Docking Queue - version 1.74.2

[Kaks]

Good find!

[JensAyton]

Changing the AI seems preferable to changing the code. Could "dropMessages: APPROACH_COORDINATES" in an appropriate place fix this?

[Eric Walch]

Changing the AI seems preferable to changing the code. Could "dropMessages: APPROACH_COORDINATES" in an appropriate place fix this?

No, I looked at it, but the ENTER message of the dockingAI.plist is executed before the "APPROACH_COORDINATES" is send to the ship. And on the first UPDATE will dropMessages: do nothing. And even when it would, at that point it could have been a legitimate message of the station.

In the code it just needed the addition of a "return". And I had to set a "targetStation" in the code anyway.

An other way would be a full rewrite of the code. Not setting the AI to dockingAI.plist by the code, but just sending a new "PATROL_ENDED" message. Than could the planetPatrolAI.plist set the nearest station (will be its mother by definition) and do a setAITo: dockingAI.plist.

I even had written it that way but after finding the real cause of the bug I opted for the solution of leaving the AI unchanged.

Good find!

Yes, these ships do not lock-up the docking queue for NPC ships, because the patrol ships hang in the first stage of the docking process. At that point they allow other ship to go first.
But, for docking clearance the code looks only at the size of the queue and clearance never comes.

[JensAyton]

Fair enough.

[JD]

Excellent work Eric - I've added this code as advised:

Code: Select all

"APPROACH" = ("setStateTo: APPROACH");

I'll let you know if there are any further developments.

Cheers
John