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[ZedEh]

It would be fantastic if you could issue work orders for specific types of rock, much like you can for metals.  That way I can satisfy my OCD when constructing massive structures, or get my obsidian statues for the garden.

It would be best implemented as a deeper submenu, I think.  So if I type: roc tabl, I'd limit my options down to:

Construct Rock Table
Construct Specific Rock Table...

If I choose the second one, the options would be the available stones.

[ March 28, 2008: Message edited by: ZedEh ]

[numerobis]

There used to be (in 2d) an interface for that in the workshops; unfortunately, it was pretty confusing.  Your suggestion to use the manager seems reasonable, though it requires a new UI feature to choose the type unless we (meaning Toady) go for "construct rock table" and a ginormous list of "construct microcline rock table" and so on.  Which might be fine, as long as "construct rock table" always comes first when you search for "roc tab"

[ZedEh]

Judging from how the search works, you could do it by having the option be:

Contruct rock table: Chalk

That way it's always after the general one.

You could also bring up the option by typing: "chalk table"

[Silverionmox]

I think the most simple way to implement material-specific construction is to have an option for a production order, like [p]romote or uspend: sp[e]cify material. The default would be as it is now, at the dwarf's discretion. Could also be used to produce specific craft types.

[numerobis]

quote:Originally posted by Silverionmox:
<STRONG>I think the most simple way to implement material-specific construction is to have an option for a production order, like [p]romote or uspend: sp[e]cify material. The default would be as it is now, at the dwarf's discretion. Could also be used to produce specific craft types.</STRONG>

I strongly prefer the OP's suggestion.  Your idea means there are two conflicting ways to choose material, which means it's not actually simpler for the user. Namely, you choose wood/iron/gold/copper/rock, but then for rock you can use 'e' to choose exactly what kind of rock.  (Or, that could be fixed -- but that would require overhauling the manager for it to figure out automatically what the material should be)

[Wolfius]

In the mean time, there's this simple mod I use that makes all stone economic, so I can use that menu to enable or disable it's use.

Very handy.
http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000143

[ZedEh]

Sweet.  Thanks Wolfius.

[Silverionmox]

quote:Originally posted by benoit.hudson:
<STRONG>

I strongly prefer the OP's suggestion.  Your idea means there are two conflicting ways to choose material, which means it's not actually simpler for the user. Namely, you choose wood/iron/gold/copper/rock, but then for rock you can use 'e' to choose exactly what kind of rock.  (Or, that could be fixed -- but that would require overhauling the manager for it to figure out automatically what the material should be)</STRONG>

I don't see the problem: everywhere except in the forge and the furnace, you get to choose (or are limited to) a general kind of material (rock, wood, leather, etc.). In most cases, this is sufficient and it you care more about efficiency (i.e. using nearby rocks) than making for example crafts of a specific rock or wood type.
For the limited cases where you want a specific rock to be used, you would modify the generic command by specifying that specific material from a limited list, instead of having to scroll through one huge list of the permutations of all furniture and available rock types for instance.

Additionally, the commands could be even more generalized: the default command for the stonemason would be: make stone furniture, all at the dwarf's discretion (according to randomness, personal preference, and who knows complaints of other dwarves). We then either get to specify the stone (make gabbro furniture) or the type (make chests) or both (make gabbro chests). A dwarf who gets to follow his own taste instead of orders could be more productive, or deliver better quality.
Limiting material type availability could best be done at the workshop level actually (eg. This workshop can only use flint, gabbro and granite).

[numerobis]

Oh, then we're merely talking about different things.  The OP suggests an option for the manager.  You suggest an option for the workshop.