Practical Logistics 4 - Foundations

FOUNDATIONS PL4

Practical Logistics, rebuilt for Minecraft 1.21.1

Minecraft 1.21.1 • NeoForge • Java 21

Compact logistics networks • Readers • Displays • Automation • Monitoring

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📡 Practical Logistics Returns

Foundations PL4 is a modern Minecraft 1.21.1 recreation and continuation of the ideas behind Practical Logistics 2.

PL4 brings compact multipart data networks, configurable readers, massive information displays, holographic monitors, machine diagnostics and automation tools into the modern NeoForge ecosystem.

The project aims to preserve the visual identity and workflow that made Practical Logistics 2 unique while rebuilding the underlying systems around modern Minecraft APIs.

Development Status: Foundations PL4 is currently in active alpha development. Core networking, readers, displays and editing systems are functional, while deeper historical PL2 functionality continues to be restored.

Compact readers, cables and displays can share extremely small spaces.

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🔌 Multipart Data Networks

PL4 is built around information networks, not ordinary item pipes. Connect machines and storage to a data network, inspect their contents with Readers, then present that information wherever you need it.

• Compact multipart-style Data Cables.
• Multiple compatible components inside the same block space.
• Directional connections and configurable cable ports.
• Separate data and redstone networks.
• Compact Reader + Display mounting.
• Wireless network components.
• Designed for machine rooms where information density matters.

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📊 Readers

Readers turn connected Minecraft systems into usable data.

📦 Inventory Reader

• Item counts.
• Filtering.
• Sorting.
• Item and block identification.
• Graphical Inventory Grid presentation.

💧 Fluid Reader

• Stored fluid amounts.
• Tank capacity.
• Fluid filtering.
• Graphical fluid displays and grids.

⚡ Energy Reader

Monitor supported power systems using their native units.

• FE — NeoForge energy.
• J — optional Mekanism Joules telemetry.
• EU — optional GregTech CEu telemetry.

PL4 intentionally keeps incompatible units separate rather than silently converting everything into a fake universal number.

ℹ Info Reader

Inspect useful world and machine information such as coordinates, redstone, time, weather, block information, machine values and other supported numeric data.

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🖥 Build Your Own Displays

Displays are a major part of Foundations PL4.

• Mini Displays.
• Standard Displays.
• Large Display Screens.
• Joined multi-block display walls.
• Holographic Displays.
• Advanced Holographic Displays.

Edit information directly on the monitor using PL4's PL2-inspired world-space display editor.

Graphical Display Elements

A display doesn't have to be a boring text list.

• Text / Value
• Item Icon
• Block Model
• Inventory Grid
• Fluid Tank
• Fluid Grid
• Progress / Energy Bar

Elements can be moved, resized, recolored and organized across multiple pages. Grid-based elements support configurable columns, and colors can be selected through PL4's visual palette or entered directly as hexadecimal values.

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🧱 Massive Display Walls

Large Display Screens can join together into one shared logical canvas.

• Build rectangular multi-monitor walls.
• Expand a display by placing panels along its edges.
• Canvas size increases with the physical monitor wall.
• Custom layouts are shared across the entire joined display.
• Saved layouts survive expansion and controller changes.

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🌐 Holographic Displays

For builds where a conventional monitor isn't enough, PL4 includes holographic display systems.

• Wall mounting.
• Floor mounting.
• Ceiling mounting.
• Configurable viewing direction.
• Reader-driven information presentation.

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🔨 Forging Hammer

The PL4 Forging Hammer restores another major Practical Logistics concept.

• Animated multi-block hammer.
• Dedicated inventory GUI.
• Automated input and output.
• Data-driven forging recipes.
• Persistent machine progress.
• KubeJS/datapack-compatible recipe format.

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📦 Transfer & Wireless Systems

• Transfer Nodes.
• Item transfer.
• Fluid transfer.
• FE transfer.
• Add / Remove / Passive transfer modes.
• Filtering and priority.
• Data Emitters and Receivers.
• Arrays.
• Entity Nodes.
• Transceivers.
• Wireless Storage foundations.

Several of the more advanced historical Practical Logistics routing and remote-interaction features are still being restored during alpha development.

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📖 Foundations PL4 Field Guide

You don't need a wiki open on another monitor just to get started.

PL4 ships with a dedicated in-game Foundations PL4 Field Guide, designed like a technical service manual using PL4's graphite and cyan visual language.

• Welcome section.
• Getting-started walkthrough.
• First Inventory Monitor tutorial.
• Graphical Display tutorial.
• Energy monitoring walkthrough.
• Large Display expansion tutorial.
• Holographic Display walkthrough.
• Forging Hammer tutorial.
• Network reference.
• Display reference.
• Search.
• Bookmarks.
• Troubleshooting.

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🧩 KubeJS & Datapacks

PL4's registered items, tags, crafting recipes and Forging Hammer recipes are data-driven.

The following recipe type can be supplied through datapacks or KubeJS custom JSON:

foundations_pl4:forging_hammer

A dedicated PL4 KubeJS scripting API is planned separately.

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⚙ Requirements

• Minecraft: 1.21.1
• Loader: NeoForge
• Java: 21

Foundations PL4 contains the functionality needed from the historical Sonar Core implementation. A separate Sonar Core installation is not required.

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🧪 Alpha Development

Foundations PL4 is being developed in public alpha revisions.

During alpha development you should:

• Back up important worlds before updating.
• Use matching PL4 versions on client and server.
• Report broken connections, incorrect rendering and unexpected behavior.
• Include logs and screenshots whenever possible.

The goal is to build toward a modern, stable successor to Practical Logistics 2 without hiding unfinished systems behind a fake "complete" label.

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💙 Support Foundations Development

Development updates, testing, streams and community discussion are available through:

Small Parts. Big Displays. Better Information.

Foundations PL4