Create module request when placing ghost over existing building

[MEOWMI]

It's actually similar if you want to update entity settings remotely... most commonly for me, changing circuit conditions or splitters. Very cumbersome to do remotely.

That does work with the temporary blueprint method above. It is just modules that are the exception.

Wait, what exactly is the exception again? Either way you're placing down entities then setting them up (or finding existing ones) before ctrl+C or BPing. Your method also suggests modules are replaceable in which case there is no exception. I don't quite follow the reasoning in either of the two cases.

[SoShootMe]

That does work with the temporary blueprint method above. It is just modules that are the exception.

Wait, what exactly is the exception again? Either way you're placing down entities then setting them up (or finding existing ones) before ctrl+C or BPing. Your method also suggests modules are replaceable in which case there is no exception. I don't quite follow the reasoning in either of the two cases.

From the point of view of changing things remotely, adding modules is the exception to what you can change for existing entities: there is no way to do it except deconstructing first. However, you can change existing modules using the upgrade planner.

From the point of view of placing a blueprint or pasting over existing entities compared to placing ghosts, modules are the exception in that they are the only thing that won't be updated to match the blueprint. Again, you must deconstruct first. As others have written, Squelch was mistaken: the temporary blueprint method does not generate module requests - in fact, as far as I can see, it behaves the same as pasting or placing a blueprint from inventory or library.

To me, the suggestion in this thread is similar to others around construction orders being created when placing a blueprint over existing entities, such as creating upgrades for belt or assembler tier changes (as added for ghosts in 1.1.0).

[Squelch]

Wait, what exactly is the exception again? Either way you're placing down entities then setting them up (or finding existing ones) before ctrl+C or BPing. Your method also suggests modules are replaceable in which case there is no exception. I don't quite follow the reasoning in either of the two cases.

Yes I initially said that modules could be changed using the temp BP method, and this was corrected in a follow up post. I have now struck through that assertion in my post so as to leave no doubt or confusion.

I quoted and replied to your post to point out that your particular complaints are already covered using the tmp BP method. As @SoShootMe says, it's just that modules are the exception, and require a deconstruction first, or needs to be within character reach if we want to add modules to an empty machine.

However, you can change existing modules using the upgrade planner.

Thank you. That's a good tip for existing modules.

[-DeadlyKitten]

+1
allowing copy paste/ blueprints/ setting copy paste to add module requests would be very nice to have

[ickputzdirwech]

[ick] Merged two posts with same suggestion.

[ickputzdirwech]

I ran into this issue again today and it's really annoying. If you want to do anything other than simply filling all slots with the same module you pretty much have to install module inserter. Very nice mod, but implementing this suggestion would be even easier to use. Therefore a definite +1.

[swindle]

I wish there was a Kickstarter campaign to finance this feature - either as a native feature or to develop a mod. I'd be willing to chip in.

[Illiander42]

TL;DR

Copy->Paste machine settings also does modules.

Blueprinting over machines adds modules.

Mod link (I am not the mod author.)

What ?

From the mod description:

First, place some modules into a machine, and then copy that machine's settings (by shift + right click)
into another machine (shift + left click) and voila, the modules are copied (inserted from the player's inventory) as well!

The inserted modules will be sorted in the same order. You can also copy from a machine with no modules to remove all modules.

If the player doesn't have enough modules, a logistic request can be automatically created (turned on by default)
to fill those modules from the logistic network. However, the additional modules will not be sorted

Why ?

Because ripping up a production line just to replace it with the identical machines but with modules in them is unnecessary make-work for the construction bots.

[Koub]

[Koub] Merged into older thread with same suggestion.

[Illiander42]

Can we get confirmation that this is now vanilla, or are you saving it for a FFF?

Because not doing this with the new Ghost mechanics just seems cruel.

[Hares]

I hope these changes will be implemented in 2.0 since it already has a bunch of QoL changes, some related to the ghosts.

[kajacx]

TL;DR

Copy-pasting a machine recipe should also copy it's modules.

What ?

When you copy a recipe from one machine to another, you almost always want to copy the modules as well. When in-person, the modules can be inserted from the player's inventory. When pasting a blueprint or in radar view, pasting a recipe over a machine could create a construction request to insert the modules (or remove the old ones).

Why ?

While you can insert modules into a machine relatively easily, this has many limitations:

• Only available in-person
• Cannot insert "mixed" modules (like 1 productivity and 1 speed for example)
• Cannot remove modules
• Cannot replace existing modules with different ones (unless its an upgrade of the same type of module)
• Cannot insert "only some" modules (for example only 1 module even when the machine has more module slots)

Copy-pasting modules would solve all of these. The is a mod for that, but the mod can only go so far and it doesn't address the fundamental issue that copy-pasting modules should be in the base game.

How do I know it should be in the game? I will let the Factorio devs speak for themselfs in the first gif of the FFF 380, where the player sets new module via the remote view. This is great, but imagine how painstakingly horrible it would be to manually set the modules for every machine in that row. You would definitely want to just copy the modules from the first machine to the other ones, which is why copy-pasting modules should be in the base game.

[Illiander42]

You can already set single modules via Z-swiping, as long as the machine recipie doesn't take that module.

I think 2.0 gives us this from map view?

[Koub]

[Koub] Merged into an older thread with the same suggestion.