Station Hinges help

[Nitrogue]

I am trying to create a modular space station system. My most recent module was a compactable solar panel array to aid getting it up into space/moving it to a different location on the station if need be. you press a button and a few merge blocks turn off and the hinges reverse direction and the solar array extends in a Z shape.
The odd thing is while it works fine on the ground (part stuck n the ground, and works fine as a ship in space, as soon as i attach it to my fixed test station or even just turn the module into a station, the system doesn't want to extend. The merge blocks turn off fine and settings change within the hinges, but nothing happens.
Am i missing something? do hinges not work on stations?

[ShadedMJ]

"turn the module into a station" seems wrong since the module is supposed to be movable.

[Nitrogue]

Originally posted by ShadedMJ:

"turn the module into a station" seems wrong since the module is supposed to be movable.

as in i can turn off the sole connection point of a merge block and move it to another location on the station. Say i made an airlock module next. it could be attach to the end of the hab module. if i then wanted to add say an equipment module between the two, i would disconnect the air lock module, move the equipment module into place and then put the airlock at the new end.

[dragonsphotoworks]

Ah when moving into place its a "ship" but once reaches final location it becomes static. i see what your going for. Put a control station on it and check.. it sounds like not getting power.
For what your doing ive used this mod often https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2342844754

Try getting in a cockpit on module and try changing to station there. Im not sure whats wrong. but maybe these ideas might help i hope.

[frag2k4]

Was going to say is that sub grid set to station? I find when making stations with these kind of creations that the sub grid will stay a station due to merge blocks even when detached.

[Nitrogue]

Originally posted by frag2k4:

Was going to say is that sub grid set to station? I find when making stations with these kind of creations that the sub grid will stay a station due to merge blocks even when detached.

i had a feeling it might be something like this.
i can i check the subgrid? it comprises of two solar panels and two merge blocks, so nothing with a control point. i probably will stick a control panel somewhere on it.
also doesn't explain how it work fine when it was in the surface of a planet.

[frag2k4]

Yeah you need a control panel to solve that but I think it will simply revert again when retracted. As for on planets it's more to do with the voxels than anything and maybe the unsupported stations option.

The grid is sort of like a faux station so maybe spawning in a tiny asteroid and fusing the grid to that will overcome the problem.

[Nitrogue]

grrrrrrrr.
small update. yes it was the subgrids being stations that were causing issues. sticking on a few control panels and swapping the two moveable sections to ship after the merge block had disconnected fixed the issue up straight away. still not sure how the planet test worked then, unless it was counting the build as a ship that was stuck in the ground?

guess i need to go for a redesign now. just need to decide whether to scrap the compactness and just have a single row of panels or to ditch the troublesome merge blocks and risk the wrath of Clang on launch and/or moving.

thanks for the help, the joys of a quirky game.

[Gingerneer]

got a blueprint ill play with it

[Nitrogue]

will try an upload for the first time

[Nitrogue]

Originally posted by Gingerneer:

got a blueprint ill play with it

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2504731928
hopefully that works, have fun

[dragonsphotoworks]

ya i said try a cockpit, i should of said control panel oops lol

[Gingerneer]

your going to have to excuse my grammar and spelling i am aware they suck.
im not quite sure how much you know so if you already know something just ignore it.

Why are you using merge blocks on the solar panels?

I assume they are to keep it stable during transport, but i also believe they are part of the issue you posted about using that many merge blocks in series is confusing the sim i think. merging and unmerging them is turning it from one grid to one grid with 3 sub grids and the merge blocks on the sub grid are combining them into one grid. causing you to have to change them to stations or what ever manually.

so i got rid of the merge blocks. too keep it stable during transport all you have to do is use the hing lock function in the hinge menu. i assigned this to button 3 of the control panel button 2 is hinge reverse my world is currently not experimental and the share inertial dampeners is not on for the hinges this would probably give it some more rigidity.

i ran out of time and wasn't able to test if this solved your original issue but i made a blueprint for you to test you'll have to let me know if it worked out or if you have any questions or comments

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2505851386

[Nitrogue]

thanks for the time youve put into this.

i was using merge blocks to try to avoid Clang from happening as i thought it would treat the whole module as a single object during transport. i will give the hinge lock a look to see if it gets angry on the way up. i was also getting the same using with my oxygen array that had two grids/ 1 pair of merge blocks.

the other reason for using merge blocks was to allow projectors to display the whole module, rather than up to the first hinge.

i don't use experimental, so that shouldn't be an issue.

thanks again for your time and help.

[dragonsphotoworks]

Try the MGP projector plugin and the plugin loader. Can weld subgrids with out issue. So dont need worry about that part.