dfhack/docs/plugins/automaterial.rst

automaterial
============

.. dfhack-tool::
    :summary: Sorts building materials by recent usage.
    :tags: fort design productivity buildings map
    :no-command:

This plugin makes building constructions (walls, floors, fortifications, etc)
much easier by saving you from having to trawl through long lists of materials
each time you place one.

It moves the last used material for a given construction type to the top of the
list, if there are any left. So if you build a wall with chalk blocks, the next
time you place a wall the chalk blocks will be at the top of the list,
regardless of distance (it only does this in "grouped" mode, as individual item
lists could be huge). This means you can place most constructions without having
to search for your preferred material type.

Usage
-----

::

    enable automaterial

.. image:: ../images/automaterial-mat.png

Pressing :kbd:`a` while highlighting any material will enable that material for
"auto select" for this construction type. You can enable multiple materials. Now
the next time you place this type of construction, the plugin will automatically
choose materials for you from the kinds you enabled. If there is enough to
satisfy the whole placement, you won't be prompted with the material screen at
all -- the construction will be placed and you will be back in the construction
menu.

When choosing the construction placement, you will see a couple of options:

.. image:: ../images/automaterial-pos.png

Use :kbd:`a` here to temporarily disable the material autoselection, e.g. if you
need to go to the material selection screen so you can toggle some materials on
or off.

The other option (auto type selection, off by default) can be toggled on with
:kbd:`t`. If you toggle this option on, instead of returning you to the main
construction menu after selecting materials, it returns you back to this screen.
If you use this along with several autoselect enabled materials, you should be
able to place complex constructions more conveniently.

The ``automaterial`` plugin also enables extra contruction placement modes, such
as designating areas larger than 10x10 and allowing you to designate hollow
rectangles instead of the default filled ones.