Dispenser

Dispenser

Type	Block
Requirements	None
Physics	No
Transparency	No
Luminance	No
Blast resistance	17.5
Hardness	3.5
Tool
Renewable	Yes
Stackable	Yes (64)
Flammable	No
First appearances	See history
Drops	[[Dispenser|]] (1) plus contents
Block Entity ID	dispenser
Data value	dec: 23 hex: 17 bin: 10111
Name	dispenser

A dispenser is a solid block used as a redstone component to dispense items.

Obtaining

A dispenser can be mined using any pickaxe. If mined without a pickaxe, it will drop nothing.

Block	Dispenser
Hardness	3.5
Tool
Breaking time
Hand	17.5
Wooden	2.65
Stone	1.35
Iron	0.9
Diamond	0.7
Golden	0.45

Crafting

Ingredients	Crafting recipe	Description
Cobblestone + Bow + Redstone		The bow must be undamaged. Enchantments on the bow do not affect the resulting dispenser.

Natural generation

Two dispensers are naturally generated in every jungle temple.

Usage

A dispenser can be used as a container and as a redstone component which dispenses items when activated, with results varying on the item dispensed.

To place a dispenser, use it while pointing at a surface adjacent to the space it should occupy. A dispenser can be placed so that its output faces in any direction, including up or down. When placed, a dispenser will face towards the player placing it.

A dispenser cannot be moved by pistons,^{[Computer and Console editions]} and water and lava will flow around a dispenser.

Container

The dispenser GUI.

A dispenser has 9 slots of inventory space.

To open the dispenser GUI, use the Use Item control. To move items between the dispenser inventory and the player inventory or hotbar while the dispenser GUI is open, drag or shift-click the items. To exit the dispenser GUI, use the Esc control.

By default, the GUI of a dispenser is labeled "Dispenser". A dispenser's GUI label can be changed by naming the dispenser in an anvil before placing it, or by using the blockdata command. For example, to label a dispenser at (0,64,0) "Alice's Dispenser", use blockdata 0 64 0 {CustomName:"Alice's Dispenser"}.

A dispenser can be "locked" by setting the dispenser's Lock tag. If a dispenser's Lock tag is not blank, the dispenser cannot be accessed except by players holding an item with the same name as the Lock tag's text. A dispenser's Lock tag can be set or unset with the blockdata command. For example, to lock a dispenser at (0,64,0) so that only players holding an item named "Alice's Key" can access the dispenser, use blockdata 0 64 0 {Lock:"Alice's Key"}.

Redstone component

See also: Redstone circuit

A dispenser can be used to randomly dispense its contents.

Activation

A dispenser is a redstone mechanism and can be activated by:

• an adjacent active power component: for example, a redstone torch (except that a redstone torch will not activate a dispenser it is attached to), a block of redstone, a daylight sensor, etc.
• an adjacent powered opaque block (for example, a block with an active redstone torch under it)
• a powered redstone repeater or redstone comparator facing the dispenser
• powered redstone dust configured to point at the dispenser, or on top of it, or a directionless "dot" next to it; a dispenser is not activated by adjacent powered redstone dust which is configured to point in another direction.

Some of these methods can activate a dispenser (in the sense of triggering an action) without actually powering the dispenser (in the sense of whether the dispenser will power adjacent redstone dust, etc.).

In addition to the methods above, a dispenser can also be activated by quasi-connectivity. A dispenser will be activated if one of the methods above would activate a mechanism component in the block above the dispenser, even if there is no mechanism component there (even if the block above the dispenser is air or a transparent block), but only when the dispenser receives a block update (including a redstone update within two blocks of the dispenser).

A dispenser will not activate if it has been less than 1 redstone tick (2 game ticks, or 0.1 seconds barring lag) since its last activation ended.

Behavior

When activated, a dispenser waits 2 redstone ticks (4 game ticks, or 0.2 seconds barring lag) and then ejects one item. The dispenser does not continue to eject items while activated -- ejection occurs only on the initial activation (the rising edge of an input signal). To eject multiple items, repeatedly activate the dispenser with a clock circuit.

If multiple slots are occupied by items, a random occupied slot will be chosen for ejection. The slot is chosen when an item is ejected, not when the dispenser is initially activated, thus it is possible to move items into or out of a dispenser between its activation and item dispensing.

