kOS automated launch

[xrayfishx]

For quite some time now I've been trying to create a kOS script that would automatically launch my spacecraft. I'm having a couple of issues here that I need help with:

1) With Realism Overhaul most engines have a ridiculous amount of thrust vectoring capability compared to stock engines. It seems that kOS is completely incapable of only steering a little, it just seems to push the stick all the way towards what it's supposed to be pointing at which doesn't work too well when I'm using an engine that turns 8 degrees in any direction. I could be wrong about kOS's inner workings here, but the fact is, my rocket is spinning and not really pointing in any certain direction. Is there a way to keep it going in the right direction?

2) Speaking of going in the right direction, the direction system is not very intuitive. It even says so in the wiki. So can anyone explain to me how it works, because the wiki couldn't make it very clear to me.

3) I'm often getting random syntax errors even when I'm absolutely sure there's nothing wrong. For example, in my script there was the following line:

set tVal to 1.

Apparently something's wrong with it. Even when I copy-pasted another exactly the same line (except working) over it to clear out any possible spelling errors, there didn't seem to be any and either way it still didn't work. Could the problem be some other line interacting with it somehow?

set tVal to 1.

//Launch prep
lock throttle to tVal.
lock steering to up + R(0,0,180).

//Launch
stage.

//Pitch Program
wait until altitude > 300.
lock steering to up + R(5,0,180).
wait until altitude > 3000.
lock steering to up + R(10,0,180).

wait until altitude > 5000.
lock steering to up + R(15,0,180).

wait until altitude > 7000.
lock steering to up + R(20,0,180).

wait until altitude > 10000.
lock steering to up + R(25,0,180).

wait until altitude > 15000.
lock steering to up + R(30,0,180).

wait until altitude > 20000.
lock steering to up + R(35,0,180).

wait until altitude > 25000.
lock steering to up + R(40,0,180).

wait until altitude > 30000.
lock steering to up + R(45,0,180).

wait until altitude > 35000.
lock steering to up + R(50,0,180).

wait until altitude > 40000.
lock steering to up + R(55,0,180).

wait until altitude > 45000.
lock steering to up + R(60,0,180).

wait until altitude > 55000.
lock steering to up + R(65,0,180).

wait until altitude > 70000.
lock steering to up + R(70,0,180).

wait until altitude > 95000.
lock steering to up + R(75,0,180).

wait until altitude > 170000.
lock steering to up + R(80,0,180).

wait until altitude > 200000.
lock steering to up + R(85,0,180).

wait until altitude > 210000.
lock steering to up + R(90,0,180).

set tVal to 0.

wait until eta:apoapsis < 60
set tVal to 1.
wait until periapsis > 250000
set tVal to 0.
unlock throttle.

//Throttle Control

Edited September 21, 2014 by xrayfishx

[Laie]

First off, I very much like "lock steering to heading()" as the more convenient approach.

these two are the same:
lock steering to heading(90,90).
lock steering to up + R(90,0,0).

These, too:
lock steering to heading(90,50).
lock steering to up + R(90,40,0).


//Whether you use heading or up+R, you don't have to put in fixed numbers:
set direction to 90.
lock pitch to 90 - (altitude/1000).                    //not very good, just an example. mind the LOCK.
lock steering to heading(direction,pitch).
//or
lock steering to up+R(direction,-pitch,0).

As to kOS controls making a mess of things, I'm sad to say that this is quite common. Having an excessive amount of reaction wheels helps most of the time, but sometimes... well, I have no idea what's going on.

Edited September 21, 2014 by Laie

[Vanamonde]

This affair about an add-on has been moved to Add-on Affairs.

[xrayfishx]

First off, I very much like "lock steering to heading()" as the more convenient approach.

these two are the same:
lock steering to heading(90,90).
lock steering to up + R(90,0,0).

These, too:
lock steering to heading(90,50).
lock steering to up + R(90,40,0).


//Whether you use heading or up+R, you don't have to put in fixed numbers:
set direction to 90.
lock pitch to 90 - (altitude/1000).                    //not very good, just an example. mind the LOCK.
lock steering to heading(direction,pitch).
//or
lock steering to up+R(direction,-pitch,0).

As to kOS controls making a mess of things, I'm sad to say that this is quite common. Having an excessive amount of reaction wheels helps most of the time, but sometimes... well, I have no idea what's going on.

Is there a way to make kOS set a target in a certain direction and then make MJ or RT2 autopilot aim for it? As I said in OP I use RO so reaction wheels aren't really an option.

[Dunbaratu]

Is there a way to make kOS set a target in a certain direction and then make MJ or RT2 autopilot aim for it? As I said in OP I use RO so reaction wheels aren't really an option.

If you want more realism you probably need to be *really* realistic and use raw steering using SHIP:CONTROL and make the steering correction code yourself, instead of relying on LOCK STEERING which is a bit of an unrealistic crutch to help new users along.

[rhoark]

Use a two-tiered system for steering. One variable holds the desired heading, another variable the commanded heading. The commanded heading should converge to the desired heading at a safe rate.