Faxing CC: Everything that's wrong with the updates to cargo

[alexpkeaton]

 

So I started this during a quiet part of my last shift seeking to document the problems with the updates to the supply ordering console, the supply shuttle, and other adjustments. I figured it would eventually get here but figured I'd send an IC fax to the admins online at the time should I be able to get one of the heads to actually send it. I never was able to finish, a blob came aboard and I had to drop writing it. Instead of revising it for an OOC forum, I figured I'd finish the fax IC and put it here for your enjoyment and edification.

 

tl;dr: Give me back my old supply ordering console and please, for the love of god, fix the supply shuttle!

 

---------------------------

[logo]

 

From: Jack Edwardson

Quartermaster

Nanotransen Supply Division

Assignment: NSS Cyberiad, Alva Ingus, Commanding

 

To: New Products Team

Logistics Development Group

Nanotrasen Supply Division

Central Command, Nanotrasen

 

 

RE: Feedback regarding upgrades recently installed on NSS Cyberiad

 

Dear New Products Team,

 

As a member of the Supply Division, I often find myself forgotten as other teams and projects get people and resources from superiors and Central Command. That is why it brightened my day to learn that our team here on the NSS Cyberiad received upgrades to many of our standard-issue electronics and mining equipment. I encourage Central Command to continue refining the elements of the supply infrastructure throughout Nanotrasen, and am honored that the Cyberiad was chosen as a trial market for these upgrades.

 

I must admit, however, that many of the planned upgrades have added unintentional problems that did not exist prior to the upgrades. I will attempt to outline the pros and cons to this slate of upgrades as I have noticed during my current shift, in following:

 

- Upgrades to mining satchels and cargo box allowing bluespace crystals is an incredible bonus to miners with limited carrying capacity. Great work on these upgrades. If it is at all possible to have the ore redemption machine actually pick up the crystals upon dumping the crate, that would save a bit of time. I noticed my miner left his crystals having forgotten they were among the load of ore that was being processed.

 

- The new software for supply ordering is cumbersome and is an overall efficiency loss for users. Here are my thoughts on the new UI:

1. The only pro to this new system is the messaging from Central Command confirming supply point gains from crates and stamped manifests. It seems that manifests may have to be sent on the returning shuttle from the order they were received to get any credit, however. I sent a number of manifests received before I reported as quartermaster this shift upon the shuttle docked when I arrived and only received credit for one manifest. This is problematic and if a fix could be applied it would be helpful.

2. You cannot order multiples of the same crate. This is HIGHLY problematic. During my shift, a level 5 biohazard came aboard this station and I had to order 7 laser crates one at a time, scrolling through 4 screens apiece to do so. 28 screens versus 2 makes this adjustment highly unfavorable and perhaps could cost lives in an emergency.

 

3. Pending requests for approval do not display on the screen as they once did, meaning if an order is placed when a cargo technician is not around, and the paperwork is shoved aside or misplaced, that order could be forgotten until the next order is approved.

 

4. Crate contents are not available on this UI that I can see. Central Command docked a supply point bonus due to an incorrect count of a received crate. If we are unaware of the contents of a crate, how are we to confirm accuracy in this regard?

 

-The new shuttle system. The updated shuttle, issued to mining and the cargo bay, have two new features, neither desireable to cargo. The first is that they are now sent cold, airless, and depressurized. I had to request access to EVA to ensure I didn’t die unloading the supply shuttle. The second is that the airlock adjustments, made stationwide, have a particular problem with the supply shuttle – it breaks the use of the conveyor belts, making unloading an ordeal it should not be. Please make fixes to these adjustments whenever possible.

 

That is the extent of my observations this shift. I appreciate the fact that Nanotrasen seeks continuous improvement in our supply chain management systems. I hope Central Command continues to refine these upgrades to ensure they meet new efficiency levels than past systems.

 

Sincerely,

 

[sign]

Jack Edwardson

Quartermaster

NSS Cyberiad

 

[QM's stamp]

[stamp of transmitting head]

 

[Scrat]

 

Good read. I was in the round where you had to order the fuckload of laser crates, and it really did feel just too clunky and awkward.

 

The cargo ordering UI as it used to be I found very helpful, no complaints.

What you describe now is really just, as noted, clunky and awkward.

Unfortunately these changes were necessary to implement the TG shuttle system (the effectiveness of which I feel the need to question) and I'm unsure if they can be changed further, but it's likely.

 

[Stephanov]

Speaking of ordering. It'd be cool if additional options become available in emergencies (gamma, etc)

[Professor Cupcake]

 

So, uh... why were any of these changes made in the first place? They all sound awful.

Well, apart from the reporting of point gains from sending stuff back. That's something we actually needed.

 

[tigercat2000]

 

The supply shuttle UI was removed because it would require partial rewrites of the supply template, and a full rewrite of the basic code to account for -tg-'s supply system.

