.. _quickfort-alias-guide: Quickfort Alias Guide ===================== Aliases allow you to use simple words to represent complicated key sequences when configuring buildings and stockpiles in quickfort ``#query`` blueprints. For example, say you have the following ``#build`` and ``#place`` blueprints:: #build masonry workshop ~, ~,~,`,`,` ~,wm,~,`,`,` ~, ~,~,`,`,` #place stockpile for mason ~,~,~,s,s,s ~,~,~,s,s,s ~,~,~,s,s,s and you want to configure the stockpile to hold only non-economic ("other") stone and to give to the adjacent mason workshop. You could write the key sequences directly:: #query configure stockpile with expanded key sequences ~,~,~,s{Down 5}deb{Right}{Down 2}p^,`,` ~,~,~,g{Left 2}&, `,` ~,~,~,`, `,` or you could use aliases:: #query configure stockpile with aliases ~,~,~,otherstone,`,` ~,~,~,give2left, `,` ~,~,~,`, `,` If the stockpile had only a single tile, you could also replay both aliases in a single cell:: #query configure mason with multiple aliases in one cell ~,~,~,{otherstone}{give2left},`,` ~,~,~,`, `,` ~,~,~,`, `,` With aliases, blueprints are much easier to read and understand. They also save you from having to copy the same long key sequences everywhere. Alias definition files ---------------------- DFHack comes with a library of aliases for you to use that are always available when you run a ``#query`` blueprint. Many blueprints can be built with just those aliases. This "standard alias library" is stored in :source:`data/quickfort/aliases-common.txt` (installed under the ``hack`` folder in your DFHack installation). The aliases in that file are described at the `bottom of this document `. Please do not edit the aliases in the standard library directly. The file will get overwritten when DFHack is updated and you'll lose your changes. Instead, add your custom aliases to :source:`dfhack-config/quickfort/aliases.txt`. Definitions in this file take precedence over any definitions in the standard library. Alias syntax and usage ---------------------- The syntax for defining aliases is:: aliasname: expansion Where ``aliasname`` is at least two letters or digits long (dashes and underscores are also allowed) and ``expansion`` is whatever you would type into the DF UI. You use an alias by typing its name into a ``#query`` blueprint cell where you want it to be applied. You can use an alias by itself or as part of a larger sequence, potentially with other aliases. If the alias is the only text in the cell, the alias name is matched and its expansion is used. If the alias has other keys before or after it, the alias name must be surrounded in curly brackets (:kbd:`{` and :kbd:`}`). An alias can be surrounded in curly brackets even if it is the only text in the cell, it just isn't necesary. For example, the following blueprint uses the ``aliasname`` alias by itself in the first two rows and uses it as part of a longer sequence in the third row:: #query apply alias 'aliasname' in three different ways aliasname {aliasname} literaltext{aliasname}literaltext For a more concrete example of an alias definition, a simple alias that configures a stockpile to have no bins (:kbd:`C`) and no barrels (:kbd:`E`) assigned to it would look like this:: nocontainers: CE The alias definition can also contain references to other aliases by including the alias names in curly brackets. For example, ``nocontainers`` could be equivalently defined like this:: nobins: C nobarrels: E nocontainers: {nobins}{nobarrels} Aliases used in alias definitions *must* be surrounded by curly brackets, even if they are the only text in the definition:: alias1: text1 alias2: alias1 alias3: {alias1} Here, ``alias1`` and ``alias3`` expand to ``text1``, but ``alias2`` expands to the literal text ``alias1``. Keycodes ~~~~~~~~ Non-printable characters, like the arrow keys, are represented by their keycode name and are also surrounded by curly brackets, like ``{Right}`` or ``{Enter}``. Keycodes are used exactly like aliases -- they just have special expansions that you wouldn't be able to write yourself. In order to avoid naming conflicts between aliases and keycodes, the convention is to start aliases with a lowercase letter. Any keycode name from the DF interface definition file (data/init/interface.txt) is valid, but only a few keycodes are actually useful for blueprints:: Up Down Left Right Enter ESC Backspace Space Tab There is also one pseudo-keycode that quickfort recognizes:: Empty which has an empty expansion. It is primarily useful for defining blank default values for `Sub-aliases`_. Repetitions ~~~~~~~~~~~ Anything enclosed within curly brackets can also have a number, indicating how many times that alias