Project VesselBuilder for Orbiter

[fred18]

Here is the DG VB interior:

So the mfd is different than the non VB. Notice in the VB version no power buttons. I am thinking that it makes it own texture with the buttons. I can't open the DG VC mesh in meshwizard or something to see the dimensions

did you check the video of the DG I posted? it covers also the MFD Definitions.

Basically you put the center of the power and the center of the Menu button and VB will create three buttons equally spaced PWR-SEL-MNU between the first and the last. Same for the 2 columns. Actually they are called columns but if you put the first and the last button horizontally it will work as well. Anyway check the video of the VC of the DG: it builds exactly the MFDs. in that case there is no PWR button but it is defined anyway and you will have an area in the DG where you click and it works as a button even though there is no button in the mesh.

 

[jacquesmomo]

Once you understand, it's very easy !
I even understood how we could make animations in virtual cockpit mode !!

Thank you Fred !!!

Here my first add-on with Vesselbuilder !!!

 

[Donamy]

Orbiter Plane, Cool ?

 

[Sbb1413]

I shall try Vessel Builder a few hours later, since there's a loadsheding in my home to use computer. I am using my smartphone to post this reply.

 

[MaxBuzz]

if someone figured out the animation it was useful to record a video tutorial on how to fold complex solar panels

 

[Donamy]

There are examples on OH that have SC3 ini's e.g. Shenzou, Cygnus

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hi
I have a requiest :
What is the use of "NUL EVENT" in "events" section ?
I don't understand how to use it...

 

[fred18]

Hi
I have a requiest :
What is the use of "NUL EVENT" in "events" section ?
I don't understand how to use it...

Hi,

it's been a while but if I remember correctly it is there in order to have a reference for other events. It is there to make a service, not to make anything specifc. Let's say for example that you need to have 3 events that needs to happen when the very same condition happens. You can create a null event, put the condition for this event and then for the other 3 events you use the null event as a trigger so they happen at the same time instead of putting three equal conditions. Things like this. I hope it is clear, otherwise I will try to explain it more.

 

[jacquesmomo]

Thank you for these explanations.
It seems clear to me.

I will test...

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hello

I would like to make a parachute simulation with VB.

with spacraft4 I used the airbrakes with these settings:
[AERODYNAMICS]
SPEEDBRAKE_ATTACK = (0,20,0)
SPEEDBRAKE_DRAG = 10300

But I don't see any airbrake in VB. is it possible ?

And can someone explain to me what "dCl" means?

Thank you !

 

[Donamy]

Sorry, but I don't. But if someone can explain them, I will add them to the CargoDragon2.

 

[gattispilot]

Not sure the same but the Dg
has:
VARIABLEDRAG_1_ID = 1
VARIABLEDRAG_1_NAME = SpeedBrakes
VARIABLEDRAG_1_FACTOR = 4
VARIABLEDRAG_1_REF = 0 0 -8
VARIABLEDRAG_1_ANIM = 6

 

[fred18]

Hello

I would like to make a parachute simulation with VB.

with spacraft4 I used the airbrakes with these settings:
[AERODYNAMICS]
SPEEDBRAKE_ATTACK = (0,20,0)
SPEEDBRAKE_DRAG = 10300

But I don't see any airbrake in VB. is it possible ?

And can someone explain to me what "dCl" means?

Thank you !

Not sure the same but the Dg
has:
VARIABLEDRAG_1_ID = 1
VARIABLEDRAG_1_NAME = SpeedBrakes
VARIABLEDRAG_1_FACTOR = 4
VARIABLEDRAG_1_REF = 0 0 -8
VARIABLEDRAG_1_ANIM = 6

The main difference berteen Spacecraft and VB is that Spacecraft gives a simplified version of the underlying Orbiter's API to the user, while VB tries to make the entire Orbiter API available. This means that the best reference for VB functions and parameters are the Orbiter's API themselves, which I strongly suggest to look at for better reference of the various parameters. In this particular case the best way to create a parachute is to define a variable drag element, as gattis correctly guessed. From the Orbiter's API docs (which can be found in the folder /Orbitersdk/doc/API_Reference.pdf or API_Reference.chm, the definition of variable drag elements are:

Orbiter API: VESSEL Class Reference

void VESSEL::CreateVariableDragElement	(	const double *	drag,
		double	factor,
		const VECTOR3 &	ref
	)		const

Attaches a modifyable drag component to the vessel.

