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[jcrites]

Are blocks in every way equivalent to the original resource?  I.e., can I use wooden blocks as input to any industry which takes wooden logs?

I asked because I thought they were -- and I thought the only difference was that blocks fit in bins.  Using the "garbage dump" technique, I dumped many wooden blocks into a garbage square next to my carpenter's workshop.  I've unmarked all the blocks as forbidden.  However, when I try to construct wooden objects, it says I'm missing logs.

Are blocks not a substitute for logs?  E.g., for making barrels, bins, chairs, etc.

[Kza]

Blocks can't be used in workshops, however, they are okay for building/structures.

[jcrites]

I also wonder whether this applies to stone blocks as well.

[jcrites]

Blocks can't be used in workshops, however, they are okay for building/structures.

Ahh, ok, that helps.  So, I thought they were equivalent and thus have been processing all my wood and stone into blocks.  Bad idea?  :-(

[smjjames]

Blocks can't be used in workshops, however, they are okay for building/structures.

Uh, yes you can, I've used rock blocks MANY times with workshops.

[Kza]

Blocks can't be used in workshops, however, they are okay for building/structures.

Uh, yes you can, I've used rock blocks MANY times with workshops.

Alright correction. I don't THINK so, at least in my experience. Maybe it only applies to wood or glass? I know glass blocks (I was making a megapyramid of glass) don't work for making glass discs because I had a million glass blocks but was completely out of the raw stuff, and got spammed with cancels.

[NecroRebel]

Blocks can be used to build workshops, but they can't be used by jobs in workshops. So processing all of your stone/wood/metal into blocks is a bad idea because they aren't then useful for anything other than building buildings, including workshops.

[Frumple]

Chiming in for confirmation of what Necro just said; just took my fort, made a block, then forbid all my stone. Workshops can't use blocks to make things. They can be built from it, yes, but not process it.

Iirc, the only thing blocks can do that plain rocks don't is a) get put in bins and b) make smooth stone paved roads. In exchange, no crafts, furniture, etc. from them. Oh... and they're much lighter than the base stone, usually.

[Collic]

The easiest way to think of blocks is as construction bricks for floors, walls and buildings. They're  easily stored and useful for setting up block stockpiles outside to speed large construction jobs, like a tower or an exterior wall.

[Grumman]

Turning stone into blocks is good: you've always got more stone if you need it, it trains your mason dorfs, they're easier to store, and they can be used to create slightly more valuable rooms if you can't use natural stone walls and floors (if you're building above ground, for example).

Similarly, turning glass into blocks is also good, if you've got magma: you have an effectively limitless supply of glass, so turning it into everything and anything is just fine.

Turning logs, metal, ore or flux into blocks is not good: these are rarer than plain old stone, and almost always have better uses than as a construction material.

[CognitiveDissonance]

Blocks are used for construction only. When used as such, they create "Smooth" surfaces as opposed to "Rough". At the same time, they have a better material value than your average rock. They can also be stockpiled in a convenient place, stored easily, and are great for occupying masons.

As what they create is essentially "better" constructions. As a result, I have long since imposed on myself the rule that emergencies excluded, all my constructions and workshops shall be built from blocks.

It looks nicer that way!

[Kidiri]

Alright correction. I don't THINK so, at least in my experience. Maybe it only applies to wood or glass? I know glass blocks (I was making a megapyramid of glass) don't work for making glass discs because I had a million glass blocks but was completely out of the raw stuff, and got spammed with cancels.

Glass items are not made from raw glass. They are made from sand (and potash and raw rock crystal for the more fancy kinds) and use fuel. So making large serrated discs uses up one bag of sand and one unit of fuel (charcoal, coke or magma). Raw glass is identical in use to rough gems. They can be cut into cut gems and the occasional large gem/craft.

I also wonder whether this applies to stone blocks as well.

Yes. All blocks behave the same. Even metal ones. But those have the advantage that they can be smelted back into bars. However, when doing so, you'll lose 2/3 of your metal, as smelting anything only produces 1/3 of the costs it took to construct it.

[Frumple]

S'kinda an odd thing I just tested, but it seems that, while rock -> block conversion increases value (3 db to 5), metal bar -> block doesn't, or at least didn't when I tested it on steel and silver. So if you're constructing out of metal for some reason (Free steel reaction, perhaps), there's no particular point in making metal blocks.

Actually, it doesn't seem like there's a point to metal blocks at all, outside of magma exposed screw pumps... and there's a lot more magma-safe stone than there used to be.

[Jimmy]

One use you've overlooked is the value of blocks for forbidding workshops.

For example, you set your 16 crafts workshops to repeat build leather crafts and want to temporarily suspend production. If you built them all out of realgar blocks you can go into the stocks menu and forbid all realgar blocks in one step.

This will cause your craftsdwarves to complete their current job, then treat the workshop as if all jobs were suspended. When you wish to resume production, unforbid the blocks and they'll restart.

It's faster and more convenient than manually selecting each workshop. Very handy if you use repeat building of certain items.

[Oglokoog]

One use you've overlooked is the value of blocks for forbidding workshops.

For example, you set your 16 crafts workshops to repeat build leather crafts and want to temporarily suspend production. If you built them all out of realgar blocks you can go into the stocks menu and forbid all realgar blocks in one step.

This will cause your craftsdwarves to complete their current job, then treat the workshop as if all jobs were suspended. When you wish to resume production, unforbid the blocks and they'll restart.

It's faster and more convenient than manually selecting each workshop. Very handy if you use repeat building of certain items.

I didn't know that, thanks!