Any tips on how to be organized?

[Lonnehart]

Ugh. Every time I want to build a station or base, I have stuff EVERYWHERE. Basically throw everything into one container. Or if I try using multiple containment areas I lose track of where I put anything when I need it. And my construction goes in all sorts of places (like a sprawling disorganized town or city). Yet I've seen builders on Youtube who seem to have it together. They seem to know what to build and where to put stuff. So how do you guys keep things neat and organized and not lose track of what goes where?

 

[IG-1000]

Here is how I do it
One container for all Ship Systems, and I do mean ALL ship systems
One container for all your hulls
One for all the random detailing oriented blocks that have no real purpose other than looking nice
Maybe one for all the Planetary stuff like Plants, rock, grass etc
One for all your light sources crystal and such
and lastly one for all of the resources used in factories and manufacturing

Don't think I missed anything....

 

[Tamren Shade]

I toss everything but crafting resources into one massive container, and then use the "filter by text" line to bring what I'm looking for to the top of the pile. Just like creative mode, but with more finite resources.

 

[Snowtiger256]

I toss everything in the same massive container and use the search function to sort out what I need. My factory setups are usually all connected to that same container with two-way connections (meaning they pull their resources from the main storage) and the main storage pulls everything into itself, so the process of manufacturing is largely automated. Likewise, every savager dock is tied to the main container, so cargo offloads automatically to the container and any materials get automatically processed in the capsule refinery.

I used to have massive sorting systems before, but as the cargo system was introduced, I decided it was far easier to just stack everything into one container and use search functions to look for stuff. Because the manufacturing and processing of cargo is automated, and everything is in the same place, finding stuff is hassle free.

 

[Edymnion]

I make storage rooms that automatically sort everything for me.

There is a master in-box that everything gets dumped into, and then a dozen or so boxes for things like weapons, support, decorative, lights, rock, etc.

Hit C on the sorted boxes, then V on the master chest. The sorting boxes can now pull items out of master-in. In the sorted boxes, look for the button that says Auto-Pull. Hit that and you can add things either individually or by groups (same groups you see in stores). Set the pull amount to a million or something.

Your storage boxes will now go through everything your master-in box and pull out only what they are supposed to have in them. Set them all up that way, and it gets much easier to find what you want.

 

[Lukwan]

I have a simple three factory set-up that uses one main storage.

My new materials are auto-filtered to send certain items to 'long-term storage. (seldom used)
I have a separate long term storage for: Planetary rocks & plants etc.---Meta-Items---BPs.

All new materials are pulled into the refinery, processed and stored there. Scrap CC &AMM are pulled out to avoid clogging and stored separately. Each factory pulls from the ones before it as well as the main storage and the refinery.

Main storage: I organize my main storage into a customized arrangement for at-a-glance picking. I have grouped things according my own logic and the size of the window I use which allows me to keep multiple windows open and transfer things around in a predictable way. This gives me easy access when I am using this as my inventory during a build (very convenient). It also means I don't have to change my inventory just to find what I need.

I use grouped banks of factory enhancers(5, 25, 100, 250) to manually 'set' the production rate for each factory on the fly. (Shift-click to select entire group). I also keep the cargo-storage for each factory on a physical pad directly behind the factory to have a visual indicator for the production run. I keep these pads small so the factory goes into shut-down rather that producing an infinite pile of something and draining all my mats. If I want the factory to run constantly I switch on the pull from a buffer-storage block to empty the 'hopper' constantly (into main-storage).

 

[KiloZulu]

My setup is similar to Edymnion's. Everything is sent to one central hub that is then sorted out into different categories. I typically break down my categories to match what you find at a shop - general, ship modules, station modules; with sub-categories for hull, lighting, weapons, etc.

Our better stations also automate factory production, so we have an entire factory floor set up to produce each individual ship component. You simply press a few buttons to turn on production and turn them off when your order is complete. The factories pull from whichever storage units they need for their particular recipe. That takes a lot of setup, though, so it's definitely not for everybody.

 

[aRottenKomquat]

I used to have everything sort out into multiple storages, but now I think it's much easier to have one huge storage and use the search/filter feature to find what I'm looking for. Then I have that storage linked as personal cargo, and I have access to it anywhere in the sector.

I haven't tried linking my factories to it yet. I'm worried I'd start up construction and forget about it, and come back later to find all 50M of my Crystal Composite converted to Power Capacitors, or some such shenanigans. It would also make it hard to construct small quantities of a block because I have 1,000 factory enhancers on each factory.

 

[Edymnion]

It would also make it hard to construct small quantities of a block because I have 1,000 factory enhancers on each factory.

Thats why you set up multiple lines. I currently run 4 separate factory lines (basic, standard, and advanced linked together) that run at 1x, 10x, 100x, and 1000x capacity.

That way I can make things in whatever quantity I need.

 

[KiloZulu]

My solution for speeding up quantities was to create towers of factory enhancers. You could Ctrl+C/V factories to one or more towers to rush production. Some factories had this built in - particularly grey hull which is the basis for so many recipes.