Quick insert exact number of items

[ikarikeiji]

When quick inserting items from hand into entities, it currently works like this:

1. As many items as possible are moved from hand into entity, leaving some in hand if entity becomes full.
2. As many items as possible are moved from inventory into hand, leaving some in inventory if hand becomes full (one stack).

Could this be changed to:

1. Check how many items are currently in hand
2. Move that number of items from inventory into entity (or fewer if entity would become full), without changing the number of items in hand.

This would allow easy quick insertion of any number of items into each of multiple entities, by selecting the appropriate number first.

Quick insert half stack control would no longer be necessary as you would simply pick up half a stack then use regular quick insert. Whereas picking up a full stack then using quick insert would behave the same as current behaviour.

[<NO_NAME>]

That would be really useful, especially in early game.

[Koub]

This would be so helpful on new maps, up to the point where you can fully automate item routing via belts + inserters + power (including bullet delivery to turrets).
Currently, hand feeding during that phase is a PITA.

[Tekky]

Related pre-0.17 threads (not sure if they are still relevant with patch 0.17) about being able to specify exact amounts when handling inventory:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=57830 Block inventory split
(later in the thread it was suggested that exact amounts should also be possible)

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58147 Middle-click in crafting menu to specify amount
(this suggestion is limited to the crafting menu)

[CDarklock]

Quick insert half stack control would no longer be necessary as you would simply pick up half a stack then use regular quick insert. Whereas picking up a full stack then using quick insert would behave the same as current behaviour.

"Quick-insert half stack" could be the "top off" command. If I have 25 magazines in my hand, and there are 18 magazines in the turret, how do I make the turret have 25 magazines? Quick-insert full stack would give it 43, but we could change quick-insert half stack to "add enough to make it 25" so it adds 7 and I still have 25 in my hand. So I can walk down a line of turrets with 25 magazines in my hand, control-right drag across all of them, and when I'm done there are 25 magazines in every turret.

Also, I like this idea and think it would be great. It matches how I want to work MUCH better than the current behaviour.

[BlueTemplar]

(Already mentioned, but just in case...)

Even Distribution :

[MiniHerc]

(Already mentioned, but just in case...)

Even Distribution :

Not the same, and not the topic of this thread.

The topic of this thread is: insert exact number of items into a single or multiple entities.

[bourne327]

Since the quickbar was done away with, I have it very difficult to split inventory the way I want. In the early game, with limited resources, sometime you only want to put 5 coal in each of 10 furnaces/burners. Without having items actually existing in the tool bar, it causes all coal to stack when placed in the inventory. Instead of click-splitting each stack down into stacks of 5 in the inventory bar, it all lumps back into a stack of 50 when it is put back.

Can you make the bottom row of the inventory into a set of "Lock Slots" where it will only hold what you put there until the rest of the inventory is full? If a stack of 10 is placed on it, nothing will stack on top and it won't combine with other alike-items.

[xfir01]

If you're not opposed to mods this should help do what you want:
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/even-distribution

[Koub]

[Koub] Merged topics with alternative suggestions to solve a common issue.

[nemostein]

Oh, yes, please!!! It would be of great help in the early stages of the game, where resource micro management is a big part of the job.