Mining turtle API

[iPSY]

Hi, i've just started looking into ComputerCraft, and has such I would like to get help setting a tunel mining turtle that returns to refuel and unload.

[Lethosos]

Should be a pre-loaded program on them that will do it for you. I don't recall the specifics, but see if excavate() works, and drop the turtle next to a chest so it'll remember where it is.

[Scotty Delicious]

A good starting point is the built in "excavate <size>" command. it takes one argument, the area to excavate. When using excavate, I like to hit F9 to see the chunk grid and place my mining turtle right in the corner of a chunk with its left side against one chunk border and it's back side against the other border (the turtle will go forward and right). Then I place a chest directly behind the turtle, then run

dimensional anchor next to the chest and tell it to load a 3x3 area. You will want a big chest because you are going to get a lot of cobble and dirt and it will fill up fast, so you can't just leave it unattended. A better option is to use a mining script. I personally like the Vertical Shaft (rabbit hole) ore miner. To install this program on your turtle, first give your turtle a label so it will remember its programs and fuel levels. Any name will do.

excavate 16

to excavate that entire chunk (16x16). Place a 

label set CharlesDouglasDiggerson

Then use the built in pastebin program to install the rabbit hole miner as a program named "mine" from the pastebin url http://pastebin.com/Mj1H7sMF.

pastebin get Mj1H7sMF mine

Next move your turtle to a mining location, preferably in the manner I described above following chunk lines and run the "mine". A text based console will come up asking how far forward and right to go and what your current Y level is (depth) so it can resume if you log out or crash. You can tell it what type of blocks to skip (I usually use smooth stone, gravel, and dirt) and what fuel to save (it will collect coal and put it in a second chest to refuel itself). This script could reasonably run unattended for a longer period of time, but you will still want to check in once in a while to make sure it is not filled with cobble since it will still have to collect some as it digs down.

[iPSY]

Im having a bit of a problem ... I've just placed a turtle (and then a computer to double check) and for some reason, it doesn't appear to boot, I can't type anything at all.