The effects of being activated vary with the type of ejected item. Most items will simply be thrown in the direction the dispenser is facing, as if a player had used the Drop Item control. (Unlike a dropper, a dispenser can't feed another container.) Other items will behave differently when dispensed:

Dispenser Behavior
Item	Effect
Armor Shield	Equips on a player or armor stand within the block the dispenser is facing with empty appropriate armor slot (any armor, made from any material).
Arrow Spectral Arrow Tipped Arrow	Fired in the direction the dispenser is facing.
Boat	Placed as entity (i.e., a right-clickable vehicle) in the block the dispenser is facing, if the dispenser is facing water or an empty block above water — otherwise dropped.
Bone Meal	Uses bone meal (as fertilizer) on the block the dispenser is facing, if possible. If the block faced does not react to bonemeal, no bone meal is used.
Bottle o' Enchanting Egg Snowball Splash Potion Lingering Potion	Thrown in the direction the dispenser is facing, as if the player had right-clicked the item in their inventory. Splash potions and lingering potions are fired farther.
Bucket	Collects lava or water source block the dispenser is facing, adding the newly filled bucket to an empty slot in the dispenser's inventory. If there isn't room in the dispenser for the newly-filled bucket (i.e. the empty bucket was part of a stack and all other slots in the dispenser are also full), drops the filled bucket. If no source block is in front of the dispenser, drops an empty bucket.
Fire Charge	Launches fireball (as if produced by a blaze) in the direction the dispenser is facing. When a dispensed fireball hits a mob (including a player) or a block, the mob or block will be set on fire. When a dispensed fireball hits a boat or minecart, the vehicle will be destroyed and drop itself as an item.
Firework Rocket	Placed in front of the dispenser and launched upwards.
Flint and Steel	If the dispenser is facing an air block, place fire in the air block and reduce durability of the flint and steel. If the dispenser is facing TNT, ignite the TNT. Otherwise, do nothing.
Lava Bucket Water Bucket	Places lava or water in the block the dispenser is facing (replacing the lava or water bucket in the dispenser with an empty bucket), if the block the dispenser is facing is one that the player could use a lava or water bucket on (e.g., air, flowers, grass, etc. — doesn't work with a cauldron) — otherwise dropped. Water dispensed in The Nether will disappear instantly, leaving only the empty bucket in the dispenser.
Minecart Minecart with Chest Minecart with Command Block Minecart with Furnace Minecart with Hopper Minecart with TNT Minecart with Spawner	Placed as entity (i.e., a right-clickable vehicle) in the block the dispenser is facing, if the dispenser is facing a type of rails — otherwise dropped.
Mob Head Pumpkin	Placed as blocks. If placement completes the construction of an iron golem, snow golem, or wither, the entity will be created as if constructed by a player. Equips on a player, mob or armor stand with an empty helmet slot, within the block the dispenser is facing.
Spawn Egg	Summons a mob in front of the dispenser.
TNT	Places and ignites TNT in the block the dispenser is facing, with a small velocity in a random direction.
Others	Dropped: Ejected towards the block the dispenser is facing, as if a player had used the Drop Item control.

When a dispenser dispenses an item, it emits a clicking sound (unless the item is a projectile or a spawn egg) and a smoke particle. If it is empty when activated, it emits a slightly higher-pitched click. The noise of a dispenser can be heard up to 16 blocks away.

A dispenser is a full solid opaque block, so powering it directly can cause adjacent mechanism components (including other dispensers) to activate as well.

Data values

Every dispenser has the ID name minecraft:dispenser, and is further defined by its block data and block entity. A dispenser also has a block state which is expected to replace the functionality of block data in a future version.

Block data

See also: Data values

A dispenser uses its block data field to store its orientation and activation status:

Bits	Values
0x1 0x2 0x4	Three bits storing a value from 0 to 5: 0: Dispenser facing down 1: Dispenser facing up 2: Dispenser facing north 3: Dispenser facing south 4: Dispenser facing west 5: Dispenser facing east
0x8	If set, the dispenser is activated.

Block entity

See also: Block entity format

A dispenser has a block entity associated with it that holds additional data about the block. The block's block entity ID is dispenser.

