Fast replace modules with ANY new type

[masamune]

What ?

Fast replace of existing modules with ANY new module type using CTRL+Click when the item is held in cursor.

Why ?

Right now it is possible to replace modules using CTRL+Click, but only if the modules are upgrades of the same type that already exists in the structure (e.g. speed 1 with speed 2). I love this feature but I was disturbed when I couldn't use the same method to replace modules with any new type (e.g. replacing speed with production). I prefer playing on marathon mode so it is a complete nightmare to try and manually replace all the speed modules on my 100+ furnaces over to productivity.

My temporary "work around" is to run down the entire line removing every furnace so I can place a new one and then use the CTRL+Click method with the new modules type. I have also used blueprints to replace entire sections with some success. However, neither of these options makes sense to me when you could just allow the same CTRL+Click method to replace modules with any module held on the cursor, no matter the type.

I thought this idea was fairly straightforward so I was a little shocked when I couldn't find the same request already existing. It is possible that I suck at searching so my apologies if I missed it. Also I'm new here so I'd just like to add that Factorio is the best game I have played in a long time and I can't stop playing, much to the dismay of my girlfriend. Keep up the amazing work!

[Mendel]

+1

I just had the displeasure of removing a lot of speed modules and replacing them with productivity modules on my lines of green and red card assemblers.

Though now that I think about it, I should have simply removed them and replaced with new assemblers like you mention you have done. doh.

But yea, simpler replacement method would be very nice to have and it would seem like it would be intuitive if it worked like you suggested.

[Engimage]

While replacing modules with another type is pretty rare, I still do support the idea.
To extend the idea I would suggest replacing modules in buildings when you place a blueprint of the same building on top of it but with different modules in the blueprint compared to currently installed ones.

[thereaverofdarkness]

I agree, I would like to have this implemented. If I were trying to ctrl+click place modules into a row of buildings, I would want them to go in even if there's some other kind of module already filling the slots. If I didn't want them to go in, it would not be difficult to learn that they do that and avoid clicking on buildings which I don't want to put modules into.

[JohnyDL]

for argument sake I want to place 1 productivity and 3 speed modules into Assmebler 3s I place in all my productivities fairly easily and run along as I would now filling up with control click and speed modules how do I stop your idea removing my productivity modules? I'd love to see quick upgrading I think it might be possible with one of the upgrade planners already, say I have the same set up but all level 1s in place I come along with level 3 and I can upgrade instantly, Yeay save me hours of work across multiple saves and huge factories but ANY for ANY I think is taking it a bit far.

[masamune]

It is a good point that my suggestion would replace intentional combinations of different modules.
However, for me personally, allowing full replacement of modules takes priority because it is something I'd like to do fairly regularly. For now I do it less often than I would like to because it is cumbersome.

As an example of why I like to do this... Lets say I wasn't paying attention and a mine runs low without a replacement mine. To temporarily help the situation I'd like to change my furnaces over to productivity until I can secure a new supply.The reverse situation applies if I suddenly find my ore lines backed up with my furnaces as a big bottleneck. Load up with speed modules and watch the production soar until I can refactor or expand. My plant is going down because I'm low on power and didn't properly isolate with power switches? Efficiency modules to the rescue.

To me, the way modules make a factory quickly "adaptable" without layout changes is one of the big reasons I love and use modules.
There are certainly great use cases for combining different types of modules, but in my factories these tend to be fixed installations that I don't frequently reconfigure.

That being said, I don't think my proposal needs to replace any existing good functionality, instead I would propose something like this:

CTRL+CLICK - replace all modules with the module type held on cursor
CTRL+SHIFT+CLICK - replace modules of the same type as the module held on the cursor.

[thereaverofdarkness]

for argument sake I want to place 1 productivity and 3 speed modules into Assmebler 3s I place in all my productivities fairly easily and run along as I would now filling up with control click and speed modules how do I stop your idea removing my productivity modules? I'd love to see quick upgrading I think it might be possible with one of the upgrade planners already, say I have the same set up but all level 1s in place I come along with level 3 and I can upgrade instantly, Yeay save me hours of work across multiple saves and huge factories but ANY for ANY I think is taking it a bit far.

Howabout only one module is placed in at a time, and it prefers first to fill empty slots, and second prefers to upgrade any modules but if there are none to upgrade and no free spaces, it will replace the lowest type with what you're holding.

It would also be nice to have a way to remove modules quickly. Maybe ctrl+right click removes 1 module, prioritizing the type held in your cursor at lowest level, reducing priority at each higher level, then next priority is to remove modules of any other type, first priority goes to lower levels.

So you would run along once placing in productivity modules, then run along three more times to place speed modules.

[JohnyDL]

It is a good point that my suggestion would replace intentional combinations of different modules.
However, for me personally, allowing full replacement of modules takes priority because it is something I'd like to do fairly regularly. For now I do it less often than I would like to because it is cumbersome.

As an example of why I like to do this... Lets say I wasn't paying attention and a mine runs low without a replacement mine. To temporarily help the situation I'd like to change my furnaces over to productivity until I can secure a new supply.The reverse situation applies if I suddenly find my ore lines backed up with my furnaces as a big bottleneck. Load up with speed modules and watch the production soar until I can refactor or expand. My plant is going down because I'm low on power and didn't properly isolate with power switches? Efficiency modules to the rescue.

