NTP2
Well-Known Member
I have an idea openrocket for IOS and Android. It would not have the design capabilities just sim you could use your files from your PC (maybe cloud) so you can sim a flight at the range.
Mobile open rocket?
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This is a dream for a lot of people, including myself. However, it would be a very large effort to make it happen.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
I am not an expert in programming but I know a little about it. I would think that you would just take the core sim code and make a phone friendly interface?
The word "just" is doing an awful lot of work there. Everything after "just" is a large effort.
The Android port has been abandoned for a while and I imagine it'll take a lot of work to get it running again.
If anyone wants to do any of this by all means go for it, but don't be fooled into thinking that it'll be quick and/or easy. If someone really wants to work on OR in some capacity then I personally would prefer that they start by jumping in to help with the mainline app, rather than getting lost in side projects like this.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
I would but all my experience is with object oriented programming in python.
THIS. SO MUCH THIS. It drives me crazy when non-engineers or non-programmers or non-whatevers say, "Why don't you just..." thinking they have an easy solution to a complicated problem.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
I am sorry, as I said I have no experience with programming large projects.
Edit I bet if I were to look at the code the UI and siming are interacting very closely.
Last edited:
No worries, it is a common mistake.I am sorry, as I said I have no experience with programming large projects.
As much as I would love this, I realize it would be a massive undertaking. Instead, I just plan ahead and sim whatever rockets I'm taking to the launch with all the motors (that could work for it) that I have in my box (or that I may buy on site). Then I just save the pdf file and air drop to my phone. We often wait months between launches, so lack of planning ahead is a poor excuse (we are just used to being able to to do everything at a moment's notice on our phones)
NTP2
Well-Known Member
That is the point I don’t like this “planing ahead” thing.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
Maybe it could be easier to just read a sim file with all major results?
I mean, when you choose the print design report, and then only check the design report, that's exactly what you get. You can then save as a PDF. Gives you all the sim data for each motor you have selected. Also shows you CG and CP (though only for which ever motor was currently selected).
NTP2
Well-Known Member
No for a app you have the sim file on your phone and you read it for the apogee and all the other stuff.
James Keller
Well-Known Member
Personally I think it would be very difficult to do anything worthwhile on a mobile version of OR. Designing anything would just be a real pain. If you are talking about dirty siming in the field for delays thrustcurve is a great option.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
No it’s for filling out a flight form.
I just realized you said the siming thing with thrustcurve. But it needs cell service.
James Keller
Well-Known Member
Thurst curve gives you rough apogee and max velocity estimates as well. Don't really know what else you would need?
NTP2
Well-Known Member
CP CG
The most simple answer is to invest in a Windows-based tablet. The MS Surface Go 3 can be had new for as little as $399. I use mine as a nightly e-reader, as well as a browser and it has no issues running RockSim at the field. I assume Open Rocket would run just as well.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
If I’m got openrocket then I am cheap and don’t want to spend 400$ on a tablet
Mark CP on the airframe, and measure CG on the field when flight ready.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
I have made my mind if I can find documentation on the .org format then I will make a python script to read a sim file and display the results.
If there's any documentation on the format it's out of date, but it's pretty easy to read. It's just a zip file containing a file called rocket.ork and any graphics in a subdirectory (the graphics are the reason a zip file is necessary). Unzip and take a look.
As others have said, there was an Android version at one time, which died from lack of interest. The code is still in the repository (somewhere...) and if someone wanted to revive it could be used as a starting point.
Exactly - there's nothing OR can give you in the field that you shouldn't either already know (CP) or can determine incontrovertibly in a couple of seconds (CG) rather than estimating in software.
Although it is not necessary, having a mobile OR would definitely be nice. Unfortunately it is a long way from actually existing right now.
Scott_650
Well-Known Member
I have an ancient (by computer standards) Acer notebook I keep in the rocket shop running an old version of OR that I use for quick and dirty calculations - that way I don’t have to risk the good laptop getting dropped, stuff spilled on it, etc…there’s no reason I couldn’t take it to the field, folded shut it isn’t much bigger than an iPad and barely any heavier.
There are refurbished notebooks out there for less than $50 - could be a better solution than slogging through (re)building an app.
There are refurbished notebooks out there for less than $50 - could be a better solution than slogging through (re)building an app.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
My plan is to start from scratch and make a python script that runs on a phone that pulls all the sim data from a .ork file.
So you're just parsing the ORK file for info from existing simulations that have been run on the design in OR?
NTP2
Well-Known Member
That’s the plan.
I guess I'm confused then. If you're not running new simulations from the mobile device, what does this really give you?
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