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[Blue_Dwarf]

As we have the fairly big problem of dwarves grabbing and carrying entire containers to pick up a distant plump helmet spawn, I would like to suggest a way to fix that at least temporarily.

My idea involves an additional stockpile setting - "Haul containers to items" vs "Only haul items to the containers in the stockpile". By default, it should be set to the second of the above.

[Bumber]

I think it just needs a small tweak whereby dwarves will prefer to gather items with empty containers, then distribute those into the stockpile.

[sweitx]

Probably change the wordings to be a bit less wordy.
1. Collect with container
2. Collect without container

Right now, as workaround, I designate two stockpiles.
Stockpile A: Use no container, take from anywhere.
Stockpile B: Use container, take from Stockpile A, take only from linked stockpiles.
This way, dwarfs fill up stockpile A hauling single item at a time, then another dwarf will grab a container from B and "vacuum" up all the stuffs in A into one container.
Also, if you need some mass collection (say, after siege), you can switch stockpile A to "linked only" and stockpile B to "from anywhere" to let dwarf go vacuum up those sweet, sweet loots.

[Lav]

Frankly, all the game needs is to forbid resource collecting with a non-empty container.

If there's an empty container in the stockpile, and at least two resources to collect, hauler uses empty container. Otherwise, he just hauls resources directly.

Finally, if there are several partially filled containers in the stockpile, dwarves should move resources from least filled container into most filled (but not full) container within the same stockpile. Obviously, this optimization must not involve manipulation of containers themselves.

[Tacyn]

Those solutions make hauling even more complex than it already is.
The problem is that whether containers are brought to the item or the other way around has cases
where this is inefficient. Coding a middle ground on a case by case basis, however, is going to be a huge mess and a lot of work for toady.
There should be an elegant solution.

My suggestion is to differ between storage (bins, pots, barrels) and carry containers (wheelbarrows, large bags, backpacks).
The first type would always stay in a stockpile unless to move it to another stockpile or to the depot.
The second type would be assigned to haulers, for example, via the job menu and are equipped by them as tools
like picks, axes and crossbows are for miners, woodcutters and hunters.
Wheelbarrows allow a dwarf to carry a single item faster, while large bags are used to carry more than one item at once.
Both can be used simultaneously where the items are put in the bag and the  bag is transported with the wheelbarrow.
At the stockpile the carried stuff is then distributed into storage containers or empty tiles. 

[Maw]

Those solutions make hauling even more complex than it already is.
The problem is that whether containers are brought to the item or the other way around has cases
where this is inefficient. Coding a middle ground on a case by case basis, however, is going to be a huge mess and a lot of work for toady.
There should be an elegant solution.

My suggestion is to differ between storage (bins, pots, barrels) and carry containers (wheelbarrows, large bags, backpacks).
The first type would always stay in a stockpile unless to move it to another stockpile or to the depot.
The second type would be assigned to haulers, for example, via the job menu and are equipped by them as tools
like picks, axes and crossbows are for miners, woodcutters and hunters.
Wheelbarrows allow a dwarf to carry a single item faster, while large bags are used to carry more than one item at once.
Both can be used simultaneously where the items are put in the bag and the  bag is transported with the wheelbarrow.
At the stockpile the carried stuff is then distributed into storage containers or empty tiles.

Nice idea Tacyn

[CaptainArchmage]

I'd like to see dwarves put on active military duty drop what they are hauling and another dwarf take over the job. As it is, when you station the squad one of them may haul along a box, and then decide he or she needs to haul it back.

It would also help, when dwarves want to collect a large number of items, to pick up an empty bin or barrel and use it instead of using a bin or barrel which is nearly full.

I'd also like to see dwarves gather items for dumping into a wheelbarrow to make the procedure go faster.