[1.0] Stock pile optimization - one-of-each

[Trblz42]

Before B18 I optimized my input(or sourcing) stock piles as followed (w/ Machining table as example):

• Stockpile 87 - 1x1 - Steel only
• Stockpile 88 - 1x1 - Plasteel only
• Stockpile 89 - 1x1 - Components only
• Stockpile 90 - 1x1 - Adv components only (B18/1.0)

and the bill would have a minimal ingredient radius. I do this for most production benches/tables as it allows the crafters/tailors/smiths/cooks to work more efficiently and the haulers to supply them. The downside is it's a tedious job and also needs dozens of stock piles (hence 87,88,89 etc).

In 1.0 (or B18) every bill can be assigned an input and/or output stock pile (both optional). However the input (sourcing) stockpile of 4x1 for the machining table will be filled with the most abundant materials (like steel only). So in my scenario this does not work.

Here's my suggestion:

For a production bench/table, have a dedicated source stock pile with the size of number of ingredients needed for all the bills. (Machining bench in my example would be 1x4).
Enhancement: add a one-of-each flag logic - this limits the number of stacks per ingredient to 1. So in a 1x4  pile only one stack of steel or plasteel or components or adv components is allowed.

Logic

• if you're out of ingredients then that spot will stay empty
• if stockpile size = # ingredients (perfect scenario) - fill every empty spot with the missing ingredient (one stack only).
• if stockpile size > # ingredients - leave the other spots empty
• if stockpile size < # ingredients - fill empty spot with missing ingredient
• optionally: if there is a mismatch stockpile size with #ingredients - create a warning message.

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[Gfurst]

I was about to suggested something really similar but greater issue:
It happens not only with work benches, where you want to have resources close by, but also on any shared storage, where if you have stockpile be "preferred" they will try to continuously try to fill it will any small amount, and if you have more than one resource, it might get completely filled up with only one resource. There are several cases where this might be the case, such as: designating a meal area from dining room far away from freezer; designated feeding piles for two different barns; a small drug space to its close to your main recreation room; a small medicine pile so its to get them in hospital rooms; and of course for crafting.

But the solution I thought for was rather different, it would be a merger between a zone and a workbench: A delivery Zone
The idea is relatively simple, you just make a zone like any other, but instead of having storage option, it would have work bills for delivery orders, exactly like workbench bills. So you set a maximum amount to deliver to this zone, and minimum amount until it needs to be filled again, pretty much like pause/unpause in work orders now. When needed it would just create a haul work order like any other, if it has space or not is up to the player and it case it doesn't just throw a tantrum, like if removing a in use stockpile.

You can kinda do this already by using the "look in stockpile X" and "make until you reach X and pause", but its less than optimal since they work only for manufactured and not raw materials.

[Aerial]

+1  This would be really useful.

[Ambaire]

The idea is relatively simple, you just make a zone like any other, but instead of having storage option, it would have work bills for delivery orders, exactly like workbench bills. So you set a maximum amount to deliver to this zone, and minimum amount until it needs to be filled again, pretty much like pause/unpause in work orders now. When needed it would just create a haul work order like any other, if it has space or not is up to the player and it case it doesn't just throw a tantrum, like if removing a in use stockpile.

I would love this idea. Could set haulers to only supply my cook when the stockpile drops below 50% instead of constantly hauling 5 at a time..

[NeverPire]

I wait for this kind of feature for a while, but I never think about suggesting it :/

[Trblz42]

The idea is relatively simple, you just make a zone like any other, but instead of having storage option, it would have work bills for delivery orders, exactly like workbench bills. So you set a maximum amount to deliver to this zone, and minimum amount until it needs to be filled again, pretty much like pause/unpause in work orders now. When needed it would just create a haul work order like any other, if it has space or not is up to the player and it case it doesn't just throw a tantrum, like if removing a in use stockpile.

That would work too. If this is implemented, I hope the min/max settings can be done for all materials at once, not per material.

You can kinda do this already by using the "look in stockpile X" and "make until you reach X and pause", but its less than optimal since they work only for manufactured and not raw materials.

Where did you find that "look in stockpile" is only for manufactured materials - this would explain my bug report

[NeverPire]

Where did you find that "look in stockpile" is only for manufactured materials - this would explain my bug report

It is in the advanced options of workbench bills.

[SpoonBender]

I'd go for the 'refill on low stock' option for stockpiles, just like the 'pause when satisfied' option on bills. I want 150 neutroamine in a 1x1 stockpile next to the drug lab and it should only be refilled when it reaches below 75. So basically we want the Hauling Hysteresis mod functionality implemented into the base game, just like Crafting Hysteresis.

We really need this, because hauling becomes quite a problem when you have a lot of crafting tables with designated stockpiles. The dogs are constantly hauling 1 item from stockpile a to b and you'd have to changes stockpile priorities or area restrictions all the time to prevent this.

[Gfurst]

I'd go for the 'refill on low stock' option for stockpiles, just like the 'pause when satisfied' option on bills. I want 150 neutroamine in a 1x1 stockpile next to the drug lab and it should only be refilled when it reaches below 75. So basically we want the Hauling Hysteresis mod functionality implemented into the base game, just like Crafting Hysteresis.

The problem is that it they should be something different than regular stockpiles, and Delivery Zone I described would work exactly like a work bill, with "pause" option. And would rather have a solution that discards the need to micro spam several small stockpiles.

[Trblz42]

Where did you find that "look in stockpile" is only for manufactured materials - this would explain my bug report

It is in the advanced options of workbench bills.

I meant: how do you know that only manufactured material - stockpiles are valid for the "look in stockpile" feature?

[Gfurst]

I meant: how do you know that only manufactured material - stockpiles are valid for the "look in stockpile" feature?

"Look in stockpiles" only appear work bills and they look for the worked material, eg: meals, medicine, stone blocks.
Therefor if they're only in work bills they're only looking for materials that can be crafted.