QOLs for Eyedropper tool

[JohnyDL]

Ah, sweet. Quality of life stuff.
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The ability to use eyedropper without the item on hand. For better ghosting. An ability to ghost with empty inventory would be great for creative uses as well.

The ability to add or remove modules remotely, even if it takes a special module planner or something.

An upgraded eyedropper that copies the settings of the ghosts you build on( belt direction, assembly task, etc.) Bonus points if it places the correct item too. Maybe shift q?
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viewtopic.php?f=38&t=53193&start=20#p311191

My addition:

TL;DR

QOLs for picker tool (other ideas snipped)

What ?

When placing an item and you run out you get a BP-able version to keep working with (this is in picker extended and works wonders)
Picking up a blueprint in world if you try picker and don't have the item in the inventory (not in picker extended but would be a logical progression)
Copying Ghost settings when placing in world by hand (part of Ghost planner Mod)
being able to click an item in the crafting menu with a blueprint to get a blue-printable version rather than needing to craft or request the item or looking elsewhere on the map for a matching item.
when placing a blueprint on top of built structures if the structure can add the ghost's instructions (IE it's blank and the ghost isn't) it will.
when placing blueprints over built structures the module settings of the ghost will be added to the structure if possible (fast upgrading the same type is allowed swapping types is not) when removing modules the existing modules must be removed before future ones can be planned.

Why ?

These additions just add little QOL to the picker tool and make them more user friendly.

[Koub]

This was even mentionned in https://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-191 (at the middle) with the plans to rework how toolbars work.

As a bonus, this goes well with another idea: building ghost buildings without having the required item. When you click a shortcut for something you don't have any items of, you grab a ghost of that item in your cursor. Placing the ghost item places a ghost of the building. It's a common situation where you build something and you run out of inserters. So instead of crafting more or running to the other side of the base to get more, you can place ghosts, continuing to focus on designing what you are building instead of being distracted.
Another use case is making future plans by placing items you are not crafting or you haven't researched yet. Simply make a shortcut for any item you want and you can now easily build ghosts of that building.

[JohnyDL]

Yup and while we're at QOL's for BluePrints and Eyedropper do we think this belongs here? (though it has it's own thread already so I think not, just needs a little love and attention I think)

I posted a suggestion for awhile regarding ghost planners: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52482

TL;DR - allow placing rail/chain signals (or rail/chain signal ghosts) on ghost rails. Its just frustrating having to wait for construction bots to bring the rail sections before you can place the signals you know you will need.

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=53193&start=40#p311252

[Bigfootmech]

This is exactly the kind of functionality I'd like to have too

Although, I think it would be smoother if:
Since now you can pick up "ghosts" of existing things by mousing over, and pressing "Q"
It would make sense if you could mouse over something in the crafting menu as well.

That being said, the items on the map have a "selection" thing that points to them, but ones in crafting menu don't.

It may be coming in 0.16, but I'm not sure viewtopic.php?f=28&t=52018

The other plan I have is to simply make an "overlay" over the crafting menu, and make an element for each item. This is hacky though, and I can think of about 10 problems before I even start, of how that could go wrong.

I've also started playing with the LuaGui and LuaGuiElements, but I screwed up something when I was looking at them earlier, and need to get back to that

I'm actually currently trying to figure out if I can do something similar to the Blueprint Edit view, to actively edit blueprints. And stumbled across your post somehow, when I was looking for information of if it was possible to "open the blueprint's inventory" (like a car, or power armour)