Any way to repeatedly hand-transfer only a specific amount of items?

[Bogdanov89]

Hey thanks for reading and helping out

This is probably my n.1 annoyance with Factorio.
I will describe the issue through examples and hope someone can help me out.

In certain circumstances (inserters/drones not available) i have to put a specific number of items from my inventory into numerous objects by hand (without opening each individual object inventory).

For example when i want to transfer exactly 15 Ammo Magazines to 20 turrets each.
Or when i want to put exactly 20 Automation Science Packs into each of my 10 laboratories.

So far i have seen that you can transfer either a whole stack or half a stack into an object from your hand by mouse-overing them and doing the ctrl left mouse click or right mouse click.

If i put a specific amount of items into my hand that specific number will be changed to the default full stack as soon as i drop it into the first object (it does not "stick" past the first transfer).

So is there a way of putting an exact numbers of items into the players hand and then easily/rapidly depositing them over multiple objects (labs, turrets...)?

[DaveMcW]

For example when i want to transfer exactly 15 Ammo Magazines to 20 turrets each.

Pick up a stack of ammo.
Hold down Drop item (Z).
Move your cursor across the turrets 15 times.

[Bogdanov89]

For example when i want to transfer exactly 15 Ammo Magazines to 20 turrets each.

Pick up a stack of ammo.
Hold down Drop item (Z).
Move your cursor across the turrets 15 times.

Thanks for replying but when i try that it drops only 1 item at a time?
So if i need 15 magazines in each of 20 turrets that's 300 times it has to tick down one by one?

That's hideously slow
I was hoping there was a way to put a certain amount of item in your hand (lets say 15 ammo) and then every turret (object) i mouse over gets 15 ammo.

[Koub]

[Koub] Moved to Gameplay Help
There is no way to do so in vanilla. It has already been suggested, but not implemented (yet ?).
There are mods that add this feature though :
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/even-distribution for example.
Also remember : try to automate as soon as possible, and this will become a non issue.

[jodokus31]

So if i need 15 magazines in each of 20 turrets that's 300 times it has to tick down one by one?

That's hideously slow
I was hoping there was a way to put a certain amount of item in your hand (lets say 15 ammo) and then every turret (object) i mouse over gets 15 ammo.

I think, the best bet is to take a stack and insert 100 in several turrets by Ctrl-Right click until you run out of ammo. Then clear cursor and take half out by Ctrl-Right click until you have 25 or 13. Not optimal, but ok-ish.
This also works for fast turret creep attack.

Of course, if you feed turrets by belt and inserter, you don't have to bother with it

[Honktown]

Even Distribution saves soooooo much time and effort. It still eats all that you have in your inventory, instead of only spreading the selected stack, but it's much more tolerable than trying to only distribute small amounts.

[Bauer]

If we are talking about early game only...

I insert small amounts by z-dropping on furnaces, assemblers, etc.

[Guilwin]

For example when i want to transfer exactly 15 Ammo Magazines to 20 turrets each.

Pick up a stack of ammo.
Hold down Drop item (Z).
Move your cursor across the turrets 15 times.

Thanks for replying but when i try that it drops only 1 item at a time?
So if i need 15 magazines in each of 20 turrets that's 300 times it has to tick down one by one?

That's hideously slow

If the 20 turrets are positionned next to each other it's definitely NOT hideously slow to do what Dave described.
You don't have to click 300 times, you just hold the stack and move your cursor back and forth across the buildings while holding the drop key down.
It should take less than 5 seconds.
If I'm not mistaken this is the method used by speed runners to insert fuel evenly across multiple burner mining drills or furnaces, so it can't be hideously slow!

Now, I don't know how it works when the 20 turrets are built far apart.
Can you still use the same method, dropping a few items on the ground in between the turrets?
Maybe it will still be efficient eventhough you would have to manually pick up all the items dropped on the ground (and you would have to prepare for more than 300 items to account for these items you put on the ground).

[BlueTemplar]

For far apart turrets, you're supposed to use an ammo belt, burner-inserter powered if far from power lines.

[Honktown]

Today I learned you can ctrl-right click to remove half a stack (only took me almost 800 hours).

For far apart turrets, you're supposed to use an ammo belt, burner-inserter powered if far from power lines.

This is getting off topic, but for far apart turrets just use a box and inserter that dumps ammo out onto a belt or directly into 2-4 turrets, imo. Belts are only worthwhile when things are close and you can keep refilling them (they're more expensive and slower than you think).

Belt-feed has problems for which there's no good solution: turrets only stack up to so much ammo, belts only feed so fast, and they are a rather poor "storage". Comes into play often if you're playing on super aggressive settings and medium/big biters increase in frequency. If the stack size was increased, one turret would hoard all the bullets.

[Serenity]

for far apart turrets just use a box and inserter that dumps ammo out onto a belt or directly into 2-4 turrets, imo.

You can also chain turrets to some degree. 5 turrets, a box feeding the middle turret and the others chained works pretty well. I don't use that for long walls, but for small bunkers in the early game

[Honktown]

for far apart turrets just use a box and inserter that dumps ammo out onto a belt or directly into 2-4 turrets, imo.

You can also chain turrets to some degree. 5 turrets, a box feeding the middle turret and the others chained works pretty well. I don't use that for long walls, but for small bunkers in the early game

Hah, I forgot about that. I discovered that in a game recently because I didn't have the space for belts.