• 
  Block entity data
  • Tags common to all block entities see Template:Nbt inherit/blockentity/template
  • 
     CustomName: Optional. The name of this container, which will display in its GUI where the default name ordinarily is.
  • 
     Lock: Optional. When not blank, prevents the container from being opened unless the opener is holding an item whose name matches this string.
  • 
     Items: List of items in the container.
    • 
      : An item, including the slot tag. Dispenser slots are numbered 0-8 with 0 in the top left corner.
      • Tags common to all items see Template:Nbt inherit/item/template
  • 
     LootTable: Optional. Loot table to be used to fill the dispenser when it is next opened, or the items are otherwise interacted with.
  • 
     LootTableSeed: Optional. Seed for generating the loot table. 0 or omitted will use a random seed.

Block state

See also: Block states

Name	Value	Description
facing	north south east west up down	The direction the dispenser will dispense its contents. The opposite from the direction the player faces while placing the dispenser.
triggered	true false	True if the dispenser is activated.

History

Beta
1.2				30px Introduced dispensers.
Official release
1.2.1		12w03a		They are now able to spawn mobs from a spawn egg.
		12w04a		The dispenser's texture was changed.
1.3.1		12w15a		Dispensers were given the ability to place boats and Minecarts.
		12w21a		Dispensers were given the ability to shoot the liquids inside water and lava buckets. They could also suck up the liquids if activated again, filling up the buckets with the liquid dropped.
		12w22a		Dispensers can naturally generate within jungle temples and are filled with a random amount of arrows that will shoot the player should they touch the tripwire connected to it or destroy it without shears
January 18, 2013				Dinnerbone has stated that dispensers will have more features in future, so players should stick to using droppers to dispense items.
1.5		13w04a		Dispensers can now face all 6 directions.
				Dispensers were given the ability to use many new items. These include TNT, bone meal, flint and steel and equip armor.
		13w10b		Powered dispensers now do not fire if they receive a redstone update.
1.8		14w04a		Dispensers can be used to place the pumpkin to activate iron golems, snow golems and the wither skeleton skull to activate the wither.
		14w07a		Dispensers now place command blocks instead of shooting it out.
1.8.6				Dispensers no longer place command blocks, as it constituted a vulnerability.
1.9		15w33a		Dispensers shoot splash potions and lingering potions much farther than before.
		15w33c		Dispensers shoot fire charges as ender dragon fireballs, instead of as blaze fireballs.
		15w39c		Dispensers now equip mob heads and pumpkins.
		15w44b		Dispensers once again shoot fire charges as blaze fireballs.
1.9.1		pre1		Dispensers now can use loot tables, and those in generated in jungle temples now use loot tables.
1.10		16w21a		Can now equip shields, like armor.
1.11		16w32a		The block entity ID is changed from Trap to dispenser.
		16w39c		Now dispenses boats facing the same way as the dispenser, instead of toward the dispenser.
Pocket Edition Alpha
0.14.0		build 1		Added dispensers.
0.15.0		build 1		Dispensers can now be moved by pistons.
Console Edition
TU1			Patch 1	30px Added dispensers.
TU3				Dispensers use the 1.2.1 (12w04a) texture.
TU5				Added quick move to the dispenser.
TU9				Dispensers are now able to spawn mobs from a spawn egg.
				They were given the ability to shoot out the liquids inside water and lava buckets. They could also suck up the liquids if activated again, but did not fill up the buckets with the liquid dropped due to a bug.
TU10				Fixed the bug where the liquid did not properly fill empty buckets.
TU19				Can now face in any direction.
TU31	CU19	1.22	Patch 3	Can place pumpkins or wither skeleton skulls to spawn golems and withers providing the body is already built in a valid configuration.

Issues

Issues relating to “Dispenser” are maintained on the issue tracker. Report issues there.

Gallery

• 

  Dispensers can be placed facing up and down, as well as the side orientation.

• 

  Dispensers placed facing down and up.

• 

  The first image released by Mojang showing the new placement of Dispensers and Droppers. The Dispenser can be seen on the top.

See also

Some other blocks can also be used to move items:

• Droppers can throw items or push them into adjacent containers.
• Hoppers can push items into adjacent containers.
• Ice and packed ice have reduced friction to item entity movement.
• Slime blocks can impart velocity to item entities when pushed by a piston.
• Water can push item entities.

References

Blocks

View at: Template:Blocks/content [edit]