or keycode should be repeated. For example: ``{togglesequence 9}`` or ``{Down 5}`` will repeat the ``togglesequence`` alias nine times and the ``Down`` keycode five times, respectively. Modifier keys ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ctrl, Alt, and Shift modifiers can be specified for the next key by adding them into the key sequence. For example, Alt-h is written as ``{Alt}h``. Shorthand characters ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some frequently-used keycodes are assigned shorthand characters. Think of them as single-character aliases that don't need to be surrounded in curly brackets:: & expands to {Enter} @ expands to {Shift}{Enter} ~ expands to {Alt} ! expands to {Ctrl} ^ expands to {ESC} If you need literal versions of the shorthand characters, surround them in curly brackets, for example: use ``{!}`` for a literal exclamation point. Built-in aliases ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Most aliases that come with DFHack are in ``aliases-common.txt``, but there is one alias built into the code for the common shorthand for "make room":: r+ expands to r+{Enter} This needs special code support since ``+`` can't normally be used in alias names. You can use it just like any other alias, either by itself in a cell (``r+``) or surrounded in curly brackets (``{r+}``). Sub-aliases ~~~~~~~~~~~ You can specify sub-aliases that will only be defined while the current alias is being resolved. This is useful for "injecting" custom behavior into the middle of a larger alias. As a simple example, the ``givename`` alias is defined like this:: givename: !n{name}& Note the use of the ``name`` alias inside of the ``givename`` expansion. In your ``#query`` blueprint, you could write something like this, say, while over your main drawbridge:: {givename name="Front Gate"} The value that you give the sub-alias ``name`` will be used when the ``givename`` alias is expanded. Without sub-aliases, we'd have to define ``givename`` like this:: givenameprefix: !n givenamesuffix: & and use it like this:: {givenameprefix}Front Gate{givenamesuffix} which is more difficult to write and more difficult to understand. A handy technique is to define an alias with some sort of default behavior and then use sub-aliases to override that behavior as necessary. For example, here is a simplified version of the standard ``quantum`` alias that sets up quantum stockpiles:: quantum_enable: {enableanimals}{enablefood}{enablefurniture}... quantum: {linksonly}{nocontainers}{quantum_enable} You can use the default behavior of ``quantum_enable`` by just using the ``quantum`` alias by itself. But you can override ``quantum_enable`` to just enable furniture for some specific stockpile like this:: {quantum quantum_enable={enablefurniture}} If an alias uses a sub-alias in its expansion, but the sub-alias is not defined when the alias is used, quickfort will halt the ``#query`` blueprint with an error. If you want your aliases to work regardless of whether sub-aliases are defined, then you must define them with default values like ``quantum_enable`` above. If a default value should be blank, like the ``name`` sub-alias used by the ``givename`` alias above, define it with the ``{Empty}`` pesudo-keycode:: name: {Empty} Sub-aliases must be in one of the following formats:: subaliasname=keyswithnospaces subaliasname="keys with spaces or {aliases}" subaliasname={singlealias} If you specify both a sub-alias and a number of repetitions, the number for repetitions goes last, right before the :kbd:`}`:: {alias subaliasname=value repetitions} Beyond query mode ----------------- ``#query`` blueprints normally do things in DF :kbd:`q`\uery mode, but nobody said that we have to *stay* in query mode. ``#query`` blueprints send arbitrary key sequences to Dwarf Fortress. Anything you can do by typing keys into DF, you can do in a ``#query`` blueprint. It is absolutely fine to temporarily exit out of query mode, go into, say, hauling or zone or hotkey mode, and do whatever needs to be done. You just have to make certain to exit out of that alternate mode and get back into :kbd:`q`\uery mode at the end of the key sequence. That way quickfort can continue on configuring the next tile -- a tile configuration that assumes the game is still in query mode. For example, here is the standard library alias for giving a name to a zone:: namezone: ^i{givename}^q The first :kbd:`\^` exits out of query mode. Then :kbd:`i` enters zones mode. We then reuse the standard alias for giving something a name. Finally, we exit out of zones mode with another :kbd:`\^` and return to :kbd:`q`\uery mode. .. _quickfort-alias-library: The DFHack