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[entelin]

Is the interface for wall/floor/etc constructions.

PLEASE change it to be more like designations with box select + mouse select. Having to go through menus for every little part of something you want to build is just horrible and is the #1 reason why I don't do more surface construction despite desiring to.

Thanks for listening to my rant

[entelin]

You say you want to remove said construction? Oh well that a designation.....  what?  :/

[GreatWyrmGold]

The problem is that walls can be made out of lots of different materials. There are solutions, which have been discussed on those threads you did not search for.

[entelin]

The problem is that walls can be made out of lots of different materials.

Designations work on things of many materials too. Everything is just a big list of tiles with properties. It's not likely a problem from a technical perspective.

There are solutions, which have been discussed on those threads you did not search for.

Don't troll my post, I know people have made posts on the subject, and that in no way diminishes my desire to make another. Yes there are a number of solutions, all of them pretty obvious.

Minimum solution: Leave everything the way it is, but change the means of selection to one more like designations.
Grand solution: Reorganize and redo the entire interface into something that actually makes sense, use consistent shortcuts for various things across all menus, unify all means of selection into one system that's actually good. (that goes for the embark site selection controls too).

All other suggested solutions are somewhere between those two.

Just to cover my bases here: I'm not new at DF, I've had many forts, and a lot of Fun(in both meanings), my current one is near the population cap and has a Queen. Despite being fairly good at the control system, it still frustrates me as it is the weakest part of this otherwise fantastic game. (with constructions topping the list by far)

[falconne]

Although it doesn't do all that, this plugin I wrote makes building constructions a little bit easier: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=119369.0

I've had half a mind to add functionality to it that would allow you to do a box select for constructions. Actually I might just do that in the future.

[peskyninja]

The problem is that walls can be made out of lots of different materials.

Designations work on things of many materials too. Everything is just a big list of tiles with properties. It's not likely a problem from a technical perspective.

There are solutions, which have been discussed on those threads you did not search for.

Don't troll my post, I know people have made posts on the subject, and that in no way diminishes my desire to make another. Yes there are a number of solutions, all of them pretty obvious.

Nobody is "trolling" here mate. He is just pointing out that there is no need to make a new thread about something that has already been discussed for centuries and haven't been modified because toady actually has a schedule.

[10ebbor10]

A more informative title couldn't hurt either.

[GreatWyrmGold]

The problem is that walls can be made out of lots of different materials.

Designations work on things of many materials too. Everything is just a big list of tiles with properties. It's not likely a problem from a technical perspective.

That's not the problem; the problem is choosing which material to build it out of. Designations aren't a good tool for that.

There are solutions, which have been discussed on those threads you did not search for.

Don't troll my post, I know people have made posts on the subject, and that in no way diminishes my desire to make another.

Sorry I like it when people follow the rules...

Search for an existing thread. If you find a thread similar to your idea, you can bump it to expand on the suggestion, even if the thread is old.

It's kinda accepted as what you should be doing around these parts.

Yes there are a number of solutions, all of them pretty obvious.

Minimum solution: Leave everything the way it is, but change the means of selection to one more like designations.
Grand solution: Reorganize and redo the entire interface into something that actually makes sense, use consistent shortcuts for various things across all menus, unify all means of selection into one system that's actually good. (that goes for the embark site selection controls too).

Both of those share the issue that they're a lot different than anything we have now. It would require blending the building and designation codes. Not that it's not possible, but Toady tends to prefer complicated; new features over complicated interface improvements.

A more informative title couldn't hurt either.

Agreed.

[Damiac]

Eh... just changing it to the "Select one corner, select the other corner" changes nothing after you press enter.  How could that possibly cause a problem with material selection?
And the non-construction buildings (farms, drawbridges) would benefit as well.  When is it ever a good thing to have to press "U U U U U U U U L L L L"?

Who cares how the rectangle is made? One way or the other, you then bring up the material selection stuff.

Once again, why do you guys feel the need to go around criticizing people's valid complaints and suggestions?  How can you say that the current construction interface is not a pain in the ass?

By the way, a quick search of "construction designations" on the suggestion forum turned up 3 topics in the last year, none of them having anything to do with this.  So I guess he can get bitched at for posting a new topic, or for necroing a very old one, right?  But you made some excellent quote trees.  Not at all condescending. No sir.

Oh, and while we're quoting the forum rules posted at the top:
•New posters will not always follow the guidelines above, but if you aren't making an honest effort to be helpful, do not post.

I suppose they've got a point about the title though.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Eh... just changing it to the "Select one corner, select the other corner" changes nothing after you press enter.  How could that possibly cause a problem with material selection?

It's not a UI problem, it's a coding problem.

Once again, why do you guys feel the need to go around criticizing people's valid complaints and suggestions?  How can you say that the current construction interface is not a pain in the ass?

I could ask the same question of ukulele. Why must you criticise our complaints about your suggestion?
And I have never had a problem with the construction system. I often build huge outdoor walls and such, too. Gives my dwarves something to do.

By the way, a quick search of "construction designations" on the suggestion forum turned up 3 topics in the last year, none of them having anything to do with this.  So I guess he can get bitched at for posting a new topic, or for necroing a very old one, right?  But you made some excellent quote trees.  Not at all condescending. No sir.

I have in fact posted some rebuttals to similar threads in the past. I case that doesn't convince you...
Here's a thread where designating constructions was mentioned.
Another thread which suggests this very idea from the second paragraph or so.
This topic looks familiar...
Maybe try fiddling with tenses next time? I searched for "designating constructions" and found all that in the first page.

Oh, and while we're quoting the forum rules posted at the top:
•New posters will not always follow the guidelines above, but if you aren't making an honest effort to be helpful, do not post.

I'm doing my blunt best.
I pointed out problems with your suggestion. That is helpful.
I gave some suggestions as to how to follow the rules of etiquette better in the future. That is helpful.
I'll admit that my attitude isn't always ideal, to say the least, but my heart's in the right place.

[Damiac]

Well, can we at least admit it'd be a lot nicer to designate that 20X20 floor in one move, rather than the way it works now?

I know you're not trolling GWG, you're blunt, I'm blunt too.  I'm sure we all mean well, but it can be quite off-putting to have a pretty reasonable suggestion shot down like that, then to be picked apart by established members of the community.  I'm just trying to stick up for the OP a little bit.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Well, can we at least admit it'd be a lot nicer to designate that 20X20 floor in one move, rather than the way it works now?

Probably, but it's never bugged me much, and at the moment Toady would probably prefer to add new features. It's his style, it seems--put most of the features in place before making it more user-friendly, so he doesn't have to remake the user-friendly stuff when features it's related to change.

I know you're not trolling GWG, you're blunt, I'm blunt too.  I'm sure we all mean well, but it can be quite off-putting to have a pretty reasonable suggestion shot down like that, then to be picked apart by established members of the community.  I'm just trying to stick up for the OP a little bit.

I understand.

[falconne]

I've just added this functionality to my construction plugin (ie the ability to place constructions by marking corners, the same way as you do for designations): http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=119369.msg3895056#msg3895056