Project VesselBuilder for Orbiter

[Face]

I was in doubt at the beginning, but since I surely will not be able to maintain it with fast updates in the long term, it will be open source. I will put the code togheter with the release. Actually the code is quite huge and since I'm no professional coder it would be quite hard for anyone to pick it up, but it is what it is.

Many thanks for the answer, Fred. The code base might be huge and perhaps hard to maintain, but if there are really only small problems that stop it from being immensely helpful for non-coding developers - like mention in the posts above - I'm sure we will find a way to fix them if the code is available. I will certainly take a look at it and help if I can.

And don't sell yourself short, I've seen your work before and it is better quality than most of what I've had to deal with in my career. Even if you've "let it slip" in this project, the "character" of a coder usually doesn't change too much regardless of his current mood. :tiphat:

 

[4throck]

Hi guys,
would be quite hard for anyone to pick it up

Should be good enough for people to understand how settings are interpreted. That's important if you want it to be used on large number of addons.
I think now knowing how it worked was the problem with the SC3 replacement that Face(?) tried to create. After a point it became guesswork and compatibility problems started.
Knowing how VB works (instead of guessing) should make VB vessels more future proof.

 

[Face]

I think now knowing how it worked was the problem with the SC3 replacement that Face(?) tried to create. After a point it became guesswork and compatibility problems started.

I think the SC3 replacement you talk about was GenericVessel, which was only in small parts my work. Most of it was done by Artlav, who contributed his SC3 DLL creator code. I think Artlav knew perfectly well how SC3 worked, and there were no compatibility problems at all. GV did not implement all features of SC3 at the point of its closure, though.
The closure itself was due to license issues with GPL being deemed illegal for Orbiter addons, and of course such a notion in the community sounds a death kneel for a middle-ware. Guesswork about the inner workings is not the reason why it is not there anymore.

I think Fred will release his work under similar terms as his multistage middle-ware, kind of like MIT, so the same issues as with GV's GPL should not apply then.

If you however want to imply that my work is guesswork and produces compatibility issues, and therefore rather not see me working on VB in any way, just say a word and I will guarantee you to stay off.

 

[4throck]

Yes, I was thinking about GV and I stand corrected.

I was under the impression that the problem was not having the SC3 code available.
So having to resort to guesswork was in that context, and I wasn't even sure of your involvement.
I was just justifying the advantages of having source code available.

I don't understand how you read it as a critique to your work, and think that I don't want you working on VB.

We disagree on many things, but I don't have anything against you (or anyone else).
And your work IS quality work, not doubt there.
My posts might be passionate and direct, but they are not personal. It's fine to disagree.

Peace

 

[Donamy]

It would be nice having something finished, ...whatever it is. :thumbup:

 

[Ripley]

Could this mean some interaction (still to be made) between the new OrbiterSound and VB?
Also because, 2 posts after that one, Dansteph asks if there are "other wishes"?

http://orbiter.dansteph.com/forum/index.php?topic=14499.msg220977#msg220977

 

[Buck Rogers]

Developement Feedback

In case of future developement I'll note my findings:

Altitude Event needs to be radar Alt., or at least optional.

Variable Drag animation binding needs a "none" option, and reverse playback option for eg. brake chutes.

An Attachment Event is missing

Did lose data a couple of times, probably user error, regained from the backup. But it did CTD without saving on occasion; a save button or auto save on window close might be useful.

A question about VB aerodynamics, I can set cl and cm in respect to AOA but not cd (drag coeficient)? Max drag seems to be fixed at ~90°? fine for eg. the shuttle, not so good for a capsule! Or am I completely missing something on this? Any insight from anyone on this would be very relieving.

 

[jedidia]

I've been playing around with this a bit today, and it's certainly impressive work! :thumbup:

It looks like there is currently no manually reversible animation type. Something like press button, animation unfolds, press button again, and it reverses.
I've tried working around that by making an animation in both ways, but then it works only once, because of course the first animation doesn't reset itself when the second one finishes (appart from the little fact that it also works in reverse order...)

