Small things that will improve the crafting experience

[FunnyBunny14]

A calculator!
Simple, right? Well, I thought so too. You will be able to select block/item you want to craft, how many of that block/item you want, and then you can calculate how many capsules, ores or shards you need in total.


A different kind of filter
Also, I think that we need a different kind of sorting. I suggested it before, but here it is again:
A block that will collect items, and only send items out when it has reached a certain amount of one or more items. Combined with the new filtering, this would make for really easy setups with just a few micro assemblers and refineries.

The difference obviously is that it doesn't send things per cycle, but when it has reached a certain amount of multiple resources. You could set it to only send items out when those items all have reached a certain amount. For example, you could set the block to only send 30 nacht capsules and 6 metal meshes out when there are 30 nacht capsules and 6 metal meshes in the filter block.

This should also work with a multiplied amount of items, so if you set it to only send nacht capsules out when there are 30 of them, and you were to put 3000 capsules in, it would send all 3000 capsules at once.

Edit: This function could also be added by creating a function for the storages, like a checkbox to say you only want it to take the amount of blocks if they are already there.
(Better and easier, so I prefer the checkbox.)

Edit 2: The current filter could be shown on a display module by linking it.


Simpler view of large recipes
Break larger crafting recipes up in multiple pages. Each page would have a different level of the crafting recipe. A level would be a main block, like an active processor or a different block that has a lot of levels in the crafting recipe. It could be configured which block/item would create a new page.
The names of the blocks needed could be viewed from tabs.

There should also be a general overview, with the blocks/items with large recipes don't have their recipe shown. Instead they would be a quick link to the page with the corresponding block/item.


A way to display a recipe
Easy enough (I think). Just a new recipe display module, or a new function on the display module. They should be able to be grouped together to create a bigger display. (I prefer the function for the display module.)

Edit: The display should also be able to be linked to a factory to display it's current recipe.


A better way to make notes (for a list of things to mine)
What do you need when you go mining? A list of things you need of course! With this you will never forget what you need to remember. Always forget what you need? Well now you will have something that remembers it for you!

 

[ltmauve]

I'm simply thinking that having it right there will be useful for some of the features also for display link a factory to a display module.

 

[NeonSturm]

I wish there is an option to only draw the resources with a plex-storage if all were present.

Say you draw 1000 per tick and there are oly 700, it draws nothing and sends a logic false. If there are 1000 ore more draw them and send a logic true.

It just needs a check-box whether not complete amounts of stacks should be drawn into it.​

That would be really nice for logic and factories both :D

 

[FunnyBunny14]

Is there anything else that is missing in my list? I'm sure I'll find something when I play the new version, but it of course is better if there are more people looking out for other things that need improving.
Ps: I really like those suggestions, I edited my first post to include them.
2nd ps: I'm going to go nuts with survival on a planet!

 

[NeonSturm]

The drop-down is annoying.

A good idea would be to sort it with:

A permanent filter which blocks to precede with "Aa " or "Zz " -> that would sort them to the top/bottom

Or a user-editable tree of items, which could simply be a list of

list[num] = block-ID

//to check which IDs are in the list:

    blocks[ID] = 0

    for( int i = 0; i < list.length; i++) blocks[ list[i] ] = list[i]
    for( int id in blocks) if(id == 0) //add this block to the bottom of list.

list2[indent] = //number of spaces before a block name.

    //Before each spaces can be shown the category index to keep it sorted with an alphabetic sorting algorithm.

Another useful tool would be to draw item categories from other plex-stores.

select a first and a last item in the now sort-able (see above) drop-down list which is drawn from the slave storage.

if x< (item.indexInCategorySorted) <y then draw from it.​

 

[ToyotaSupra]

*Expert l33t HAX4r grade coding mumbo jumbo

Seriously, mate you need to get modding. I don't know if you already do but damn it's pretty clear you can code. Have I said this before? I have haven't I? Slap me if I have.

Anyway, To Fluffy Wuffy Funny Bunny Four Teen and his lovely bright rainbow thread of loveliness:

1) Calculator: yes
2) Sounds pretty complex, the number crunching might cause some serious lag. I also think this might have minimal use for such effort.

Everything else...might work with some brains behind it, IDK.

 

[ltmauve]

2) Sounds pretty complex, the number crunching might cause some serious lag. I also think this might have minimal use for such effort.

Well, you would only need to check it when the filter received a new block, so it wouldn't be horrible lag since the factory system works on a pulse system.

 

[FunnyBunny14]

The drop-down is annoying.

A good idea would be to sort it with:

A permanent filter which blocks to precede with "Aa " or "Zz " -> that would sort them to the top/bottom

Or a user-editable tree of items, which could simply be a list of

list[num] = block-ID

//to check which IDs are in the list:

    blocks[ID] = 0

    for( int i = 0; i < list.length; i++) blocks[ list[i] ] = list[i]
    for( int id in blocks) if(id == 0) //add this block to the bottom of list.

list[indent] = //number of spaces before a block name.

    //Before each spaces can be shown the category index to keep it sorted with an alphabetic sorting algorithm.

Another useful tool would be to draw item categories from other plex-stores.

select a first and a last item in the now sort-able (see above) drop-down list which is drawn from the slave storage.

if x< (item.indexInCategorySorted) <y then draw from it.​

Anything to sort the item list better is welcome. It probably is the most messy thing about the whole crafting system.
I was thinking that the filter could also stay until you try to change it again (no more typing power a million times because you don't click the right block).
There also could be a list of things the item is used for by everything except the crystal circuit, charged crystal circuit, metal mesh and metal grill (because they are used for a lot of things).
I also think it would be a good idea to have links in crafting trees to the page of a different crafting system, like if you want to make a power reactor, you could click on the charged crystal circuit to go to it's recipe.

... Anyway, To Fluffy Wuffy Funny Bunny Four Teen and his lovely bright rainbow thread of loveliness:

1) Calculator: yes
2) Sounds pretty complex, the number crunching might cause some serious lag. I also think this might have minimal use for such effort.

Everything else...might work with some brains behind it, IDK.

The different filter indeed shouldn't lag too much. As for my 'rainbow thread', I made it that way so people wouldn't have to read everything I typed if they didn't want to, because they would already know what I want to say.

 

[ToyotaSupra]

The different filter indeed shouldn't lag too much. As for my 'rainbow thread', I made it that way so people wouldn't have to read everything I typed if they didn't want to, because they would already know what I want to say.

Hey, I wasn't criticising you for it!

If we trade off functionality then I'm sure any lag will be justified. I like the idea of the filter anyway, better than hawk watching a factory screen. Maybe it could link up with a display block or something.

 

[FunnyBunny14]

Hey, I wasn't criticising you for it!

If we trade off functionality then I'm sure any lag will be justified. I like the idea of the filter anyway, better than hawk watching a factory screen. Maybe it could link up with a display block or something.

I know you weren't criticising me. I got the idea for coloured fonts from neonsturm, btw.

You mean having the display module show the current filter? A big yes!

 

[NeonSturm]

I know you weren't criticising me. I got the idea for coloured fonts from neonsturm, btw.

You mean having the display module show the current filter? A big yes!

I usually use only orange and green because they are the least interfering with the forum colours (to me at least)
Orange for major parts (like shine colour) green for minor parts (like comments in java code elements)

For bright colours (top two lines) there is no much use besides marking positive and negative green/sky-blue and red