standard alias library --------------------------------- DFHack comes with many useful aliases for you to use in your blueprints. Many blueprints can be built with just these aliases alone, with no custom aliases required. This section goes through all aliases provided by the DFHack standard alias library, discussing their intended usage and detailing sub-aliases that you can define to customize their behavior. If you do define your own custom aliases in ``dfhack-config/quickfort/aliases.txt``, try to build on the library aliases. For example, if you create an alias to modify particular furniture stockpile settings, start your alias with ``{furnitureprefix}`` instead of ``s{Down 2}``. Using library prefixes will allow sub-aliases to work with your aliases just like they do with library aliases. In this case, using ``{furnitureprefix}`` will allow your stockpile customization alias to work with both stockpiles and hauling routes. Naming aliases ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These aliases give descriptive names to workshops, levers, stockpiles, zones, etc. Dwarf Fortress building, stockpile, and zone names have a maximum length of 20 characters. ======== =========== Alias Sub-aliases ======== =========== givename name namezone name ======== =========== ``givename`` works anywhere you can hit Ctrl-n to customize a name, like when the cursor is over buildings and stockpiles. Example:: #place f(10x2) #query {booze}{givename name=booze} ``namezone`` is intended to be used when over an activity zone. It includes commands to get into zones mode, set the zone name, and get back to query mode. Example:: #zone n(2x2) #query {namezone name="guard dog pen"} Quantum stockpile aliases ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These aliases make it easy to create :wiki:`minecart stop-based quantum stockpiles `. +----------------------+------------------+ | Alias | Sub-aliases | +======================+==================+ | quantum | | name | | | | quantum_enable | +----------------------+------------------+ | quantumstopfromnorth | | name | +----------------------+ | stop_name | | quantumstopfromsouth | | route_enable | +----------------------+ | | quantumstopfromeast | | +----------------------+ | | quantumstopfromwest | | +----------------------+------------------+ | quantumstop | | name | | | | stop_name | | | | route_enable | | | | move | | | | move_back | +----------------------+------------------+ The idea is to use a minecart on a track stop to dump an infinite number of items into a receiving "quantum" stockpile, which significantly simplifies stockpile management. These aliases configure the quantum stockpile and hauling route that make it all work. Here is a complete example for quantum stockpiling weapons, armor, and ammunition. It has a 3x1 feeder stockpile on the bottom (South), the trackstop in the center, and the quantum stockpile on the top (North). Note that the feeder stockpile is the only stockpile that needs to be configured to control which types of items end up in the quantum stockpile. By default, the hauling route and quantum stockpile itself simply accept whatever is put into them. :: #place ,c , pdz(3x1) #build , ,trackstopN #query message(remember to assign a minecart to the new route) ,quantum ,quantumstopfromsouth nocontainers The ``quantum`` alias configures a 1x1 stockpile to be a quantum stockpile. It bans all containers and prevents the stockpile from being manually filled. By default, it also enables storage of all item categories (except corpses and refuse), so it doesn't really matter what letter you use to place the stockpile. :wiki:`Refuse` is excluded by default since otherwise clothes and armor in the quantum stockpile would rot away. If you want corpses or bones in your quantum stockpile, use :kbd:`y` and/or :kbd:`r` to place the stockpile and the ``quantum`` alias will just enable the remaining types. If you *do* enable refuse in your quantum stockpile, be sure you avoid putting useful clothes or armor in there! The ``quantumstopfromsouth`` alias is run over the track stop and configures the hauling route, again, allowing all item categories into the minecart by default so any item that can go into the feeder stockpile can then be placed in the minecart. It also links the hauling route with the feeder stockpile to the South.The track stop does not need to be fully constructed before the ``#query`` blueprint is run, but the feeder stockpile needs to exist so we can link to it. This means that the three blueprints above can be run one right after another, without any dwarven labor in between them, and the quantum stockpile will work properly. Finally, the ``nocontainers`` alias simply configures the feeder stockpile to not have any containers (which would just get in the way here). If we wanted to be more specific about what item types we want in the quantum stockpile, we could configure the feeder stockpile further, for example with standard `stockpile adjustment aliases `. After the blueprints are run, the last step is to manually assign a minecart to the newly-defined hauling route. You can define sub-aliases to customize how these aliases work, for example to have fine-grained control over what item types are enabled for the route and quantum stockpile. We'll go over those options below, but first, here is an example for how to just give names to everything:: #query message(remember to assign a minecart to the new route) ,{quantum name="armory quantum"} ,{quantumstopfromsouth name="Armory quantum" stop_name="Armory quantum stop"}{givename name="armory dumper"} {givename name="armory feeder"} All ``name`` sub-aliases are completely optional, of course. Keep in mind that hauling route names have a maximum length of 22 characters, hauling route stop names have a maximum length of 21 characters, and all other names have a maximum length of 20 characters. If you want to be absolutely certain that nothing ends up in your quantum stockpile other than what you've configured in the feeder stockpile, you can set the ``quantum_enable`` sub-alias for the ``quantum`` alias. This can prevent, for example, somebody's knocked-out tooth from being considered part of your furniture quantum stockpile when it happened to land on it during a fistfight:: #query {quantum name="furniture quantum" quantum_enable={enablefurniture}} You can have similar control over the hauling route if you need to be more selective about what item types are allowed into the minecart. If you have multiple specialized quantum stockpiles that use a common feeder pile, for example, you can set the ``route_enable`` sub-alias:: #query {quantumstopfromsouth name="Steel bar quantum" route_enable="{enablebars}{steelbars}"} Any of the `stockpile configuration aliases ` can be used for either the ``quantum_enable`` or ``route_enable`` sub-aliases. Experienced Dwarf Fortress players may be wondering how the same aliases can work in both contexts since the keys for entering the configuration screen differ. Fear not! There is some sub-alias magic at work here. If you define your own stockpile configuraiton aliases, you can use the magic yourself by building your aliases on the ``*prefix`` aliases described later in this guide. Finally, the ``quantumstop`` alias is a more general version of the ``quantumstopfrom*`` aliases. The ``quantumstopfrom*`` aliases assume that the feeder stockpile is orthogonally adjacent to your track stop (which is how most people set them up). If your feeder stockpile is somewhere further away, you can use the ``quantumstop`` alias directly. In addition to the ``quantumstopfrom*`` sub-aliases, you can also define the ``move`` and ``move_back`` sub-aliases, which let you specify the cursor keys required to move from the track stop to the feeder stockpile and back again, respectively:: #query {quantumstop move="{Right 2}{Up}" move_back="{Down}{Left 2}"} Farm plots ~~~~~~~~~~ Sets a farm plot to grow the first or last type of seed in the list of available seeds for all four seasons. The last seed is usually Plump helmet spawn, suitable for post-embark. But if you only have one seed type, that'll be grown instead. +------------------+ | Alias | +==================+ | growlastcropall | +------------------+ | growfirstcropall | +------------------+ Instead of these aliases, though, it might be more useful to use the DFHack `autofarm` plugin. Stockpile configuration utility aliases ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ =============== =========== Alias Sub-aliases =============== =========== linksonly nocontainers give2up give2down give2left give2right give10up give10down give10left give10right give move togglesequence togglesequence2 =============== =========== ``linksonly`` and ``nocontainers`` set the named basic properties on stockpiles. ``nocontainers`` sets bins and barrels to 0, but does not affect wheelbarrows since the hotkeys for changing the number of wheelbarrows depend on whether you have the DFHack `stockpiles` plugin active. It is better to set the number of wheelbarrows via the `quickfort` ``stockpiles_max_wheelbarrows`` setting. It is set to ``0`` by default. The ``give*`` aliases set a stockpile to give to a workshop or another stockpile located at the indicated number of tiles in the indicated direction from the current tile. For example, here