 

When I have some time, I'll try to look into re-adding it, but no guarantees.

 

[Professor Cupcake]

And what's so great about TG's system that we need to thoroughly ruin ours to make it fit?

[tigercat2000]

Our cargo system wasn't compatible with -tg- shuttles.

[tigercat2000]

 

I looked into readding the cargo UI, and outright, it's not going to happen. Not by my hands.

 

If someone else decides to delve into the madness and try to sort out all of the wires to make it work, I am more than happy for it to be readded, but it's not me.

 

Since, I know how everyone just loves the "fuck -tg-!" bus, I'll explain exactly why I'm not able to fix the UI.

This, right here is the code for bay's cargo UI: https://github.com/ParadiseSS13/Paradis ... #L375-L526

Can you read that? Because I'm having trouble fucking reading any of that. And that's just from a "actually trying to read it as text" standpoint, actually trying to comprehend the fucking code is even worse. From what I can tell, it autogenerates commands within a list within a list within a list to send a list to the UI. I don't even fucking know what is going on in the Topic().

 

Now, let's say I spend a few hours digging through this and trying to figure out exactly what everything does, probably possible.

This is the template file for the supply UI: https://github.com/ParadiseSS13/Paradis ... nsole.tmpl

Now, let's take a moment trying to just list the amount of things that have to change within it.

These lines have to be replaced with a single line which I don't even think works. Easily possible to fix.

These all need to be replaced with the -tg- shuttle system version of calling, recalling, and canceling (don't think this a thing) shuttles.

I don't have the slightest clue how this works, let alone how it is supposed to work! As far as I can tell, it lists the supply crates via magic! But only if it.. doesn't have contents? It doesn't make sense!

 

Now, let's say I somehow figure out how to fucking get this pure insanity fucking done- OH WAIT, THIS TEMPLATE FILE HAS TO ACCOUNT FOR TWO DIFFERENT COMPUTERS!

 

Anyone want to code this themselves, have fun.

 

[Crazylemon]

It looks like, for that third count, that the checking for lack of nano contents data is to differentiate between it being in the mode for displaying the contents of a crate, and the mode for listing all available supply packs. I suppose, if no one else is willing to take on this gnarled abomination, though, that I can look into necromanticizing this stuff, but my queue's already pretty large.

[MarkvA]

 

Well well, there's making an overstatement and then there's that post. It really isn't as bad as it's made out to be. Clearly you haven't had the pleasure of working with associative arrays in BYOND before.

 

I'm not happy about the UI being ripped out in favor of having the new shuttles in as quickly as possible, so I'll re-implement it myself.

 

[Spacemanspark]

We love you Mark.

[tigercat2000]

 

Well well, there's making an overstatement and then there's that post. It really isn't as bad as it's made out to be. Clearly you haven't had the pleasure of working with associative arrays in BYOND before.

 

I'm not happy about the UI being ripped out in favor of having the new shuttles in as quickly as possible, so I'll re-implement it myself.

 

It seemed about that bad to me looking over it, given that I seriously cannot comprehend the code fueling the bay version. I get the basic abuse going on in it, like the list(list()) stuff, which is required to embed a list within a list for nano's javascript to parse.

But, then there is stuff like Line 391 that makes no sense to me, it has the standard list(list()) abuse, but then it has extra list()s within it containing what appears to be parameters- I have no idea how this works, as it seems like it would simply add the lists to the outer list (because list procs in byond are fucking insane). Then, it defines "command3" as a text value? All in combination, I get that it results in a few buttons for each supply pack allowing you to order and view the contents of them, but god knows how the fuck they actually come together. Replicating the same with -tg-'s slightly different supply pack system confuses me even further.

 

Then there is stuff like this and this blocks which I have no idea how to replicate with -tg-'s supply packs.

 

After that you have this shit which is almost completely different with -tg-'s system, and I have no idea how either one works.

 

[Crazylemon]

 

Well well, there's making an overstatement and then there's that post. It really isn't as bad as it's made out to be. Clearly you haven't had the pleasure of working with associative arrays in BYOND before.

 

I'm not happy about the UI being ripped out in favor of having the new shuttles in as quickly as possible, so I'll re-implement it myself.

Ah, marvelous! Thank you, Mark!

 

[alexpkeaton]

Thanks much for the fix. Already there has been changes to the airlocks allowing use of the conveyors again, with toggleable blast doors now to ensure no pressure losses during down periods. The shuttle is alo pressurized and heated now. Those are huge fixes in and of themselves.

[MarkvA]

 

Yea, bYOND really needs to get their shit together with regards to associatives/multidimensional arrays, their support for them is just terrible. And I agree that havong am array in for just the commands is overcomplicated.

 

I should get round to this today.

 

[MarkvA]

https://github.com/ParadiseSS13/Paradise/pull/2921