Chainrings spacing

[Jimmy2021]

Hi everyone,
I bought a crankset with 3 new chainrings which need to be bolted together.
I run a 3x9 setup.
What's the ideal distance between chainrings for a 9 speed?
I don't want to just copy what was already there in case it was wrong.
Thanks

 

[Stretch79]

Did the old one work though? If so good to go

 

[trailstar82]

Generally a 22/32/42 for compact drive (94/56bcp)

Or 24/36/46 for ATB (110/74 bcp)

What crank did you get?

 

[Jimmy2021]

Generally a 22/32/42 for compact drive (94/56bcp)

Or 24/36/46 for ATB (110/74 bcp)

What crank did you get?

Sorry, that's Aramaic to me
I don't know the jargon, so please forgive me for the following.
I've dry fitted the chainrings to the spider and they seem to just sit in the correct place, evenly spaced.
I paid attention to the bolts' head grooves so the bolts would sit in them (other side of the chainrings is flat, no grooves).
Also I lined up those "prongs" with the crank arm.
Is this correct?

 

[Jimmy2021]

Sorry, forgot to add pictures

 

[TreaderSteve]

Interesting one this - I have no real idea what 'compact' means in any MTB-related terms - I thought it was a smaller BCD.
I took Jimmy's post as being what spacers between chainrings? I've seen all sorts of spacers fall out of cranks when whipping them apart - fatter washers, very thin washers - who knows?! I've generally only ever took apart to turn into single front ring though hence the not caring.

 

[trailstar82]

I did think that at first but then thought that was too obvious and took spacing to mean the jump in chainring sizes. Most cranks are designed with the correct offset (between rings) so hence the confusion. But a picture is worth a thousand words so now we know…there’s no need to worry about spacing and everything looks fine as it is.