Dumping a Block Dispenser's Contents into a Hopper

[hawkcannon]

Is this possible? I've checked the wiki and tried some things that I thought would work (filling the block dispenser's inventory space with dirt blocks and sucking in another block, using another block dispenser to pick up the first one (this destroyed everything in the block dispenser being picked up)), but to no success.

Alternatively, if this isn't possible, is there any other way to automatically destroy cobblestone? I'm working on an automatic cobblestone generator, but I don't know how to break and collect the cobblestone produced.

[KriiEiter]

The BD cannot be emptied except manually.

If you're trying for an auto cobble generator, just get like 4 BDs and you can produce cobble faster than you can use it, so there's really no point to stockpile it.

[Zhil]

Alternatively, if this isn't possible, is there any other way to automatically destroy cobblestone? I'm working on an automatic cobblestone generator, but I don't know how to break and collect the cobblestone produced.

FC explicitly removes any mechanics that are discovered to destroy cobble, as it completely destroys balance of the game.

Your best bet is to use multiple BDs, then manually pick up the contents. A BD can hold up to 16 stacks of cobble, so 4 BDs can hold over 16,000 cobble for you.

[hawkcannon]

Thanks for the help; I've got the generator working. By the way, why would destroying cobblestone unbalance the game?

[FlowerChild]

Yeah, the balance surrounding when/how a block can be converted into an item is actually pretty central to the mod. It's something I always need to consider when adding in functionality.

So the short answer is that the BD can't automatically dump all its contents into a Hopper. It can spit out individual items, but not most blocks. The Saw on the other hand can be used to convert softer blocks (like wood as opposed to stone) into item form, and Mining Charges can be used to convert harder blocks into items.

[Zhil]

Yeah, the balance surrounding when/how a block can be converted into an item is actually pretty central to the mod. It's something I always need to consider when adding in functionality.

So the short answer is that the BD can't automatically dump all its contents into a Hopper. It can spit out individual items, but not most blocks. The Saw on the other hand can be used to convert softer blocks (like wood as opposed to stone) into item form, and Mining Charges can be used to convert harder blocks into items.

I didn't think about that yet.

So you can use charges on a cobble generator with hoppers below and get a cobble generator to hopper system. You do need to feed it with mining charges, which can't be fully automated yet.

[FlowerChild]

So you can use charges on a cobble generator with hoppers below and get a cobble generator to hopper system. You do need to feed it with mining charges, which can't be fully automated yet.

Yeah, it can definitely be done, but man, you'd have to really love you're frigging cobble to spend Mining Charges on that :)

[jorgebonafe]

Yeah, the balance surrounding when/how a block can be converted into an item is actually pretty central to the mod. It's something I always need to consider when adding in functionality.

So the short answer is that the BD can't automatically dump all its contents into a Hopper. It can spit out individual items, but not most blocks. The Saw on the other hand can be used to convert softer blocks (like wood as opposed to stone) into item form, and Mining Charges can be used to convert harder blocks into items.

I didn't think about that yet.

So you can use charges on a cobble generator with hoppers below and get a cobble generator to hopper system. You do need to feed it with mining charges, which can't be fully automated yet.

Humm... Watching Batto's video I got the impression most cobble would be destroyed by the explosion, so would this really be effective?

[hawkcannon]

So you can use charges on a cobble generator with hoppers below and get a cobble generator to hopper system. You do need to feed it with mining charges, which can't be fully automated yet.

Yeah, it can definitely be done, but man, you'd have to really love you're frigging cobble to spend Mining Charges on that :)

Until the piston duplication glitch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkoYCiQ3-hs) is fixed, you could theoretically get infinite Mining Charges from that, and surround the generated cobblestone with obsidian to avoid collateral damage.

[FlowerChild]

Humm... Watching Batto's video I got the impression most cobble would be destroyed by the explosion, so would this really be effective?

Blocks are fully converted. It's the non-ore items caught in a blast radius that can get destroyed.

So, it's entirely without loss if you don't set off the charges too quickly one after the other.

[jorgebonafe]

Humm... Watching Batto's video I got the impression most cobble would be destroyed by the explosion, so would this really be effective?

Blocks are fully converted. It's the non-ore items caught in a blast radius that can get destroyed.

So, it's entirely without loss if you don't set off the charges too quickly one after the other.

Non ore? So.. does that mean cobblestone is considered to be an ore?

[FlowerChild]

Non ore? So.. does that mean cobblestone is considered to be an ore?

No, it means you aren't really reading what I wrote.

[Zhil]

Non ore? So.. does that mean cobblestone is considered to be an ore?

He means the blocks that are destroyed. All blocks destroyed by a mining charge drop their items, even stuff like wool I imagine. Items floating around before the explosion are destroyed. One charge is always 100% efficient, set off a second one and you destroy the items from the first explosion (or at least part of them).

[jorgebonafe]

Ah, I get it now. I think I just misunderstood what battosay said in the video...

[ialdbaoloth]

So you can use charges on a cobble generator with hoppers below and get a cobble generator to hopper system. You do need to feed it with mining charges, which can't be fully automated yet.

Yeah, it can definitely be done, but man, you'd have to really love you're frigging cobble to spend Mining Charges on that :)

I don't think it's too ridiculous if you are bombing block dispensers full of cobblestone.

Spoiler

Show

It's probably still an exploit, but it's interesting. It takes design and at least one
obsidian to blow up only the dispenser, and more design to be sure of collecting the drops
- especially the dispenser itself. I haven't quite figured out how to automatically replace the dispenser,
and have no idea how to automatically recycle dispensers.

I'll have fun with this till you kill it in the next release :)

[Brethern]

While we're on the subject why does the OP want a cobble generator? Cobblestone is a dime a dozen, the only other resource that is this plentiful is water.

[Stormweaver]

While we're on the subject why does the OP want a cobble generator? Cobblestone is a dime a dozen, the only other resource that is this plentiful is water.

The same reason everyone uses them; they're a damned lot more fun than actually having to dig for stone.

[FlowerChild]

The same reason everyone uses them; they're a damned lot more fun than actually having to dig for stone.

A little known fact:

I don't use them :)

[KriiEiter]

If you want to use mining charges just set up a cobble generator that uses pistons to push the cobble into a 3x3 area then drop mining charges on it.

Set up a timer to wait til the area is full of cobble.

Have a hopper and some water flows below it.

Profit.

[Blueblade11]

I always thought a hopper powered by mechanical power would empty the inventory above out...althgouh from the discussion up there ^ it seems i thought wrong. :/

[pi4t]

I always thought a hopper powered by mechanical power would empty the inventory above out...althgouh from the discussion up there ^ it seems i thought wrong. :/

They'll empty their own inventories when given mechanical power, pouring them into any storage item (including chest minecarts) directly below them. They won't empty something above them, but you can achieve the effect in most cases by using a block dispenser to pick up the storage block (making it drop its contents into the hopper) and then having the dispenser replace the storage block again.

[Blueblade11]

Well, the missing link in a BD auto cobble gen is a way to A) convert the block to a item or B) get the cobble into a chest.

[MoRmEnGiL]

Well you could just build a big generator with many block dispensers and use those as a form of storage. Just how much cobble do you need anyway, I have my cobble generator off for so long now because I ran out of convenient places to put chests with cobble :P

[sargunv]

You could have pistons push the cobblestone into a line of Block Dispensers. When one fills up, the cobble will just get pushed to the next dispenser.

[Blueblade11]

That only works for 16 blocks though...

EDIT: Sorry, thinking 1D :P