Parameters

drag	pointer to external drag control parameter
factor	drag magnitude scaling factor
ref	drag force attack point [m]

NoteThis method is useful for defining drag produced by movable parts such as landing gear and airbrakes. The magnitude of the drag force is calculated as

where d is the control parameter, f is the scale factor, and q is the freestream dynamic pressure. The value of d (the parameter pointed to by drag) should be set to values between 0 (no drag) and 1 (full drag). Any changes to the value have immediate effect. Depending on the attack point, the applied drag force may create torque in addition to linear force.

So you need to create a variable drag element, bind to an animation, define the reference which is where the drag force applies (i suggest fake symmetrical coordinates) and the factor which I suggest to experiment it a bit with. I haven't checked, but I am pretty sure that in the SC4 docs there si the definition of how speedbrakes work there, so it shouldn't be hard to reverse engineering the factors. Give it a try and in case get back here and I will look into it.


For the dCl I suggest you to look into the Orbiter's API at CreateControlSurface function. there it is defined as

Orbiter API: VESSEL Class Reference

dCl	shift in lift coefficient achieved by fully extended control

I honestly can't remeber now if the shift is intended as a change in magnitude of the lift or as a position shift of the lift vector, I should make a test because too much time has passed and I can't remember it. But it should be written down in the docs or someone here who has confidence with the OAPIs can surely be helpful.
If you need further explanations feel free to ask!

 

[jacquesmomo]

Thank you all for your answers.

I had forgotten that there was an airbrake for the shuttle ...?


The only problem is that it brakes along the z axis ...
I would have liked it to be along the Y axis.

But I think I have a lead ...

I will tell you in a few days if I succeeded in doing what I want.

thanks again.

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hello

So here is the result of a few hours of work ...
the mesh of the parachute is temporary. It's a vesselbuilder "object"...

The car is a generic_vehicle (weels) + Spacecraft4 (Listen_From...) Jeep
Opening is automatic ... at an altitude 100 meters from the ground...

But it works !!!

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hello

Just to tell you that in this new add-on (Rochambeau airport)

made by Papyref and me there is an aircraft (a DC6 airplane) made with VesselBuilder
and it has a lot of animations (gear, control surface and others), virtual cockpit, lights, and a MFD / HUD.

Clic here to have a look then dowload

This is a good example of what can be done with Vesselbuilder, and can be usefull for help.

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hello Fred (and the others)

I have a little problem and a question.

It is about the "play sound" command (in Events section), which works fine for me, but ...
Looking at the declared music path I have (and read) this (it is an example) for me :
D: \ ORBITER 2016 Europa2 \ Sound \ _CustomVesselsSounds \ HoneyMoon \ Entrance.wav

This corresponds to the path of the "Entrance.wav" file.

But this part of the path "D: \ ORBITER 2016 Europa2 \" will only work for me.
Yes, because if the user -orbinaut downloads my add-on, it will probably be in
"C: \ Orbiter \" or any other folder ... and therefore the sound will not be played.

Is there a way to do (with a relative path?) so that this file can be played regardless of the name and location of the Orbiter folder?

Thanks in advance

 

[fred18]

Hello Fred (and the others)

I have a little problem and a question.

It is about the "play sound" command (in Events section), which works fine for me, but ...
Looking at the declared music path I have (and read) this (it is an example) for me :
D: \ ORBITER 2016 Europa2 \ Sound \ _CustomVesselsSounds \ HoneyMoon \ Entrance.wav

This corresponds to the path of the "Entrance.wav" file.

But this part of the path "D: \ ORBITER 2016 Europa2 \" will only work for me.
Yes, because if the user -orbinaut downloads my add-on, it will probably be in
"C: \ Orbiter \" or any other folder ... and therefore the sound will not be played.

Is there a way to do (with a relative path?) so that this file can be played regardless of the name and location of the Orbiter folder?

Thanks in advance

does using only the relative path work? if you only put the "/sound/_CustomVessels... etc" instead of adding also the orbiter installation folder does it play the sound? I think it should work with just that, I would be surprised otherwise, could you give a check?

 

[jacquesmomo]

Yes !!!

Thank you for the tip !!

This : "\Sound\_CustomVesselsSounds...etc" does not works,
but this : "Sound\_CustomVesselsSounds...etc" works fine !!

 

[jacquesmomo]

Hi to everybody... It's me again....

is there someone who can explain to me some parameters I don't understand.... ?

These are the 3 parameters in the Thrusters section :



- ISP [m / s]: I Think I have understood this.

But I don't understand what these 2 other parameters are for :

• Isp Ref [m / s]
• P ref [Pa]

Thanks in advance for the explanations.