Detailed and Compact Mode
How planner mode changes what you see and how you work.
Detailed and Compact are two planner modes. The mode changes how much structure and detail you see while you work.
You choose the mode when you create a factory or when you create a subfactory. The current mode is also shown in the planner toolbar and on subfactory nodes.
What detailed mode is for
Detailed mode is the full view. Use it when you need to inspect one machine, one resource node, or one connection closely.
Detailed mode is usually the better choice when you want to:
- debug a layout that is not behaving the way you expect
- inspect warnings and capacity problems
- read full machine inputs, outputs, power, and efficiency
- edit belts or pipes from a selected connection card
This is the mode where Ferrumium gives you the most local detail. If you are asking why one part of the layout is wrong, start here.
What compact mode is for
Compact mode is for higher-level planning. It keeps the same factory logic, but it reduces how much per-node detail is always visible.
Compact mode is usually the better choice when you want to:
- keep a large layout readable
- group identical machines into a smaller number of nodes
- look at total rates without opening every part of the plan
- work on structure before fine-grained troubleshooting
Compact mode is not a summary page. It is still the planner. It just presents the same plan with less visual weight.
What changes between the modes
| Area | Detailed | Compact |
|---|---|---|
| Machine and resource nodes | Shows local fields and readouts per node | Groups repeated machines or extractors into compact nodes |
| Connections | Selected connections can show the full detail card | Connections stay lighter and mainly show current rate |
| Troubleshooting | Better for local warnings and diagnosis | Better for keeping large layouts readable |
| Visual density | Higher | Lower |
For the page-level details, see Nodes and Connections.
What does not change
Changing mode does not change the goal of the factory. It changes how the planner presents the layout.
The plan still has the same structure, the same item flow, and the same need for correct inputs and outputs. Compact mode does not make a broken layout valid. Detailed mode does not change the production target by itself.
Which one should you use
Use Detailed when you are building a section carefully or chasing down a problem.
Use Compact when the layout has grown large enough that the full view is slowing you down visually.
A simple rule works well:
- use
Detailedto diagnose - use
Compactto manage scale
Common misunderstanding
The mode is not just a cosmetic toggle. It changes what kind of planner objects you work with and how much detail is always on screen.
That is why some controls, labels, and summaries look different between the two modes. If a wiki page sounds too general, check whether it is describing Detailed, Compact, or both.