Am I missing something here, or has this simply not been implemented yet?

 

[fred18]

I've been playing around with this a bit today, and it's certainly impressive work! :thumbup:

It looks like there is currently no manually reversible animation type. Something like press button, animation unfolds, press button again, and it reverses.
I've tried working around that by making an animation in both ways, but then it works only once, because of course the first animation doesn't reset itself when the second one finishes (appart from the little fact that it also works in reverse order...)

Am I missing something here, or has this simply not been implemented yet?

I am not sure if I understood the question correctly but if it's about reversing the animation adding CTRL to the key should work.
I went to the small doc to see if it was noted there and it says

ANIMATIONS:
[SHIFT] + AnimKey = Start/Stop Animation. If animation cycle type is manual then keeping the buttons
pressed will manually operate the animation.
[CTRL]+[SHIFT] + AnimKey = equals to above but making the animation going backward.
[CTRL] + [SPACE] = Activate/Deactivate manual animations mode. For all those animations that are manual
and do not have a key set (similar to the Vinka’s robotic arm procedure);
[SHIFT]+[LEFT ARROW]/[RIGHT ARROW] = if in manual animation mode choose previous/next animation
[SHIFT] +[UP ARROW]/[DOWN ARROW] = if in manual animation mode operate the animation
forward/backward

is it what you were asking for?

 

[jedidia]

Oh, whoopsy-daisy, I didn't know about that convention. Yeah, that sounds like that covers it nicely, thanks.

 

[Buck Rogers]

Hi jedidia

If you need a working example I've released an addon that is 100% functional in Vessel Builder with most of the main/ standard features implemented:
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=41664

Also fred18 pointed out (it took a couple of tries before I got what he meant) that you can set an animation as an event with many more possibilities and you can set the keys to anything you like- I've tested this and it works fine.

 

[gattispilot]

So just asking if possible in VB.

Can you make it move attachment points? I am thinking Pylon which isn't working basically moves attachment points, and allows capture of set points

 

[fred18]

So just asking if possible in VB.

Can you make it move attachment points? I am thinking Pylon which isn't working basically moves attachment points, and allows capture of set points

I am away from my computer in this days, but IIRC it should be possible by using robotic arm options. I am not sure how many of them will work at the same time, but for sure you can move at the very least one. There should be a robotic arm example included in the package and a video showing how to make it

 

[gattispilot]

So maybe just me. But trying to make a robotic arm

I noticed the key definition was different. in the window it says key 1 but in the cfg it says key2


So I watched your video. I made the keys to none and cycle manual.

But how to you move the joints?

 

[jedidia]

I noticed the key definition was different. in the window it says key 1 but in the cfg it says key2

I think that is because the config value is the index of the key in an array, not a description of the key.

 

[gattispilot]

Ok. That makes sense. But how to you control the robitic arm joints.

In the video the keys are selected none and manual

 

[Donamy]

As stated in the manual.


[CTRL] + [SPACE] = Activate/Deactivate manual animations mode. For all those animations
that are manual and do not have a key set (similar to the Vinka’s robotic arm procedure);

[SHIFT]+[LEFT ARROW]/[RIGHT ARROW] = if in manual animation mode choose previous/next animation

[SHIFT] +[UP ARROW]/[DOWN ARROW] = if in manual animation mode operate the animation
forward/backward


One problem is, when select another vessel. It doesn't close the window for that vessel.

 

[gattispilot]

Thanks got her to work. Is there a way to set range on the attachment and ID. So you can only attach certain things?

 

[gattispilot]

How to make a parent or child attachment? I didn't see a box to select parent or child?

I see where you can select the parent. So if nothing selected it is a child? then want makes it a parent?

 

[Gargantua2024]

How to make a parent or child attachment? I didn't see a box to select parent or child?

I see where you can select the parent. So if nothing selected it is a child? then want makes it a parent?

Check the ToParent box before clicking CREATE ATTACHMENT if you want to make it a child attachment