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[Arminius]

Seriously, why has noone else apparently suggested this before?
Even if you take input inconsistencies (Arrow keys vs. +-/* vs. umkh) aside, the current interface for creating buildings is simply an unorganized mess of uncountable menu options. I pity the fool who chooses to build something in DF and finds himself within the horrible maze that is DF's building menu.

With the release of 0.31.01, Toady's gone the right direction regarding the interface for dwarves' labor options.
But I say: This is not enough. The building-interface needs to undergo the same changes to make it less cluttered-up. The building-interface needs MOAR CATEGORIES.

I've put some more thought into this issue and assembled a more or less reasonable proposal for a new structure of the building menu. Along with this proposal come a few name-changes for the menu items so the categories make some more sense.
I left some items uncategorized, though, because I coudn't think of any categorization that would make any sense.

To explain the format: Categories are prefixed with a '+', items have no prefix. Both sub-categories and single menu items are indented accordingly to outline the structure. Comments in parantheses. It should be pretty intuitive though, I think.

Finally, here's my proposal for a new building menu, nicely spoilered for those who apparently don't care:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

+ Furniture
--> Bed
--> Seat
--> Table
--> Door
--> Floor Hatch (not really furniture, I admit, but I thought it'd belong into the same group as doors - which themselves aren't really furniture but oh well whatever)

+ Containers
--> Box/Bag (what previously was named "Container". This is to avoid a naming conflict between this item and its category. "Container" was a weird name for chests and bags anyways)
--> Cabinet
--> Weapon Rack
--> Armor Stand (Racks and Armor Stands were at least originally intended to be used as containers - otherwise just move them over to "Furniture")
--> Burial Receptacle

+ Workplaces (no more "Workshops" so we can place Kennels and Farm Plots inside this category. Note that in every occurance of "X's Workshop" I just wrote "X" because I'm too lazy to write it all out)
--> + Food Production
-----> Farm Plot
-----> Farmer's Workshop
-----> Quern
-----> Millstone
-----> Kitchen
-----> Butcher
-----> Fishery
-----> Still (So yeah, booze isn't really food. Who cares?)
--> + Textile and Leather Industry
-----> Loom
-----> Clothier
-----> Dyer
-----> Tanner
-----> Leatherworks
--> + Furnaces
-----> Smelter
-----> Kiln
-----> Woodburner
-----> Glass Furnace
--> (Ungrouped Workplaces:)
--> Bowyer
--> Carpenter
--> Metalsmith
--> Jeweler
--> Mason
--> Craftsdwarf
--> Siege Workshop
--> Mechanic
--> Ashery
--> Soap Maker
--> Kennels

+ Mechanisms & Machines
--> + Energy Sources
-----> Windmill
-----> Water Wheel
--> + Energy Transfer
-----> Horizontal Axle
-----> Vertical Axle
-----> Gear Assembly
--> + Traps
-----> Stone-fall Trap
-----> Weapon Trap
-----> Upright Spears/Spikes
-----> Cage Trap
-----> Small Animal Trap (It's functionally different from all the other traps, but it's still a damned trap)
--> (Ungrouped Mechanisms/Machines:)
--> Lever
--> Pressure Plate
--> Screw Pump
--> Floodgate

+ Roads & Bridges
--> Dirt Road
--> Paved Road
--> Bridge

+ Siege Engines
--> Ballista
--> Catapult

+ Decoration
--> Statue
--> Glass Window
--> Gem Window (I thought about devoting an entire category to windows, but then again there's just so few items in "Decoration" anyway)

+ Grates & Bars
--> Wall Grate
--> Floor Grate
--> Vertical Bars
--> Horizontal Bars

(Ungrouped items:)
Trade Depot
Well
Support
Archery Target (make a category "Training facilities" should ever be any similar things be added)
Traction Bench (could also nicely fit into a category named "Medicine" if there were any more items)

Hopefully I didn't forget any items.

Furthermore, I propose that all menus list categories first and single items last. Even better, make categories visually distinct from simple items other than using plural nouns.

[AzureShadow]

This... is an amazing idea. I'm right there with you in that this is something incredibly frustrating when I'm trying to find the appropriate building and the menu isn't organized in any way, shape, or form.

+1

[meeneque]

This is probably the first thing that make people playing DF first time quit. I know it's trivial after few years gameplay and it's not a good excuse for quitting such a gem of game.

Nevertheless, build menu cleanup is a very good idea.

[Safe-Keeper]

While I do like this idea, keep in mind that it also makes for more work for experienced players. Instead of just hitting b-b to build a bed, for example, you would have to hit build -> furniture -> bed. A very simply workaround would be to let as many items as possible retain their hot key, which in turn could be pressed from the build menu without having to navigate to the actual item (such as a bed).

I support the idea fully, though, many or all of the lists in DF (for one, there's also the stone menu) should be put into categories.

[Safe-Keeper]

dupe

[DoctorZuber]

more sub-menus does mean more keystrokes to do anything. Sure I think organizing the labor screen is an idea, it does seem easier to find things at a glance, it's a long menu to scroll up and down in, and there were no real shortcuts there.

 On the other hand, I have to go in and out of a menu, several times any time I do labor adjustments now, which so far has cost me more time than it saves. Be very very careful when you start asking for sub menus... you might hate what you get.