we use the ``give2down`` alias to connect an ``otherstone`` stockpile with a mason workshop:: #place s,s,s,s,s s, , , ,s s, , , ,s s, , , ,s s,s,s,s,s #build `,`,`,`,` `, , , ,` `, ,wm,,` `, , , ,` `,`,`,`,` #query , ,give2down otherstone and here is a generic stone stockpile that gives to a stockpile that only takes flux:: #place s(10x1) s(10x10) #query flux , give2up If you want to give to some other tile that is not already covered by the ``give2*`` or ``give10*`` aliases, you can use the generic ``give`` alias and specify the movement keys yourself in the ``move`` sub-alias. Here is how to give to a stockpile or workshop one z-level above, 9 tiles to the left, and 14 tiles down:: #query {give move="<{Left 9}{Down 14}"} ``togglesequence`` and ``togglesequence2`` send ``{Down}{Enter}`` or ``{Down 2}{Enter}`` to toggle adjacent (or alternating) items in a list. This is useful when toggling a bunch of related item types in the stockpile config. For example, the ``dye`` and ``tallow`` aliases in the standard alias library need to select specific items from long lists:: dye: {foodprefix}b{Right}{Down 11}{Right}{Down 28}{togglesequence 4}^ tallow: {foodprefix}b{Right}{Down 13}{Right}{Down}{togglesequence2 811}^ .. _quickfort-stockpile-aliases: Stockpile adjustment aliases ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For each stockpile item category, there are three standard aliases: * ``*prefix`` aliases enter the stockpile configuration screen and position the cursor at a particular item category in the left-most column, ready for further keys that configure the elements within that category. All other stockpile adjustment aliases are built on these prefixes. You can use them yourself to create stockpile adjustment aliases that aren't already covered by the standard library aliases. Using the library prefix instead of creating your own also allows your stockpile configuration aliases to be used for both stockpiles and hauling routes. For example, here is the library definition for ``booze``:: booze: {foodprefix}b{Right}{Down 5}p{Down}p^ * ``enable*`` aliases enter the stockpile configuration screen, enable all subtypes of the named category, and exit the stockpile configuration screen * ``disable*`` aliases enter the stockpile configuration screen, disable all subtypes of the named category, and exit the stockpile configuration screen ==================== ==================== ===================== Prefix Enable Disable ==================== ==================== ===================== animalsprefix enableanimals disableanimals foodprefix enablefood disablefood furnitureprefix enablefurniture disablefurniture corpsesprefix enablecorpses disablecorpses refuseprefix enablerefuse disablerefuse stoneprefix enablestone disablestone ammoprefix enableammo disableammo coinsprefix enablecoins disablecoins barsprefix enablebars disablebars gemsprefix enablegems disablegems finishedgoodsprefix enablefinishedgoods disablefinishedgoods leatherprefix enableleather disableleather clothprefix enablecloth disablecloth woodprefix enablewood disablewood weaponsprefix enableweapons disableweapons armorprefix enablearmor disablearmor sheetprefix enablesheet disablesheet ==================== ==================== ===================== Then, for each item category, there are aliases that manipulate interesting subsets of that category: * Exclusive aliases forbid everthing within a category and then enable only the named item type (or named class of items) * ``forbid*`` aliases forbid the named type and leave the rest of the stockpile untouched. * ``permit*`` aliases permit the named type and leave the rest of the stockpile untouched. Note that for specific item types (items in the third stockpile configuration column), you can only toggle the item type on and off. Aliases can't know whether sending the ``{Enter}`` key will enable or disable the type. The ``forbid*`` aliases that affect these item types assume the item type was enabled and toggle it off. Likewise, the ``permit*`` aliases assume the item type was disabled and toggle it on. If the item type is not in the expected enabled/disabled state when the alias is run, the aliases will not behave properly. Animal stockpile adjustments ```````````````````````````` =========== =========== ============ Exclusive Forbid Permit =========== =========== ============ cages forbidcages permitcages traps forbidtraps permittraps =========== =========== ============ Food stockpile adjustments `````````````````````````` =============== ==================== ==================== Exclusive Forbid Permit =============== ==================== ==================== preparedfood