Placeable Workbenches

Placeable workbenches allow players to deploy their own crafting stations in the world. This is ideal for player-owned bases, gang hideouts, or any scenario where fixed workbench locations are not sufficient.

Overview

Players use a workbench item from their inventory to place a prop in the world. The placed workbench functions identically to a static station of the same type -- it supports all the same recipes, leveling, tech trees, and queue features. Placed workbenches persist across server restarts and can be picked up by the owner.

Default Workbench Types

sd-crafting ships with two placeable workbench types:

Item Key	Label	Type	Prop Model	Recipe Tables	Tech Trees
workbench	Basic Workbench	basic	prop_tool_bench02	all, basic	basic_survival, basic_exploration
advanced_workbench	Advanced Workbench	advanced	gr_prop_gr_bench_04b	all, basic, advanced	technology, exploration, survival, engineering

Configuration

Placeable workbenches are defined in the PlaceableWorkbenches table in configs/config.lua:

PlaceableWorkbenches = {
    ['workbench'] = {
        label = 'Basic Workbench',
        type = 'basic',
        prop = 'prop_tool_bench02',
        recipes = { 'all', 'basic' },
        techTrees = { 'basic_survival', 'basic_exploration' },
        -- job = { name = 'mechanic', minGrade = 0 },
        -- gang = 'ballas',
        -- CraftingBehavior = { ... },
    },
},

Field Reference

Field	Type	Required	Description
label	string	Yes	Display name shown in the UI and target prompt
type	string	Yes	Workbench type for per-workbench leveling (e.g. 'basic', 'advanced'). Matches types in Leveling.workbenchTypes
prop	string	Yes	GTA V prop model name for the placed object
recipes	table	Yes	Array of recipe table names from configs/recipes.lua (e.g. { 'all', 'basic' })
techTrees	table	No	Array of tech tree IDs from configs/techtrees.lua
job	table	No	Job restriction: { name = 'mechanic', minGrade = 0 }. minGrade is optional and defaults to 0
gang	string	No	Gang restriction (QBCore only): 'ballas'
CraftingBehavior	table	No	Override global CraftingBehavior for this workbench type. Only include settings you want to change -- missing settings use global defaults

CraftingBehavior Override Example

['workbench'] = {
    label = 'Basic Workbench',
    type = 'basic',
    prop = 'prop_tool_bench02',
    recipes = { 'all', 'basic' },
    CraftingBehavior = {
        preventCloseWhileCrafting = false,
        allowCraftingAnywhere = { enabled = true, notifyPlayer = true },
        sharedCrafting = { placed = true },
    },
},

Only the settings you include are overridden. Everything else falls back to the global CraftingBehavior in configs/config.lua.

Creating a New Workbench Type

Step 1: Define the Workbench

Add a new entry to PlaceableWorkbenches in configs/config.lua:

PlaceableWorkbenches = {
    -- Existing workbenches...

    ['medical_workbench'] = {
        label = 'Medical Station',
        type = 'medical',
        prop = 'prop_med_bag_01b',
        recipes = { 'all', 'medical' },
        techTrees = { 'medical_tree' },
        job = { name = 'ambulance', minGrade = 0 },  -- Optional: restrict to EMS
    },
},

Step 2: Create the Recipe Table

Add a 'medical' table to configs/recipes.lua:

['medical'] = {
    {
        id = 'medkit',
        name = 'firstaid',
        craftTime = 15,
        category = 'healing',
        xpReward = 40,
        levelRequired = 1,
        ingredients = {
            { item = 'bandage', amount = 3 },
            { item = 'painkillers', amount = 2 },
        },
    },
},

Step 3: Register the Inventory Item

Add the item to your inventory system (see the installation guide).

