... woah. a long time.

The funny thing is: the ship that is exploding worked fine for days now and does not even have a piece of AS installed o.O

I try some more repro of the issue to nail it down further but i'm pretty sure your mod. or the works between your mod and another (mayhaps KAS or Infernal Robotics?) are the cause. Cause before the game was crystal.

Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news. I really like the concept of this mod *sadface*

Well, I hope you aren't timewarping with two ships linked.

If there is no AS part in loading range nothing happens either. Anyway, as usual: full logs or no joy...

Here's a video showing a vessel using all 4 different link types (= 8 AS parts in total), put into orbit, timewarping & phys. timewarping doing just fine. So you see that without full logs and detailed steps I'm not able to reproduce or do anything about it.

I'm still trying to improve the joints, experimenting with all types Unity offers. Haven't found a better solution yet, though...

[Aeon-Phoenix]

Enabling "normal" KAS operations is one reason I'm trying to do it while keeping the "KAS storage space" on the Kerbal empty (=not require it to carry a part for this).

Well, I hope you aren't timewarping with two ships linked.

As i said. The exploding ship has no Active Struts installed. With linked do you mean linked via AS or would docked also count? The ship in question is a lander that deploys docked MKS moduls down to the munar surface. Thing is. it also explodes without actual payload.

Here is the log:

http://www.filedropper.com/outputlog_1

I think i found the culprit:

[PlanetariumCamera]: Focus: Mun Lander

(Filename: C:/BuildAgent/work/d63dfc6385190b60/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 49)

Camera Mode: AUTO

(Filename: C:/BuildAgent/work/d63dfc6385190b60/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 49)

Packing Mun Lander for orbit

(Filename: C:/BuildAgent/work/d63dfc6385190b60/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 49)

NullReferenceException

at (wrapper managed-to-native) UnityEngine.Transform:INTERNAL_CALL_TransformDirection (UnityEngine.Transform,UnityEngine.Vector3&)

at UnityEngine.Transform.TransformDirection (Vector3 direction) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at ActiveJoint.getControlOrt (Vector3 refAxis, PartSpaceMode mode) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at ActiveJoint.applyCoordsUpdate () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at ActiveJoint.onPartPack (.Part p) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at EventData`1[Part].Fire (.Part data) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at Part.Pack () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at Vessel.GoOnRails () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at OrbitPhysicsManager.LateUpdate () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

(Filename: Line: -1)

[00:02:04]: Structural failure on linkage between Modular Girder Segment XL and Rockomax X200-8 Fuel Tank.

Edited September 16, 2014 by Aeon-Phoenix

[marce]

As i said. The exploding ship has no Active Struts installed. With linked do you mean linked via AS or would docked also count? The ship in question is a lander that deploys docked MKS moduls down to the munar surface. Thing is. it also explodes without actual payload.

Here is the log:

http://www.filedropper.com/outputlog_1

Sorry but that's not true. Yes you have an exception thrown, but that happens on Reconnect of the PartModule. There has to be an AS part in load range for the part module to be present and run. And that had been linked sometime earlier, otherwise it would not try to reconnect.

Anyway, I added a safeguard to prevent problems with such a corrupted situations, so thanks for reporting. Will be included in the next release.

Oh, and you have a lot of ORS Exceptions, you may want to check your ORS version/install.

On a side note, please use something like hastebin or dropbox when posting logs, had to disable half of my adblockers to get this sharing site to work

I think i found the culprit:

Not my assembly. No idea what that is.

[Aeon-Phoenix]

Sorry but that's not true. Yes you have an exception thrown, but that happens on Reconnect of the PartModule. There has to be an AS part in load range for the part module to be present and run. And that had been linked sometime earlier, otherwise it would not try to reconnect.

Anyway, I added a safeguard to prevent problems with such a corrupted situations, so thanks for reporting. Will be included in the next release.

At least it brought something good.

Oh, and you have a lot of ORS Exceptions, you may want to check your ORS version/install.

Thanks i checked and updated to the latest version.

On a side note, please use something like hastebin or dropbox when posting logs, had to disable half of my adblockers to get this sharing site to work

Yeah sorry. I totally forgot about my dropbox thing (my adblocker worked fine tho hmm)

Not my assembly. No idea what that is.

I did some more research and appearently i stumbled across a rare kraken (almost as rare as the famous collossus glass squid)

The ActiveJoint thing is appearently a rare Stock Bug and basically means that i can trash that specific ship and send a new one to the mun. Good that it was unmanned at that point.

So sorry for beeing a nuisiance.

[marce]

At least it brought something good.

Thanks i checked and updated to the latest version.

