Neat Crafting [B42]

Neat Crafting replaces the default Build 42 crafting menu with a faster, cleaner, and more compact interface.

It is designed to make recipe browsing easier, with clearer icons, smarter categories, cleaner input/output panels, better recipe navigation, and more efficient handling of large modded recipe lists.

Dependency: NeatUI Framework must be enabled and loaded before Neat Crafting.

Neat Crafting focuses on making the crafting UI easier to read and faster to use, without changing recipe gameplay.

Main features:

• Cleaner and more compact crafting window
• Improved category list with clearer icons
• Better input and output item panels
• Faster browsing through large recipe lists
• Helpful item search shortcuts for recipe chains
• Improved handling for modded recipe lists
• SP / MP support on recent Build 42 versions

• NeatUI Framework
• Neat Crafting
• Neat Crafting addons, if any

If NeatUI Framework is missing or loaded after Neat Crafting, the UI may not open correctly.

If you want recipe XP gain and source mod information to be displayed in the recipe list, try this addon:

Neat Crafting & Neat Building – XP & Mod Display

It adds optional:

• XP gain lines
• XP breakdown formats
• Source mod lines
• XP-only and Mod-only filters

If the mod does not appear in your mod list, you are probably running Build 41.

This mod requires Project Zomboid Build 42.

Tested on: multiple Build 42 versions, including recent 42.18.x SP / MP Host / Dedicated setups.

Neat Crafting redesigns the default crafting panel to make important information easier to spot.

The goal is not to overload the screen, but to reduce clutter and make recipe browsing feel smoother.

Highlights:

• More visual and recognizable icons
• Cleaner recipe list layout
• Less unnecessary text in the main panel
• Better use of tooltips for extra details

The category list stays compact to save screen space, while detailed category names appear on hover.

This keeps navigation fast without losing clarity.

For modders:

• Custom category icons can be added in media/ui/CategoryIcon
• A base PSD file is included for convenience

The input panel is simplified so required items are easier to understand.

• Kept items are shown clearly
• Partially consumed items are marked clearly
• Fully consumed items avoid extra visual noise
• Kept items are shown first

Neat Crafting includes search shortcuts to help follow recipe chains.

For example, if a recipe requires an item that can also be crafted, you can use the magnifying glass button in the item panel to search for recipes that produce that item.

Recent versions also improve output slot navigation:

• Output slots can be selected and highlighted
• Possible output items can be shown in a dedicated panel
• Output item search can help find recipes that require that output

This is especially useful for survival-style crafting chains where one crafted item is needed for another recipe.

The crafting panel logic has been reworked so it updates only when needed.

This helps reduce unnecessary UI work and can improve responsiveness, especially with large modded recipe lists.

Feedback is especially welcome from players using large modpacks or lower-end PCs.

Gamepad support is not planned in the short term.

The current focus is finishing and maintaining the mouse / keyboard UI redesign first.

Controller support may be explored later.

Compatible:

• Craft and Build Category Translate [B42]
• The Shortcut

Known incompatible:

• what can i craft
• what can i craft addon

Other mods that directly modify the vanilla crafting panel usually should not affect Neat Crafting, but mods that add unusual or broken recipes may still cause issues.

If you find a problem, please report it with:

• Project Zomboid version
• SP / MP mode
• Mod list and load order
• Steps to reproduce
• Relevant part of console.txt

In Build 42 multiplayer, some mods may register WorldDictionary keys. If a world was saved with certain mods enabled and they are later removed, that save may fail to load.

Rule of thumb:

• If a world has used Neat Crafting or Neat Building, avoid removing them from that save or server
• Always make a full backup before changing mod lists on MP

In single player, removing Neat Crafting is usually safer, but making a backup is still recommended.

• Close Project Zomboid completely
• Unsubscribe from this mod
• Wait until Steam finishes removing it
• Subscribe again and wait for the download to finish
• Launch the game

• Original mod by Rocco: PZ Workshop Items
• Maintenance, compatibility updates, and newer Build 42 improvements by Afyrmo: PZ Workshop Items

This Workshop item is shared with credit to Rocco, the original creator of Neat Crafting.

About permission

You are free to extract and use any content from this mod without asking for permission.

If you want to republish this mod, you need to follow these rules:

1. There must be substantial and important improvements.
2. If this mod has not been updated for a long time and has caused many issues, you may modify and republish it.

Workshop ID: 3502080466
Mod ID: Neat_Crafting