Step 4: (Optional) Add Leveling Config

If you want custom leveling for the new type, add it to Leveling.workbenchTypes:

workbenchTypes = {
    ['medical'] = {
        levels = {
            [1] = 0, [2] = 150, [3] = 400, [4] = 800, [5] = 1500,
        },
        maxLevel = 5,
    },
},

Step 5: (Optional) Add a Shop Entry

To let players buy the workbench from an NPC, add it to a shop in Shops:

items = {
    {
        id = 'medical_workbench',
        label = 'Medical Station',
        description = 'A portable medical crafting station',
        icon = 'fa-solid fa-kit-medical',
        price = 10000,
    },
},

Shared vs Per-Player Behavior

Placed workbenches support both shared and per-player modes for crafting queues and staged items. These are controlled by the CraftingBehavior.sharedCrafting and InventoryPanel.perWorkbench settings in the main config.

Crafting Queue

Setting	Behavior
sharedCrafting.placed = true (default)	All players using a placed workbench share the same crafting queue
sharedCrafting.placed = false	Each player has their own independent queue per placed workbench

Staged Items

Setting	Behavior
InventoryPanel.perWorkbench.placed = true (default)	Staged items are shared per-workbench -- all users see the same items
InventoryPanel.perWorkbench.placed = false	Each player has their own staged items per workbench

Tech Tree

Setting	Behavior
sharedPlacedWorkbench.enabled = true (default)	All players using the same placed workbench share tech points and unlocked nodes
sharedPlacedWorkbench.enabled = false	Each player has their own tech progress (still per workbench type if perWorkbenchType is true)

Permissions System

When Permissions.enabled = true (default), placed workbenches have an access control system:

• Only the owner (the player who placed it) can use the workbench initially.
• The owner can add other players by their server source ID via the Permissions tab in the UI.
• Added players can use the workbench for crafting but cannot manage permissions.
• The owner can remove players from the access list at any time.

Crafting History

When History.enabled = true (default), placed workbenches display a History tab showing:

• Who crafted what item
• Timestamps of crafting events
• Configurable date format (DMY or MDY)

History is always saved to the database regardless of the UI setting. The enabled flag only controls whether the tab is visible.

Setting	Default	Description
History.maxEntries	100	Maximum entries per workbench (oldest removed when exceeded)
History.ownerOnlyDelete	true	Only the owner can delete history entries
History.dateFormat	'DMY'	'DMY' for DD/MM/YYYY or 'MDY' for MM/DD/YYYY

Placement Behavior

Raycast Placement (default)

When useGizmo = false, the player enters a point-and-place mode:

1. The item is removed from the player's inventory.
2. A ghost preview of the prop follows the player's aim.
3. The player can rotate the prop and confirm placement.
4. The workbench is saved to the database and persists across restarts.

Configuration:

useGizmo = false,
raycastDistance = 10.0,  -- Max placement distance
raycastFlags = -1,       -- -1 = detect everything (including housing shells)

Gizmo Placement

When useGizmo = true, the object_gizmo resource is used for full 3D positioning and rotation:

1. The item is removed from the player's inventory.
2. The gizmo tool activates, allowing free positioning and rotation.
3. Press ENTER to confirm, BACKSPACE to cancel.
4. The workbench is saved to the database.

WARNING

Gizmo placement requires the object_gizmo resource to be installed and started.

Picking Up a Workbench

The owner can pick up a placed workbench via the target interaction. A confirmation dialog will appear warning that items in the crafting inventory may be lost. On confirmation:

1. The workbench prop is removed from the world.
2. The workbench item is returned to the player's inventory.
3. The database record is deleted.

WARNING

Make sure to remove all items from the crafting inventory before picking up a workbench, as staged items will be lost.

Choosing a Prop Model

The prop field accepts any valid GTA V prop model name. When selecting a prop:

• Choose a model that visually represents a workstation or crafting surface.
• Ensure the prop has reasonable collision so it sits naturally on the ground.
• Test placement indoors and outdoors -- some props clip through floors or walls.

You can browse GTA V prop models on community sites or use a prop spawner in-game to preview models before committing to one. The admin command /placeworkbench can also be used to test prop placement and get coordinates for static stations.