Docking port wont connect

[ToddTheRuse]

I have a space station with 3 clamp-o-tron docking ports, each attached to a modular girder segment. I also have another ship that has the same clamp-o-tron docking port, and that is attached to an FL-R25 RCS fuel tank.

I have the docking ports touching! However, they will not connect. Both ships are in stable orbit at 200km and I have spent the last hour going in and out of that docking port and somehow they just won’t connect.

Is there a key that you have to hit for them to dock? Do I have to click something?

Thanks in advance,

[I'm Ant]

They are automatic but you have to get them perfect.

[Gertjan]

one of them might be placed backwards. if they are touching (and your SAS is off), they should at least try to connect. typically, getting towards 10 meters is enough to let the magnets do their work.

option #2 is that you don't have the target port as a target, but the ship you want to dock to (gotta target the actual port)

and finally, option #3, can be combined with option #2, you need to 'control from here' on the docking port of the ship you are controlling

[ToddTheRuse]

http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/536266067070226311/47997FABB46EC4D29547B3E5922FCED4872B32A8/

I didnt turn sas off. I will try that.

[Ottomic]

If the ports start attracting each other when they are very close it's probably not a "port backwards" issue. It can either be colliders messing up, or SAS keeping you from docking correctly.

[ToddTheRuse]

I tried with SAS off, and that didn't (and wow is it hard with SAS off, because then my ship pushes the space station into a spin when it doesnt dock.).

The clamp-o-trons are definitely not backwards, and then seem to go sort of through eachother as if they have no mass. Then it looks like the girder and RCS fuel pod bounce of eachother. It really looks like the Clamp-o-trons go through eachother.

[Ottomic]

No no, you just need to turn SAS off when the ports start attracting each other.

Is there something that might have an invisible collider preventing the ports doing contact? Do they attract each other?

[ToddTheRuse]

They do not attract, even with sas oof. Not sure what you mean by collider.

[Ottomic]

Originally posted by ToddTheRuse:

They do not attract, even with sas oof. Not sure what you mean by collider.

Well, sometimes parts "overlap" docking ports, not letting them make contact although there's nothing visible on top of them. However the ports not connecting makes the issue even harder to pinpoint for me. I'm honestly stumped as to what might be happening. Have you tried the ports on that girder on top?

[ToddTheRuse]

I have tried the top and side docking ports. I guess I'll have to take the space station crew onto the return vessel and scrap the space station.

Any tips for checking a docking port will work before sending a space sation up?

[Ottomic]

alt+f12 lets you "hack gravity" which will let you practice dockings on the launch pad. It basically sets all gravity to 0.

Sorry to hear that man, I personally have no idea what might be messing up.

[Melfice]

Originally posted by ToddTheRuse:

They do not attract, even with sas oof. Not sure what you mean by collider.

If they don't attract, then you have them on backwards.

[Ottomic]

Or...

Hasn't it happened to you sometimes that you can, like, place parts slightly inside other parts? Next time while building make double sure you're attaching the port to the topmost part of wherever you are putting it, because else it's not truly "on top" for the game, even though it looks like it.

[ToddTheRuse]

Originally posted by All out of gum:

Originally posted by ToddTheRuse:

They do not attract, even with sas oof. Not sure what you mean by collider.

If they don't attract, then you have them on backwards.

I am pretty sure they are not backwards. Looked at the "station one" scenario and my docking ports are oriented the same as that stations.

[Mercious Iron]

everything looks fine in the pic, but I had build problems with that RCS tank before,.

If you cant feel the magnets, then the part is not active, sometimes, you can switch back and forth between crafts "[" key, and click on the ports and choose controll from here,.

if there is still no magents,. chalk it up as a buged out build,.

[ToddTheRuse]

Originally posted by Ottomic:

Or...

Hasn't it happened to you sometimes that you can, like, place parts slightly inside other parts? Next time while building make double sure you're attaching the port to the topmost part of wherever you are putting it, because else it's not truly "on top" for the game, even though it looks like it.

for both the station and the science pod I am connect to it the clamp-o-tron is the highest point of the ship.