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Dwarf Fortress => DF Dwarf Mode Discussion => Topic started by: Urist McCoder on October 29, 2016, 07:58:05 am

Title: Issue with codices and stocks screen
Post by: Urist McCoder on October 29, 2016, 07:58:05 am
I just got back into dwarf fortress and I bought some books from the dwarven merchants. I finally built a library only to discover that none of the books I bought are showing up in the stocks screen. I assumed that I just hadn't actually bought them, but then my scholars started reading some books. What's going on, is this a bug or am I missing something?
Title: Re: Issue with codices and stocks screen
Post by: Kumquat on October 29, 2016, 08:42:54 am
Objects that are reserved for a task don't show up on stocks screen. That is the list of available goods, after all, not all goods. Although DF's definition of available can be somewhat creative. Objects inside containers that are reserved for a task don't show up either.

So if the books were first tasked for hauling to a stockpile and then for storing in a bookshelf and possibly the bookshelf became tasked for a store loop and then dworfs started reading the book with gusto and other such condiments. In such situation books would not show up in stocks at all, other than for very short times between being read.
Title: Re: Issue with codices and stocks screen
Post by: Loci on October 29, 2016, 09:21:50 am
Objects that are reserved for a task don't show up on stocks screen. That is the list of available goods, after all, not all goods.

Nonsense. Items "in use" are not removed from the stocks screen, which can be trivially demonstrated by embarking with a single stone block, ordering a construction, and then checking the stocks.


I just got back into dwarf fortress and I bought some books from the dwarven merchants. I finally built a library only to discover that none of the books I bought are showing up in the stocks screen. I assumed that I just hadn't actually bought them, but then my scholars started reading some books. What's going on, is this a bug or am I missing something?

Scrolls and written-on quires are listed under "tools" on the stocks screen.
Title: Re: Issue with codices and stocks screen
Post by: Mostali on October 30, 2016, 05:38:38 pm
My guess is that you bought scrolls, and as mentioned they will show up under 'tools' while codices are more obviously located under 'codices'.

When you buy reading material from traders (as if they were former addicts just trying to keep off the street), what you're buying can be a little misleading.  If the name is listed - e.g. Can Animals and the Climate Save The World? - then it's actually a scroll.  Codices are listed by their material - e.g. (<<brimstone-bound codex>>) - which you will need to (v)iew to learn the name.  For a long time I thought traders sold blank codices, but now that I'm actually viewing to try and avoid duplicates, it appears they're all actual books.

As for whether they're in the library or not - all you need is a bookcase in the designated library.  No other action is needed, dwarves will move them from the trade depot to the library on their own.  You can inspect what books and scrolls are in each bookshelf with (t).