Mass insert/removal of modules

[JackGruff]

Introduction

My suggestion builds on the concept of ghosts already in the game.

This is the main idea: just like buildings can be placed as ghosts, so may modules. Construction bots attempt to replace ghost modules with the real thing, they are capable of inserting modules.

Here are some examples of how I envision this system being used...

Placing

I want to put speed 1 and efficiency 1 in a line of assemblers. With speed 1 in hand, I press the module-ghost modifier on my keyboard and draw a rectangle over the assemblers as if I was making a blueprint of them. I do the same with efficiency 1.

Following my previous suggestion on visualising modules in info view, this is how they might now look. The grey circles signify that these are ghosts.



When I open the assembler, this is how it might look.



Removing

With the deconstruction planner in hand, I draw a rectangle over the assemblers with the module-ghost modifier held down. This marks all the modules in the assemblers for deconstruction and construction bots come and remove them.

This how it might look now.





Specifying slot

I could also change the slot in context by hold down a number with the module-ghost modifier. Let's say the modifier is crtl-shift. Pressing crtl-shift-2 and drawing a rectangle over some assemblers with the deconstruction planner will only mark the modules in the second slot of each assembler for removal. As you may imagine, something similar could be down with only wanting to mass insert into a specific slot.

Thanks for reading.
-JackGruff

[ssilk]

There is a related suggestion: https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... it=modules

Question: I select 10 assemblies and 10 furnaces. Or assemblies of different types. Or Assemblies and Beacons. Or Assemblies and Chemical Production.

How could I change:
- I want everything full with productivity modules
- I want the assemblies 3 loaded with productivity, but beacons loaded with speed.
- Furnace only should use efficency.

etc.

[Koub]

There is a related suggestion: https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... it=modules

Question: I select 10 assemblies and 10 furnaces. Or assemblies of different types. Or Assemblies and Beacons. Or Assemblies and Chemical Production.

How could I change:
- I want everything full with productivity modules
- I want the assemblies 3 loaded with productivity, but beacons loaded with speed.
- Furnace only should use efficency.

etc.

One possible answer : you can't. Select first only your furnaces, proceed. Then select only the assembly 3 you want loaded with productivity, and proceed. ...

It would replace maybe hundreds of click, click, click add module one by one by a few automated operations. (like click click click, all my smelting area has efficiency modules).
I would love having that possibility too.

Another option would be to make a structure "overghostable" with actual blueprint mechanism (without being explicitely deconstructed before), and just replace everything (still tedious, but less than actual situation). Like : I place a furnace, add modules in it, make a blueprint of it, and sweep through all my smelting area row by row and add over furnaces a ghost building of the furnace with modules. Robots would then only have to add the modules, leaving the furnace where it is. Same thing for module removal, just "replace" module loaded facility with blueprint of the same, without any modules. This solution would *maybe* require less additional development for a similar (just slightly less optimal) result.

[ssilk]

Do you know the energy settings of your operating system. My idea is about into that direction.
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... ing#p62396

In other words: Select anything that can use modules, select the needed setting and the robots do the rest.

[Koub]

Wouldn't it be over complicated to have basically any combination of modules possible as distinct possible choices for every facility ?
It would be a little like having a loooong list or assembling machines, one for each recipe. I like more something as easy to use as the copy-paste settings (Shift left-click/Shift-right click), adapted to modules, or the "replace similar entity" ability we already have for inserters, furnaces, ..., but once again adapted for modules.

[ssilk]

How do you want to automate the change?

I target exactly to that: I would like to let my factory switch the modules for me. It is not possible if I need to do that.

[Koub]

Hmmm yeah I see what you mean.
As far as you usually build your factory before you get access to most of the modules, you would anyway have to manually replace the "without" modules facilities by whatever configuration you want them to have ... after that, you usually have access to blueprints, and the suggestion I described in the first place would fit the need well.