config option for ignoring fronts of containers

.timetracker

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
- "total": 73071,
+ "total": 75390,
  "sessions": [
   {
    "begin": "2026-03-11T23:50:47+01:00",
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@
    "begin": "2026-03-15T21:00:39+01:00",
    "end": "2026-03-15T23:04:35+01:00",
    "duration": 7435
+  },
+  {
+   "begin": "2026-03-28T03:48:55+01:00",
+   "end": "2026-03-28T04:27:34+01:00",
+   "duration": 2319
   }
  ]
 }

ChestPreview/ChestPreview/Configs/Config.cs

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ public sealed class Config
 
     public bool HoldKey { get; set; } = true;
 
+    public bool BillboardIgnoreFront { get; set; } = false;
+
     public int BillboardColumnsPerBlock { get; set; } = 4;
 
     public int ColumnsUnderCursor { get; set; } = 10;

ChestPreview/ChestPreview/Rendering/WorldBillboardPresenter.cs

@@ -11,12 +11,13 @@ using Vintagestory.GameContent;
 
 namespace ChestPreview.Rendering;
 
-internal class WorldBillboardPresenter(ICoreClientAPI api)
+internal class WorldBillboardPresenter(ICoreClientAPI api, Config config)
 {
     private const int multiblock_scan_radius = 2;
     private static readonly float front_face_offset = 0.05f;
 
     private readonly ICoreClientAPI api = api;
+    private readonly Config config = config;
     private readonly List<BillboardTarget> frameBillboards = [];
 
     public IReadOnlyList<BillboardTarget> FrameBillboards => frameBillboards;
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ internal class WorldBillboardPresenter(ICoreClientAPI api)
         right = new Vec3f(1f, 0f, 0f);
         up = new Vec3f(0f, 1f, 0f);
 
-        if (TryGetMeshAngle(blockEntity, out float meshAngleRadians))
+        if (!config.BillboardIgnoreFront && TryGetMeshAngle(blockEntity, out float meshAngleRadians))
         {
             // MeshAngle is around Y axis in radians.
             forward = new Vec3f(MathF.Sin(meshAngleRadians), 0f, MathF.Cos(meshAngleRadians));
@@ -171,7 +172,7 @@ internal class WorldBillboardPresenter(ICoreClientAPI api)
             return true;
         }
 
-        if (TryGetBlockSideFacing(block, out forward))
+        if (!config.BillboardIgnoreFront && TryGetBlockSideFacing(block, out forward))
         {
             BuildBasisFromForward(forward, out right, out up);
             return true;

ChestPreview/ChestPreview/Rendering/WorldBillboardRenderer.cs

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ internal class WorldBillboardRenderer(ICoreClientAPI api, Config config, CardRen
     private readonly List<PreviewTarget> frameTargets = [];
     private readonly CardRenderer cardRenderer = cardRenderer;
     private readonly PreviewTargetProvider targetProvider = new(api, config);
-    private readonly WorldBillboardPresenter worldBillboardPresenter = new(api);
+    private readonly WorldBillboardPresenter worldBillboardPresenter = new(api, config);
     private readonly MeshRef quadMeshRef = api.Render.UploadMesh(
         QuadMeshUtil.GetCustomQuadModelData(
             1f,

ChestPreview/ChestPreview/assets/chestpreview/config/configlib-patches.json

@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@
             "default": true,
             "clientSide": true
         },
+        {
+            "code": "BillboardIgnoreFront",
+            "comment": "config-desc-BillboardIgnoreFront",
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "default": false,
+            "clientSide": true
+        },
         {
             "code": "BillboardColumnsPerBlock",
             "comment": "config-desc-BillboardColumnsPerBlock",

ChestPreview/ChestPreview/assets/chestpreview/lang/en.json

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
     "hotkey-preview-containers-nearby": "Preview containers nearby",
     "config-desc-Mode": "Preview mode. Valid values: None, UnderCursor, OnHoveredContainer, OnNearbyContainers.",
     "config-desc-HoldKey": "Previews only show while the \"Preview containers\" key is held.",
+    "config-desc-BillboardIgnoreFront": "With this set to false, in-world previews show on the front side of containers. By setting this to true, the previews show on the side determined to be most visible.",
     "config-desc-BillboardColumnsPerBlock": "Columns per block width used for world billboards. For containers 2 blocks wide it's doubled.",
     "config-desc-ColumnsUnderCursor": "Columns in the UnderCursor mode.",
     "config-desc-PreviewNearbyRadius": "Radius for \"Preview containers nearby\".",