Forum: gaming.stackexchange.com
Tags: <dwarf-fortress>
Title: How do I collect rocks in Dwarf Fortress?
Question: How do I collect rocks etc that are laying about in tunnels I've dug in Dwarf Fortress?

Answers:
sents: text: Turn them into rock blocks (since a lot of blocks will go into a single bin in a storage room and that's much neater).
text: Clearing every stone takes a long time, but you can clear certain areas using burrows: Designating a burrow over the areayou want to clear. Select a lowly mason who will be your exclusive stone block maker andassign him to the burrow.
text: Build a mason's workshop inside the burrow.
text: Use the profiles screen on the workshop to restrict the dwarvesthat can work there to your chosenmason.
text: (You'll need to have amanager for this.)
text: Set make rock blocks to repeat!
text: Your lowly mason will dutifully go about their business selecting only stone from the burrow and will automatically take breaks to sleep and eat, so this is a pretty low-maintenance method.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/304/JavadocMD
score: 15
sents: text: another method is using the quantum storage trick/bug/cheat first, create a 1x1 refuse zone
text: ( i , move to were you want it, Enter , Enter ) and designate it as g arbage zone.
text: Now, you can select the area (any size) to dump in that zone ( d , b , d )
text: All items selected in the area will be hauled into that zone.
text: now, if you want to reclaim all the items in this zone, you can do it by using d , b , c , Enter , Enter
text: right on that zone
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/29/alexanderpas
score: 8
sents: text: Yet another option is to just hide the stones via d -> b -> h .
text: This only doesn't display the stones anymore, but they're still there!
text: Best used if you want your fortress to look nice quickly, without generating any jobs.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/1847/yatima2975
score: 5
sents: text: Designate a stone stockpile ( p , s ).
text: Your dwarves will automatically move any available stone to those.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/121/C. Ross
score: 4
sents: text: Usually I use the quantum storage method, with an atom smasher to clean up the mess, but there are some other tricks: To clean out a storage room, build a catapult and have it hurl rocks at the wall.
text: That way you're also training your siege operator.
text: They can be a bit silly about where they get the rocks, but usually they'll take the closest one.
text: Build floors where your rocks are, out of the same kind of rocks.
text: Unfortunately this needs a little bit of micromanagement, as dwarves will suspend a job as blocked if the spot has a stone on top of it which is earmarked for a different floor square.
text: But they'll still do most of them, and you can go back and clean up the suspended jobs later.
text: If you're willing to waste some Z-space, build your rooms or tunnels by channeling, then build floors, The rocks will fall to the level below, and you'll have a nice clean area.
text: (You've now got a space below with 2 rocks in it, but it's out of the way.)
text: Remember that if you have stones marked for dumping, they won't be moved by dwarves trying to construct on the site.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/2692/Scott
score: 4
sents: text: Similar to the quantum stock pile, I placed a refuse zone over a pond and it seams the items dumped there fall to the bottom.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/18447/Apeiron
score: 2

Summary of the answers:
Turn them into road blocks, build a workshop inside the burrow or designate a stone stockpile. You can also try building your rooms by tunneling.
You can turn them into rock blocks or build a mason's workshop inside the burrow.  Another option is to just hide the stones via  d  ->  b ->  h  or designate a stone  stockpile  ( p , s ).  You can also use the quantum storage trick/bug/cheat with an atom smasher to clean up the mess. There are also some other tricks: To clean out a storage room, build a catapult and have it hurl rocks at the wall.  Similar to the quantum stock pile, you can place a refuse zone over a pond and the items dumped there fall to the bottom.