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[pancho]

I did a search and read the Wiki but can't seem to figure this one out.

I built it above an underground river.  It took a while because all of the nasties that make it their home (e.g., Snakemen, Frogmen, Crocodiles) but it IS built.

The problem is, I zone it as a water source, but it isn't counting the squares and as result it is not being drank from.

What am I missing?  Thanks in advance.

[GreyMario]

That depends on how you set it up.

1. There must be a channel directly below the well, stretching all the way to the water source.
2. There must be no grates on the way.
3. There must be at least one tile of the drinking zone on solid ground and one on the well.
5. The well must actually be built.

[Derakon]

When zoning for water sources, you zone the squares adjacent to the water, not the water itself. The zones are the places where the dwarves stand to retrieve the water.

[GreyMario]

Derakon: Wrong, you need to zone both for it to work properly. Dwarves need a place to stand within the zone and a tile to drink from within the zone.

[pancho]

O.K., so since the well is on a channel, but above the water (open space) it wont work?

Let me try some ascii:

code:

XXXXX
X_W_X well on a channel surrounded by floor
X...X open space above river
X~~~X river
XXXXX

[ May 14, 2008: Message edited by: pancho ]

[Solara]

That diagram looks like it should work...are you sure it's completely built, as in you can q over it and everything?

Also I know I've had dwarves use wells without having to zone them for drinking...

[pancho]

Yep, it's a beautiful well.  Fully built, just not functioning.

If the issue is the open space, I think this should be listed as a "bug".  An open space should not prevent a well from working.

[Goblin Dragoon 085]

Wells need a certain amount of water underneath them or they wont work. (I think its   4/7 units minimum.

Try the following: Deconstruct the well: Designate a dump on the tile you want to use as well, dump a stone. Make sure that the dumped stone lands in a 7/7 water tile. If it does, you can build a working well over the dump zone.
Things like grates and hatches and bars, will prevent a well from working. But will also stop the dumped stone. Hence you can use it to test if your well is setup properly

EDIT: I just realized, that you might be trying to operate a well on a brook tile. (Hence you built a floor above the brook, cause the well could not be placed on the brook. Right?)

The thing is: brooks are strange. Dwarves can drink from them fish in them, pumps can pump through them, they absorb water, BUT they block items, like buckets from moving on the tiles below. So waht happens is that the bucket get lowered, and is stopped by the brook. What you need to do is channel the brook tile. It will remove the brook tile and grant you access to the water below.
Be warned though, that your dwarves and the wagons wont be able to walk over that tile anymore.

[ May 14, 2008: Message edited by: Goblin Dragoon 085 ]

[pancho]

Good tips about the brook, but it is above an underground river loaded with baddies.  Also, in my newbness, I use a fancy tileset and the water doesn't show depths.  Any other way to determine depth?

It looks like I will have to kill all the evil guys, then channel off the side of it, grate it off to keep the respawns from climbing up, and then drop a new well and bucket.

The grate will keep out bad things right?  Cause they will respawn?  Or can I drive them into extinction? There are dozens in there and I was planning on making some fortifications and just let my marksdwarves go to work and up their skills while in relative safety.  I guess I could make a ton of cage traps and just trap them all.  Been meaning to try out that whole arena of bloody slaughter idea.  Maybe use a lever and a grate and let a few in at a time, ore seems to be a bit scarce.

[GreyMario]

quote:Originally posted by pancho:
<STRONG>Any other way to determine depth?</STRONG>

You can [k] over the tile or you can open init.txt and change some stuff around in there.

[Areyar]

Have you created a room, meeting hall i think it is, from the well?

When you do, dwarves will try to use it to get water.
Even when something blocks the wellshaft, it then generates a message along the lines of "Alrast cancels job get water from well: no water".

[pancho]

quote:Originally posted by GreyMario:
<STRONG>

You can [k] over the tile or you can open init.txt and change some stuff around in there.</STRONG>

:/  Dee dee dee.  Yes, water is 7/7.

I have also tried to make it a meeting spot, the dwarves show up with their blinking downward arrows, hang out, then leave.  No drinks, no annoucements.

Meanwhile everyone is dehyrating and will probably die soon.  Screw it, they can drink from the Murky Swamp.  Better bad thoughts than death I guess.

[Neonivek]

As a tip: Always remember to create wells with escape routs

Lets just say... Toady's real life name is most likely Timmy

[corc]

hrm, my dwarves drink fine from wells I make and I don't do any zoning... just make sure water is below it and that there is empty space between it and the well (z level-wise).

I even make a multiple well system so if I fall asleep and let the booze run low on 150 dwarves they can all get some.

[RickiusMaximus]

If you (q), (or is it k?) on the well it should tell you if it is dry or not...