So you know you actually save space and get better compression if you use speed beaconed productivity furnaces, you never need to switch, about 0.7-0.8 of a belt of input will lead to 1 full belt of output in furnaces, no need to swap speed for productivity. See the attached picture The power issue I can see but it's only a temporary solution, instead more nukes XD

To me, the way modules make a factory quickly "adaptable" without layout changes is one of the big reasons I love and use modules.
There are certainly great use cases for combining different types of modules, but in my factories these tend to be fixed installations that I don't frequently reconfigure.

That being said, I don't think my proposal needs to replace any existing good functionality, instead I would propose something like this:

CTRL+CLICK - replace all modules with the module type held on cursor
CTRL+SHIFT+CLICK - replace modules of the same type as the module held on the cursor.

I'd go
CTRL+click upgrade and fill (to not change existing functionality and to add upgrading)
CTRL+SHIFT+click Replace all with your new idea

Howabout only one module is placed in at a time, and it prefers first to fill empty slots, and second prefers to upgrade any modules but if there are none to upgrade and no free spaces, it will replace the lowest type with what you're holding.

It would also be nice to have a way to remove modules quickly. Maybe ctrl+right click removes 1 module, prioritizing the type held in your cursor at lowest level, reducing priority at each higher level, then next priority is to remove modules of any other type, first priority goes to lower levels.

So you would run along once placing in productivity modules, then run along three more times to place speed modules.

My point was devil's advocate to provoke a new better solution With yours I'll do the same How do you prioritise replacing so you never get the problem of 3 of 3 level 2 speed and 1 level 3 productivity and you want to replace the productivity with a speed 2?
Maybe CTRL+SHIFT+click with empty hand removes all modules. CTRL+rightclick does one at a time place?

[masamune]

So you know you actually save space and get better compression if you use speed beaconed productivity furnaces, you never need to switch, about 0.7-0.8 of a belt of input will lead to 1 full belt of output in furnaces, no need to swap speed for productivity. See the attached picture The power issue I can see but it's only a temporary solution, instead more nukes XD

Wow, I DO use beacons in late game but TBH I had no idea that you could stack the effects like that. Still, my late game build usually does involve at least one beacon effect on all of my furnaces. The only thing I would point out is that on Marathon mode, it seems there is a pretty long time horizon between early modules and high-power beacons where I would still love the ability to occasionally swap module types.

I'd go
CTRL+click upgrade and fill (to not change existing functionality and to add upgrading)
CTRL+SHIFT+click Replace all with your new idea

This would be fine by me. No reason to over complicate it - I'll take any method of replacing modules that is simpler than the current method. Now that I think on it, if all I had was a shortcut key for removing all modules this would really help. Perhaps CTRL+SHIFT+CLICK just removes all modules. In fact, I think I actually prefer this over my original suggestion.

[thereaverofdarkness]

It is a good point that my suggestion would replace intentional combinations of different modules.
However, for me personally, allowing full replacement of modules takes priority because it is something I'd like to do fairly regularly. For now I do it less often than I would like to because it is cumbersome.

As an example of why I like to do this... Lets say I wasn't paying attention and a mine runs low without a replacement mine. To temporarily help the situation I'd like to change my furnaces over to productivity until I can secure a new supply.The reverse situation applies if I suddenly find my ore lines backed up with my furnaces as a big bottleneck. Load up with speed modules and watch the production soar until I can refactor or expand. My plant is going down because I'm low on power and didn't properly isolate with power switches? Efficiency modules to the rescue.

You could alternatively solve this with better planning. You can check on your ore patches from time to time to see their progress, and check them more frequently as they get closer to depleting. You can keep a ore patch going at a steady rate for longer if you bottleneck the outgoing belts from the mining drills--you're intentionally reducing your output but it allows you to maintain a steady and predictable output for longer. When you're waiting for resources to come in, you can build new mining sites early and wire them to split into the same ore chains, further bottlenecking and giving you room to expand production without overconsuming your inputs. You can also set a programmable speaker to alert you when your ore gets low--perhaps the easiest way to do this would be to hook a speaker up to a drill that has under it the amount you want it to alert you at, and tell the speaker to ding you when the drill goes empty. For instance if the richest drill has 70k under it, you could set the speaker on a drill with 50k under it.

[dood]

This is still needed.
In addition, pasting an assembler blueprint over an existing one should mark that assembler to be filled with the modules of the blueprint.
It already does that with assembler recipes which you probably never noticed because copypasting recipes is so easy so it's only fair to extend the courtesy to modules so you could swing a 4 speed module copper wire assembler blueprint over your 40 4 productivity module copper wire assemblers to order your bots to replace all the modules.

Also right clicking the module icon in a blueprint should remove all modules of that type from a blueprint.
Currently, you can't even do that which would at least allow you to blueprint and rebuild things to remove all modules.

[Hedning1390]

I don't like it. If you need to constantly switch between speed and productivity I think you are doing it wrong because that's not very automatic. Therefore your playstyle doesn't need to be encouraged, especially not at the cost of making it more annoying to fill with mixed modules.

That said what some people here said about having different key combinations is fine, as long as the standard control click only fills empty slots/upgrades modules of the same type.

[Jap2.0]

I believe you can use inserters on beacons.

[Zavian]

Personally, by the time I have prod and speed modules, I have construction bots. So if I want a mixed setup (eg 1 speed and 3 prod modules), then I can blueprint a couple of machines with that setup, and get bots to do the filling for me. If I wanted to change such a setup, then I could also get bots to deconstruct/reconstruct.