Sorry if this has been suggested before, did a search and didn't find anything but that doesn't mean it hasn't come up using different terminology. The basic idea is straightforward, to avoid those irritating situations where you schedule a bit of plant processing to bags and brewing drinks only to find that there are no bags or barrels around. Then you schedule some bag and barrel making to find there's no cloth and wood around. What I'd like is self-motivated dwarves who'll get on with jobs, like hunters do, providing they've been given some targets to work to. A way that came to mind is this:
1. When designating a custom stockpile have an additional option to say that it takes from a chosen workshop. In so doing the items allowable items in the pile would only be those the workshop could make.
2. For each such item set a minimum stocking level, with zero being the same as forbidden.
3. When the size of the stockpile is set it must be at least big enough to take the sum of all the minimum stock levels set.
4. Only items produced by the linked workshop are allowed on the pile. When the workshop produces an item for which the minimum stock requirement is already met it will be taken to a generic stockpile (or clutter the workshop).
5. Dwarves only take items from the pile if said item cannot be found elsewhere.
6. Other stockpiles cannot take from workshop linked stockpiles to avoid unintended over production.
Conceptually the system would require a manager and a bookkeeper in the fortress, the latter to monitor stock levels and notify the former of shortages. Jobs would then scheduled by the manager at the appropriate workshop. It might be sensible to limit the maximum size and number of such stockpiles, only one per workshop and a limit to the total number the fortress could support to avoid absurd stock levels (do that manually if you must), the idea is to make sure you've always got a few doors, beds and so on available if you need one in a hurry.
For things like wood obviously this model doesn't work but what you could do is allow wood stockpiles to have a minimum stocking level and then designate a logging zone. When the stock ran low the woodcutters would go to the logging zone and chop some more wood. I imagine this is within their capabilities as if hunters can track down goats running round the map then woodcutters should be able to home in on static trees.
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Topic: Minimum stock levels - taking from workshop (Read 1612 times)