This is an idea that would solve an annoying problem on both official and modded content. Where right now, we have to copy and paste parts over and over again if we want to change small things. What if we didn't have to? What I'm proposing is a "variation" system. Where instead of copy pasting an entire part just to change ex. a sound config, you could inherit the part, then overwrite the sound config. Ex. then you would only need a single engine jbeam, add in the new flexbodies and engine curve, and be done with it. Or say you want multiple types of hoods? Make one, make "variant" parts that inherit it's jbeam and change the flexbodies.
I agree this would be interesting, at least the ability to easily have a "master" node-beam-triangle structure, that can be re-used for other components. It would especially help when it comes to maintaining part variants, since you wouldn't have to copy the same changes across 2-4 parts or more.
The nodes and beams sections are essentially dicts with lists as a value. On a new part, we could write something like "nodes":jbeam_file.part.nodes to get nodes from another part, or something. I have made a new part with copied jbeam so many times, and I have to keep updating those jbeams between updates. This would make jbeaming a lot easier and quicker and enjoyable and future-proof and simpler.
My idea is something like this Code: { "fs65_body_indicators_led": { "information":{ "authors":"Dummiesman", "name":"Body Mounted Indicators (LED)", "value":12000, }, "slotType" : "fs65_body_indicators", "inheritPart": {"partname": "fs65_body_indicators", "blacklist": ["flexbodies"]}, //add flexbodies blacklist would remove those parts from the inheritance, whitelist would only include certain parts, both would be optional The default behavior when none are specified would be that all sections would get inherited, and if you duplicate a section (ex. nodes) it'd overwrite (or maybe merge?) the original.