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[Neowulf]

5 really, though two are minor tweaks to dependent on other changes.
Mainly just time/space/material/headache savers, as everything is doable currently without these tweaks with various hatch/plate/pump setups.

1: Reverse linkage designation. If a bridge/floodgate/ect... is set to reverse linkage (set when you create the link) the object will receive the opposite command it normally would. So if you have a floodgate and a switch, and link it as a reverse set, when the lever it pulled to the on state, the floodgate will close, and when the lever is pulled off, the floodgate opens.

2: Pressure plates (and other triggers) can link to and change lever states. Simple and straightforward, save mechanisms, even more useful with 2.a and 3. Example: 2 pressure plates to 1 lever, lever to 10 spike traps in hall, if something sets off your pressure plates it triggers the lever, which in turn triggers the spike traps, 12 links instead of 20.
2.a: New command in switches, lock in place. Only relevant with the above change, locks a lever state so changes from other triggers linked to it get ignored. Example: As above, but something shows up you want to let through to your cage traps instead of impale, so you set the lever to lock off and the pressure plates get ignored (just remember to unlock or you security remains disabled).

3: New trigger designation, manual reset. Between resets and one use, a manual reset trigger will send on-state commands and resets itself after use, but doesn't send off-state commands. More useful with more trigger types. Example: Pressure plate (manual reset) to lever, lever to drawbridge, creature triggers pressure plate, which triggers the lever, then on to raise the drawbridge. But drawbridge doesn't lower even when the creature steps off, drawbridge only lowers when dwarf pulls the lever back to off, then next time something steps on the pressure plate it raises again.
3.a: One time use triggers only require one mechanism to create a linkage. 1 mechanism in the trigger, making the linkage job faster and gives you a chance to save the mechanisms in a deadmans trigger scenario.

[thijser]

well 1 is already in place, All you need to do is switch the obeject once and it will act reverse all objects work with stand 1 or stand zero is you change an object from 0 (inactive bride down or trap inactive) to 1 bride open trap active. How can you reverse that?

[Neowulf]

Uhm no, if #1 were in place I seem to be completely incapable of figuring out the magic of doing it. I suspect it's more of a misunderstanding.

Say you have 1 lever and two doors. Link lever to door 1 as normal, link lever to door 2 and toggle a reverse linkage setting when you pick that door. Now, the first time you toggle the lever only door 1 opens, because door 2 is out of state, giving you lever on, door 1 open, door 2 closed. Then toggle the lever off, this will trigger door one to close as happens now, and door 2 will then open.

The idea being that you have have two floodgates/doors set to one lever/pressure plate, so if one is open, the other is closed. Airlocks, measuring the input of liquids to a system (like fill your cistern with measured amounts from a river instead of flooding your fortress from trigger lag), and one lever switching between your shortcut fortress entrance and your long windy trap filled entrance (shortcut bridge raises, long route lowers).

[steveman0]

I'm looking forward to everyone of these implementations; however,   I imagine they are already on the list of things to do regarding enhancing the mechanic system and all the other fun toys that people have suggested regarding mechanics.

[the Dregs]

Just pull the lever to "on" before you attach it to a bridge. Then when you pull it to "off", the bridge will raise.

[Neowulf]

After thijser replied I did some testing to make sure nothing jumped in the last patch while I wasn't looking.

2 levers, 2 doors, lots of mechanism.
Case 1: Test linking after door state is already open.
Link lever 1 (off) to door 1 (closed)
Pull lever 1. Door 1 opens. Current state D1 open, D2 closed, L1 on, L2 off
Link lever 2 (off) to door 1 (open)
Link lever 2 (off) to door 2 (closed)
Pull lever 2. Door 2 opens, door 1 stays open. Current state D1 open, D2 open, L1 on, L2 on
Pull lever 2. Both doors close. Current state D1 closed, D2 closed, L1 on, L2 off

Case 2: Continuation from above, test linking after lever state is already on. Lever 2 deconstructed.
Pull lever 1. Door 1 opens, Current state D1 open, D2 closed, lever 1 on.
Link Lever 1 (on) to door 2 (closed).
Pull lever 1. Door 1 closes, door 2 stays closed. Current state D1 closed, D2 closed, L1 off.
Pull lever 1. Both doors open. Current state D1 open, D2 open, L1 on.

Conclusion: When a pressure plate or a lever changes state, it sends a comm to match it's own and to all linked devices to change state to match it's own new state. When a lever is pulled while off, it changes state to on and tells both linked doors to enter an active (open) state. If the door is already open, then the door just ignores the command. It does not send a flip state command, which would cause open doors to close and closed doors to open.
This is consistent with all versions of DF I've played so far (every 2010 release), and is consistent with all the information I've dug up on mechanics on the forums and the wiki.

[Executer]

What Neowolf said is correct.  It's unfortunate though, because you can do so much more if a level can alternate switches, instead of simply "turn all on.  Turn all off"
I do however believe that a pressure plate and a lever hooked to the same item can do what you need (as in, a pressure plate can flip a floodgate open, which can then be closed by a lever) (haven't tested it, but some people's dwarven computers use this)