Control behavior GUIs: Clicking inactive elements should activate them, when possible

[HeliGungir]

TL;DR

Clicking a slider, signal, or text element should enable it, when possible.

Example 1

05-19-2026, 04-46-38.png (27.85 KiB) Viewed 164 times

1. Clicking one of the filter slots should enable "Use filters" and open the "Select a filter" GUI.
2. Clicking the whitelist/blacklist toggle should enable "Use filters".
3. Clicking the slider should tick enable "Override stack size".
4. Clicking Spoiled first should enable "Spoiled priority".

Example 2

05-19-2026, 04-49-33.png (30.45 KiB) Viewed 164 times

1. Clicking the signal selection boxes preconfigured to L, T, C, P should enable the respective control behavior and open the "Select a signal" GUI.
2. Clicking either signal selection box or the comparison operator should enable "Enable/disable" and open the respective configuration GUI.

Why?

This streamlines interaction. It's a bit annoying that we need to click twice, first to enable a GUI element, then to configure it. In many cases, the amount of clicking we have to do can be cut in half.

[Stringweasel]

+1

I've lost count about the amount of times I've clicked on an inserters filter only to realize it's not enabled yet.

[Hurkyl]

Here's another variation that could be streamlined.

Setting: I have "use filters" unchecked. There are filters in the list.

Goal: To have "use filters" unchecked. To have the filter list empty.

Actual action: Check "use filters". Right-click filter entries to clear them. Uncheck "use filters".

Desired action: just right-click to clear the filter entries.

There is a similar speedbump when I want to clear "Enable/disable" conditions and the like.


This does conflict with the suggestion of the OP. But, they can be combined: make clearing entries an exception to activating elements.