Cargosystem & Dockingchain

[Urza der Gehasste]

I'm not sure if there is already a thread about this (couldn't find one):
As Jack Borr mentioned in a comment it is currently impossible to pull cargo at a docking chain.

For example, ship/turret A has the salvagers, ship B transports A and I have my station C.
So is A is docked at B and B can pull the stuff from A's cargo (e.g. minerals). When I dock B at my station I cant unload the ship automatically, because Bs storage block has "pull" activated. So I would have to deactivate the block to unload my ship.

Another example:
My ship has cargo crates as docked entities. To fill them automatically from the station, I would need a large buffer cargo area at the ship or would have to switch the storage block on and off every few ticks.

I think it would be better to determine if a docked entity get loaded or unloaded by the way we link storage and rail/docking module. Is the storage block the master (c) and the rail/docking module the slave (v) the entity gets loaded and via versa.

Edit: But that wouldn't work to unload the ship from my 2nd example... any better ideas? Maybe it would work if we could link multiple storage blocks - at least 2 - to the same cargo area?)

(I hope some can understand what I want to say.)

 

[Crusade]

use some logic controls. Set storages to not pull when docked, or have a wireless logic link and a toggle switch in the station to control what storages are pulling.

 

[Urza der Gehasste]

To turn off the cargo via logic blocks can determine if it pulls from docked entities or not? Didn't know that.
I still think thats not the best option - wireless connections become often disconnected after a patch and you need to be careful with the timing to not pull in the wrong direction.
But at least it's something that works, so thank you for the hint.

 

[hyarion]

I've been messing around with various ideas for cargo containers that can be loaded/unloaded automatically, the idea I'm currently playing with is to have 2 x docks on the cargo container.

#1 dock - when active the storage in the container turns on, so it fills up.
#2 dock - when active the storage in the container turns off, so it can empty.

#1 gets docked to the ship
#2 is used when the container is moved to the station for offloading.

I'm still experimenting with most of it but so far the concept seems to work, perhaps it will help in your case?

 

[Urza der Gehasste]

The first scenario with unloading a ship with that has a salvage turret should work with logic and just one docking module since I only want to unload it.

The second one would only work like you suggested if I would like to remove the containers from the transport ship. Thats not what I had in mind.
Now I'll have to turn the buffer off when it's full and on again when it's empty... shouldn't be too hard. Just that I don't like to use the wireless connection, since it disconnects sometimes.

And a problem with your idea is that I can't name my docking modules (as far as I know) so it could happen to use the wrong one when I dock my ship

 

[nightrune]

nd a problem with your idea is that I can't name my docking modules

If I care I plop a faction module down, then rename, and remove.

 

[Urza der Gehasste]

If I care I plop a faction module down, then rename, and remove.

But that changes the name of your ship, not of the name of the button in your hotbar. You still have 2 nameless "rail docker".

 

[nightrune]

But that changes the name of your ship, not of the name of the button in your hotbar. You still have 2 nameless "rail docker".

Ah I see what you mean now. I really wish you could name the actual rail dockers as well.

 

[wiesshund]

I wish we could connect logic between entities (unless we can and im missing something?)
Im having same issue kind of, i got a thing ill just call a yard tractor, ships come in and dock to it, it then pulls the ship into the station and up to the dock area.
So the ship is docked to the tractor, and the tractor is docked to the space station.
I can get the ship to offload to a small box on the tractor, but since the tractor box is pulling it winds up just flopping stuff back and forth.

I tried using logic timers, but soon as the tractors box turns pulling back on it yanks stuff back off the dock as well as from the ship.

I though i had a genius idea of running a couple dock rails that would butt up to the tractor and slide the ship off onto the dock
ship would now be on same entity that the cargo area is on. Then just have them reverse when its time to leave
But that was a big fail, seems object wont cross entities even if rails are inline.

So far all ive gotten to work is a very tedious double docking process, it does work since we now have bump docking but its prove to a lot of goof ups and collision bouncing, and you cant just drive up, hook up to the tractor and let the ship go.

Well its slow and not supper efficient but i got this working, had to tinker with the timing to make the tractors box miss out finishing its tick for a few iterations.
Slow but for now its working

Its wired up timer1 > timer2 > timer3 > timer4 > NOT >> storage + timer1
im sure there is a better way, but for now its unloading the derelict station i reparied then salvaged

 

[nightrune]

I wish we could connect logic between entities (unless we can and im missing something?)

Don't wireless logic blocks work for you?

https://starmadepedia.net/wiki/Wireless_Logic_Module

 

[wiesshund]

No, i cant get blocks on other entities to select

 

[Spartan4845]

No, i cant get blocks on other entities to select

You have to connect while out of the ships.

 

[wiesshund]

i wasnt even in build mode, or you mean cant stand inside ship?

 

[ilec]

Using storage pulls you can theoretically pass a simple on/off signal across a docking - however doing this you sacrifice the ability to do actual cargo transfer across the docking connection.

 

[GRHayes]

I'm not sure if there is already a thread about this (couldn't find one):
As Jack Borr mentioned in a comment it is currently impossible to pull cargo at a docking chain.

For example, ship/turret A has the salvagers, ship B transports A and I have my station C.
So is A is docked at B and B can pull the stuff from A's cargo (e.g. minerals). When I dock B at my station I cant unload the ship automatically, because Bs storage block has "pull" activated. So I would have to deactivate the block to unload my ship.

Another example:
My ship has cargo crates as docked entities. To fill them automatically from the station, I would need a large buffer cargo area at the ship or would have to switch the storage block on and off every few ticks.

I think it would be better to determine if a docked entity get loaded or unloaded by the way we link storage and rail/docking module. Is the storage block the master (c) and the rail/docking module the slave (v) the entity gets loaded and via versa.

Edit: But that wouldn't work to unload the ship from my 2nd example... any better ideas? Maybe it would work if we could link multiple storage blocks - at least 2 - to the same cargo area?)

(I hope some can understand what I want to say.)

This will probably give you a hint how to do it.
http://starmadedock.net/threads/simple-automated-cargo-drone-storage-point.22342/