forbidpreparedfood permitpreparedfood unpreparedfish forbidunpreparedfish permitunpreparedfish plants forbidplants permitplants booze forbidbooze permitbooze seeds forbidseeds permitseeds dye forbiddye permitdye tallow forbidtallow permittallow miscliquid forbidmiscliquid permitmiscliquid =============== ==================== ==================== Furniture stockpile adjustments ``````````````````````````````` +-----------+ | Exclusive | +===========+ | pots | +-----------+ | bags | +-----------+ | buckets | +-----------+ | sand | +-----------+ Notes: * Because of the limitations of Dwarf Fortress, ``bags`` cannot distinguish between empty and filled bags Refuse stockpile adjustments ```````````````````````````` =========== ================== ================== Exclusive Forbid Permit =========== ================== ================== bodyparts forbidbodyparts permitbodyparts rawhides forbidrawhides permitrawhides tannedhides forbidtannedhides permittannedhides skulls forbidskulls permitskulls bones forbidbones permitbones shells forbidshells permitshells teeth forbidteeth permitteeth horns forbidhorns permithorns hair forbidhair permithair craftrefuse forbidcraftrefuse permitcraftrefuse =========== ================== ================== Notes: * ``bodyparts`` includes remains/corpses and rotten rawhdes. * ``craftrefuse`` includes everything a craftsdwarf can use: skulls, bones, shells, teeth, horns, and hair. Stone stockpile adjustments ``````````````````````````` ============= ==================== ==================== Exclusive Forbid Permit ============= ==================== ==================== metal forbidmetal permitmetal iron forbidiron permitiron economic forbideconomic permiteconomic flux forbidflux permitflux plaster forbidplaster permitplaster coalproducing forbidcoalproducing permitcoalproducing otherstone forbidotherstone permitotherstone bauxite forbidbauxite permitbauxite clay forbidclay permitclay ============= ==================== ==================== Ammo stockpile adjustments `````````````````````````` =============== ==================== Exclusive Forbid =============== ==================== bolts \ forbidmetalbolts \ forbidwoodenbolts \ forbidbonebolts =============== ==================== Bar stockpile adjustments ````````````````````````` =========== ================== Exclusive Forbid =========== ================== bars forbidbars metalbars forbidmetalbars ironbars forbidironbars steelbars forbidsteelbars pigironbars forbidpigironbars otherbars forbidotherbars coal forbidcoal potash forbidpotash ash forbidash pearlash forbidpearlash soap forbidsoap blocks forbidblocks =========== ================== Gem stockpile adjustments ````````````````````````` =========== ================ Exclusive Forbid =========== ================ roughgems forbidroughgems roughglass forbidroughglass cutgems forbidcutgems cutglass forbidcutglass cutstone forbidcutstone =========== ================ Finished goods stockpile adjustments ```````````````````````````````````` +-----------+ | Exclusive | +===========+ | jugs | +-----------+ Cloth stockpile adjustments ``````````````````````````` +------------------+ | Exclusive | +==================+ | thread | +------------------+ | adamantinethread | +------------------+ | cloth | +------------------+ | adamantinecloth | +------------------+ Weapon stockpile adjustments ```````````````````````````` ================= ======================== ==================== Exclusive Forbid Permit ================= ======================== ==================== \ forbidweapons permitweapons \ forbidtrapcomponents permittrapcomponents metalweapons forbidmetalweapons permitmetalweapons \ forbidstoneweapons permitstoneweapons \ forbidotherweapons permitotherweapons ironweapons forbidironweapons permitironweapons copperweapons forbidcopperweapons permitcopperweapons steelweapons forbidsteelweapons permitsteelweapons masterworkweapons forbidmasterworkweapons permitmasterworkweapons artifactweapons forbidartifactweapons permitartifactweapons ================= ======================== ==================== Armor stockpile adjustments ``````````````````````````` =============== ====================== ==================== Exclusive Forbid Permit =============== ====================== ==================== metalarmor forbidmetalarmor permitmetalarmor otherarmor forbidotherarmor permitotherarmor ironarmor forbidironarmor permitironarmor copperarmor forbidcopperarmor permitcopperarmor steelarmor forbidsteelarmor permitsteelarmor masterworkarmor forbidmasterworkarmor permitmasterworkarmor artifactarmor forbidartifactarmor permitartifactarmor =============== ====================== ====================