Can rocksim load Open Rocket files?

Can you load Open Rocket files (.ork) in Rocksim? (The reverse is true: you can load Rocksim files in Open Rocket)

The reason I am thinking about this is, there are presently few Open Rocket files available online. I love Open Software and I love Open Rocket, so I'd like to contribute files for it. I already have 3 finished rockets and 3 others in the making (for some of those, I have used a Rocksim file as a templated and modified it).

1. If I put these online in Open Rocket format, will it make them less useful?
2. Should I submit all my designs as Rocksim files?
3. Are there known problems of conversion between OR and RS formats?

As a last resort, I guess someone wanting to use an OR file could install the free of charge OR software and convert it to RS format, although the process would probably deter many, if not most, RS users.

This is all in the perspective of being most useful, while supporting the Open Software part of the equation.

Rocksim does not directly support .ork file format. The best you can do is export within OR to a .rkt format.

The conversion from OR -> Rocksim is pretty straightforward. Going the other way is lossy because of Rocksim's Tube Fins and Pod Subassemblies, which have no analogy in OR.

Having said that, I think building up the library of .ork designs is a great impetus for expanding the use of OR - and providing support for open source projects. Not having the .rkt should not be a deterrent - installing OR is pretty simple if a Rocksim user (which I count myself as) really wants to leverage the .ork and convert it to .rkt.

Doug

duckhead said:

Rocksim does not directly support .ork file format. The best you can do is export within OR to a .rkt format.

The conversion from OR -> Rocksim is pretty straightforward. Going the other way is lossy because of Rocksim's Tube Fins and Pod Subassemblies, which have no analogy in OR.

Having said that, I think building up the library of .ork designs is a great impetus for expanding the use of OR - and providing support for open source projects. Not having the .rkt should not be a deterrent - installing OR is pretty simple if a Rocksim user (which I count myself as) really wants to leverage the .ork and convert it to .rkt.

Doug

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info and encouragement to upload .ork files. I'll go that route.

I'm a longtime Rocksim user. I've been playing with Open Rocket for a handful of versions now. Converting back and forth doesn't really work well all the time. Even if it loads correctly, the flight data doesn't calculate the same. I haven't check lately, but going from "squared" to "airfoiled" fins can result in hundreds of feet differences in altitude even on small LPR 18mm simple rockets. OR is a fine work.. pretty interface... clean output and best of all price! Can't knock that! But the caveat "You get what you pay for applies". Yes, Rocksim is BIG Bucks! If it is within your budget, consider that it is a "finished" commercial product. 99.9% of all the bugs have been worked out. 99.9% of just about anything you want to try has been done in RS with documented help available online on how to accomplish your task.

Now both RS and OR handle figuring out your CP! One of the most important factors to know when designing a rocket. So OR is definitely a worthy piece of software!

Just some food for thought.

Now back to the original notion of RS users being deterred from using OR converted files. Yes.. they don't work well.. but I have opened files in OR, jotted down some notes and re-created Rocksim files from the designs. Optionally, I just use OR to look at a design someone on the forum has asked a question on or needs help with. If you can use Rocksim... you can handle Open Rocket.


Jerome