Factorio Forums

tldr Please make all default request quantities equivalent to one stack of the item.

Example: When I request belts, it defaults to 100, which is 1 stack. Perfect, I request multiples of 100. When I request speed modules, it defaults to 10. The stack size is 50. So I request multiples of 50, but only because I know the actual stack size. The default request quantity is usually stack size, but not always. Partial stacks are basically wasted space, so I like to request quantities based on multiples of the stack size.

This is a small annoyance. I love the game. Keep up the good work!

For almost all items it is set to the Stack Size.
The reason why it isn't for some special items like Modules is, that people complained, the Bots where delivering huge masses of Modules, before they could adjust it properly. And people didn't wan to enable "use 1 instead of stack size by default", because then they would have to change EVERY OTHER Item, and thus the developers changed the default request stack size to something much smaller compared to the actual stack size. (This issue becomes obvious, when you need 5 Production 3 Module, but the default request count is 200 and now a hundred bots gets you as many Modules as possible, which are probably need elsewhere, but instead are dumped into some random chest)

in my opinion the 'use 1 instead of stack size' option should be enabled by default.
we wouldn't have people complaining about getting flooded with items.
i always have this enabled for normal game play. keeps storage chests from getting
more items than the circuit network calls for.

also there should be a button to hit for stack size in case one doesn't know what an items stack size is.
that way you can request 1 to start, then opt in for a stack should you choose to do so.

thanks for bringing this up. was wondering why (in my creative world) i was getting 10 modules instead of 50.

markjn wrote:tldr Please make all default request quantities equivalent to one stack of the item.

No. Just no.
You want a default one stack because you play it that way. But some people would prefer 2 stacks. Some others would prefer 10 items, or half a stack. It all depends on the play style, and maybe the "when" of your base development you are.
The only thing that 100% people requesting an item have in common is that they need at least 1 item. Otherwise they wouldn't be requesting it.
So it should be defaulted to 1. I have already cursed the game when I wanted to have a small number of an item, and couldn't prevent be delivered a full stack before I had to dump what I got in excess. The excess got dumped in storage chests, and then, my provider chest had become empty, and my whole factory struggled reproducing the one stack of an expensive item I had been delivered unwillingly.

Koub wrote:

markjn wrote:tldr Please make all default request quantities equivalent to one stack of the item.

No. Just no.
You want a default one stack because you play it that way. But some people would prefer 2 stacks. Some others would prefer 10 items, or half a stack. It all depends on the play style, and maybe the "when" of your base development you are.
The only thing that 100% people requesting an item have in common is that they need at least 1 item. Otherwise they wouldn't be requesting it.
So it should be defaulted to 1. I have already cursed the game when I wanted to have a small number of an item, and couldn't prevent be delivered a full stack before I had to dump what I got in excess. The excess got dumped in storage chests, and then, my provider chest had become empty, and my whole factory struggled reproducing the one stack of an expensive item I had been delivered unwillingly.

Default to 1 is a waste. Nobody wants 1 of anything. If requests defaulted to 1, a prudent person would have to memorize all stack sizes and adjust them for every request. For what reason would you hate to be given a full stack when you wanted less than one stack? It takes up one slot either way.

There is no reason to dump half of a stack. It doesn't free any space. What item does your whole factory struggle to produce so much that a request for 100 cripples your production? Even if I grant this strange scenario, it will only happen once. From then on, the other 99 will come from storage.

no one wants 1 of something? i want 1 of something quite frequently.

as you said, a stack takes up a slot. so if i can't afford that slot it's a waste.
also, say a stack gets taken from storage, inserter for active provider chest activates
to fill the the total of said item in storage. all this by the time i set it back to 1.
bots come back to take excess BACK to storage, and now there is a slot being wasted in storage.

i suggested adding a button to push if one wants to set it to a stack instead of a number.

pingger wrote:For almost all items it is set to the Stack Size.
The reason why it isn't for some special items like Modules is, that people complained, the Bots where delivering huge masses of Modules, before they could adjust it properly. And people didn't wan to enable "use 1 instead of stack size by default", because then they would have to change EVERY OTHER Item, and thus the developers changed the default request stack size to something much smaller compared to the actual stack size. (This issue becomes obvious, when you need 5 Production 3 Module, but the default request count is 200 and now a hundred bots gets you as many Modules as possible, which are probably need elsewhere, but instead are dumped into some random chest)

I don't get it. Why were people complaining? If 50 aren't available, you won't get 50. If 50 are available, and you only need 4, you can send the other 46 back to storage. Maybe the concern is bot bandwidth in that 30 minutes where you only have a few bots?

impetus maximus wrote:no one wants 1 of something? i want 1 of something quite frequently.

as you said, a stack takes up a slot. so if i can't afford that slot it's a waste.
also, say a stack gets taken from storage, inserter for active provider chest activates
to fill the the total of said item in storage. all this by the time i set it back to 1.
bots come back to take excess BACK to storage, and now there is a slot being wasted in storage.

i suggested adding a button to push if one wants to set it to a stack instead of a number.

Really? Can you give me an example? The only example I can think of is if I needed 1 more of something to complete a build, but I needed that empty slot afterward outside my main base logistic network.

How do you use active provider chests? I mostly just use them for dumping random trainloads back into the system. Not enough storage seems a strange reason. One storage chest is nearly 50 slots, and it's cheap.

you really need an example? just don't assume everyone plays the same as you friend.

i use active provider chests to force product into storage so i don't have to wait for bots covering a vast space with passive provider chests. like mentioned in last Friday's facts.
come back to base, stand by storage and get topped off fast. just have to make sure to SET A LIMIT by connecting the active provider's inserter to the logistic network.
i came back to find 1600 chemical plants in our storage when a friend failed to set a limit.

Koub wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 6:53 am

[Koub] This has been implemented by adding an option (and became pointless since the rework of logistic requests tab).

there is an option to have the default personal request trash all items above the stack size by default?

Nope. OP's suggestion was implemented, and a mechanism was added to allow smaller stacks for those who prefer "not 1 stack" default request :

markjn wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 05, 2017 8:20 pm

tldr Please make all default request quantities equivalent to one stack of the item.

I split yours, wich was a different suggestion (albeit somehow related) and made it into its own thread.
[Edit] : It's here : viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91640