Frames.... arrghh

[Stevolution]

I built a large crane - runs along the ground using frames running on frame motors embedded in the ground. All is well (although I wish the markings on a frame motor were slightly more helpful to let you know which way its pointing once placed under a frame).

So that is moving left/right as planned.

Built a second set of frame motors going at ninety degrees to the first set up high... now nothing moves?

Can you not have a set of frame motors moving on a platform that is itself moved by frames?

If not BAH! Why the heck not

[TheSandwichMakr]

You can move anything as long as theres no blocks in the way and it doesnt go over the 1024 block limit (it may be more or less im not sure)

[Stevolution]

Mmm... lying in bed last night thinking about this (forget the horny missus... more important things to sort out)

I thought the frame moving max was 200 blocks. I might be wrong. I certainly am no where near 1024.

If cables etc count towards that block total, then I suppose its possible I have reached the frame moving limit.

I believe I can change the frame motor block limit... UBER lag here I come

edit .. anyone know where this frames block limit is? Can't find it anywhere

[disconsented]

Limit IIRC is around 1000 frames.

[Stevolution]

Thanks Disconsented.

I found a figure in redpower.cfg called 'linksize'=1000. Wondered if that was it.

Can't figure out how to upload a screen cap from my laptop - so cant really show you.

The crane has four legs with motors at the bottom. Cut off the crane legs, and the legs move fine.

Its only when they are attached to the top part of they crane (that isn't touching anything else) they don't move. I am sure this is a block limit thing.

Does anyone know if the block count includes cables on a block? (eg - a block with a wire on it = 2 blocks) I wouldn't have thought so.

[Stevolution]

OK. Have I got the totally wrong idea about frames then?

I slowly smashed up the crane. Starting at the top. Turns out its the wire mounted on the cover plates on the frames? I have the entire crane built using frames covered in iron plates.

On those, I have the wires running to various other things. Remove the wires.... it moves. WTF

Is this another Tekkit bug? Or are frame motors basically useless except for moving frames. I thought you could move blocks that sat on a frame?

[warpspeed10]

Covers on frames not moving wires is a feature, not a bug. Try looking at the redpower wiki.

[Stevolution]

I spend half my life typing Wiki Tekkit.... obviously not enough.

This guys thread - http://forums.technicpack.net/threads/why-does-this-frame-motor-setup-not-work.23005/ has Blu cable on his plates.

He doesn't mention that is leaves those behind.

I just made a test rig that moves in each direction 1 block. Blu cable doesn't stick either.

edit... something isn't quite right here. Loads of videos of people with moving quarries on frames etc. They all have redstone wiring on their frame covers.

Is this a mod or something?

My frames throw all the wiring back off as soon as it moves.

[warpspeed10]

You need to look on the Redpower wiki. Use panels for your wires.

[LUCer]

Use panels instead of covers. Panels are for using wires on frames and covers are for not sticking to anything.

EDIT: Dammit, I'm just too slow.

[Stevolution]

Ok..... covers and panels are different. Seems like a newbie error.... but I didn't even know there was a difference or they existed.

Yet again.. I walk away in shame

[Stevolution]

Bear with me please guys.

I added pics to this post -but they have not appeared. That would have helped a lot.

OK. Sussed that you can never have anything further than a block away from the frame (replaced the covers with panels too).

However, the frame motors that are placed along the arms cannot be wired up.

Where ever I place them, the blu wire gets pulled off the motor and dropped. Probably because its more than a block away from the frame.

I can't see any way of wiring up those motors. I tried along the inside of the frame - between the motors, but it drops the cable off the frame motor.

I tried along the top of the frame, but it drops the wire off the side.

Any ideas?

Anyone recommend somewhere to host pics to help with posts?

[Foxhunter824]

Bear with me please guys.

I added pics to this post -but they have not appeared. That would have helped a lot.

OK. Sussed that you can never have anything further than a block away from the frame (replaced the covers with panels too).

However, the frame motors that are placed along the arms cannot be wired up.

Where ever I place them, the blu wire gets pulled off the motor and dropped. Probably because its more than a block away from the frame.

I can't see any way of wiring up those motors. I tried along the inside of the frame - between the motors, but it drops the cable off the frame motor.

I tried along the top of the frame, but it drops the wire off the side.

Any ideas?

Anyone recommend somewhere to host pics to help with posts?

Frames are fun to figure out. You Can have motors on moving frames. If you move the frame and something breaks and falls off, then it is not part of the frame included space. Fix to that is to cover that item with a frame. This makes it part of the frame system. Remember anything you want stuck to a frame has to be on a panel, and anyplace there will be contact with the frame and other blocks that you dont want stuck you need to have a cover. Fastest way to tell is to look at the corners. A nice clean corner is a cover, a corner that looks like it has a lil 45 degree in it is a panel.

Now as far as wiring goes, I have had better luck with making a wire arm that moves with my main frame. Doing this I have made multiple frame moving sections with their motors and bundled cable and blue wire working just fine. Have also come up with a nice compact remove and install of frames used with a computer, deployer and block breaker. so I dont have to have a long frame arm moving back and forth.

[Stevolution]

Thanks Foxhunter

I think it was the fact that you can't go more than a block from a frame that was messing it up.

I had window blocks in the winch room - 3x3 (glass panes don't join panels?) and the centre glass block of the window was the issue. Basically, as it was trapped... it stopped the entire frame moving.

I ended up setting up a timer that moved the whole rig one block every minute as I was building, just to ensure I had not placed something else it didn't like.

The power lines are sorted - I think. I ended up making much bigger support arms with a mad combination of gaps to ensure the wiring never left a panel.

Its all part of the fun.... apparently.

Got a pretty nifty redstone activated speech system sorted out. Nice chicks voice announcing my reactor temps!