Yeah sorry. I totally forgot about my dropbox thing (my adblocker worked fine tho hmm)

I did some more research and appearently i stumbled across a rare kraken (almost as rare as the famous collossus glass squid)

The ActiveJoint thing is appearently a rare Stock Bug and basically means that i can trash that specific ship and send a new one to the mun. Good that it was unmanned at that point.

So sorry for beeing a nuisiance.

Ah, good to know! No worries, I always get a bit grumpy when fighting Unity joints (and currently I'm attempting to do the craziest thing I ever tried).

[CatastrophicFailure]

I'm a little unclear here.... Do the grapple to grapple joints eliminate all wobble? I'm trying to make a launcher with IR that lifts a 175 ton rocket from horizontal to vertical with a single hinge at the back, but everything just flexes all over the place and doesn't move where it needs to, even with super strong NP struts.

[marce]

I'm a little unclear here.... Do the grapple to grapple joints eliminate all wobble? I'm trying to make a launcher with IR that lifts a 175 ton rocket from horizontal to vertical with a single hinge at the back, but everything just flexes all over the place and doesn't move where it needs to, even with super strong NP struts.

Here's what I think to know:

1. sturdiest connections are parent-child ones (stack or surface attach)
   
2. stock struts and Grappler-Grappler connections use an AttachJoint which is rated seconds sturdiest
   
3. as we all know even parts attached together in the editor flex
   
4. stock struts & Grappler-Grappler links flex too
   
5. there is no way to create a non-flexing & 100% wobble free connection in KSP. I don't know if it's the Unity physics engine not being able to handle the massive forces we are dealing with (simulated rockets with thousand of tons and tens of thousand of kN thrust after all) or if KSP weakens the connections on purpose to allow failures and increase performance (Remember the phys frame setting in the setting menu and how phys timewarp increases the wobble? That's what I mean here.).
   
6. So while I did my best to provide the sturdiest struts possible, I haven't found a way to create anything really wobble-free in KSP, sorry.
   
7. Regarding your lifting experiment: If you use a single hinge to hold 175t I'm pretty sure the attachjoint of the hinge itself will flex like hell. Struts itself aren't really useful here since the would counteract the hinge movement. Maybe try multiple KAS winches with lower ones giving room, upper ones pulling and IR-hinge(s) working at the same time via an action group?
   

[marce]

Bit of a teaser (no promises though!):

[marce]

And because I allow myself to double post in my threads here you have a bit of bungee jumping:

[Aeon-Phoenix]

Looks like a fun thing! Weeeh!

[cy-one]

I have a problem. AS doesn't seem to like me at all

The right-click menu in the VAB doesn't show anything and the Grappler has a part of the strut "sticking out" of it. Like if I did a free connection with a part that is ~20cm in front of the Grappler.

Folder structures:

- GameData

-- ActiveStruts

--- Plugin

---- ActiveStruts.dll

---- AddFreeAttachTarget.cfg

---- FreeAttachTargetExcludes.cfg

---- License.txt

--- Sounds

---- AS_Attach.wav

---- AS_Break.wav

---- AS_Detach.wav

...

-- MagicSmokeIndustries

--- Parts

---- Rework

----- Structural_Struts

----- IR_StrutFixture (stuff inside, to lazy to list every file now These parts seem to work as I can find and attach them in VAB without any problem)

----- IR_StrutGrappler

Both IR-parts seem to have the correct MODULEs

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleActiveStrut
	IsTargetOnly = false
	StrutName = Strut
	GrapplerName = Grappler
	HooksName = Hooks
	StrutScaleFactor = 4.0
	GrapplerOffset = 0.01
	LightsDullName = LightsDull
	LightsBrightName = LightsBright
	LightsOffset = 0.1
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleActiveStrut
	IsTargetOnly = true
	GrapplerOffset = 0.04
	GrapplerName = Grappler
}

But... still, the plugin doesn't seem to load whatsoever. It also didn't make a new config-file at startup

[marce]

/snip

the plugin doesn't seem to load whatsoever. It also didn't make a new config-file at startup

Agreed, plugin doesn't load. However, no full logs no joy, I'd love to but I can't guess what's the problem, sorry...

[cy-one]

Here you go. Large log is large (2.15mb).

I also tried it in a "smaller" workbench-installation (a lot less mods), no success there either.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/240387397/KSP-Log

[marce]

Here you go. Large log is large (2.15mb).

I also tried it in a "smaller" workbench-installation (a lot less mods), no success there either.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/240387397/KSP-Log

Thanks! Corrupt dll. I get this a lot, have to check my server or provide checksums at least...

Please try re-downloading, maybe the experimentals download if it still doesn't work.

Sorry for the inconvinience!

[cy-one]

That worked :3 Thanks marce.

[marce]

That worked :3 Thanks marce.

Great!

10 chars.