Dynamically Setting Logistics Conditions

[socalrooster]

Hello good people, relatively new to factorio trying to navigate my way up the learning curve. I has question, pleased to answer. So...

How do I dynamically set logistics conditions based on some other condition? Specifically, I'm trying to balance production of intermediary items by first asking the logistics system if I have extra, then assembling them if I don't.

In the Picture: So here I have a belt factory with 3 requester chests asking for 100 yellow belt each. Fine. But now I'm about to build Green Science assemblers with requester chests asking for another 100 yb each. That breaks my red belt factory, unless I go reset each inserter manually.

Inserter Logistics Condition: YB < (# of requester chests asking for YB * 100)

Or, is there a better way to do this? Maybe throw them on a circuit somehow?

Thanks

[twepy]

First thing is to realize is that a logistics network will handle any demand equally and (currently) you cant set dynamic demand rules in a logistic network. The easiest solution is upgrading production to handle the demand and never worry about prioritizing demand.

However if you want to prioritize demand a simple solution is setting a enable/disable condition on the inserters of the green flask assemblers. For example Red belt > 100, now the inserters only function when there are more then 100 red belts in the logistic network, when it goes below the inserters stop grabbing yellow belts until there are more then 100 red belts again. Its not perfect because any unsatisfied demand of the requester chests will still be satisfied by the logistic network, so in case of shortage still a part of the yellow belts continue go to "the wrong place".

If you want priority the only real solution is a belt (without splitters) then the first inserter has most priority in grabbing yellow belts, as all latter inserters can only grab only the left overs from the previous inserter.

After rereading perhaps the question is how to prevent the logistic network taking all the yellow belts from one provider chest and force to take them from the chest with the highest amount. Short answer you cant. Personally i find the best way to to circumvent this is disable all slots in the chest but one (or any other amount) and remove the yellow belt condition on the inserters. Now it produces until the slot has a full stack of yellow belts and it matters less from witch chest the logistic network takes.

The other solution is to have only one provider chest for yellow belts and that inserter limited on production and have other inserters directly pull from the assembler, belt, ground or regular chests as long as it doenst count towards amount of yellow belts in the logistic network or pull from that one demand chest.

[socalrooster]

Thanks for your reply! I had to play with circuit networks to find a solution.

My solution is this:

1) Limit the requester chest to 2 empty slots (so my yb assembler doesn't over-produce)
2) Set the requester chest to ask for 2 full stacks of belt (to give my chest a nice buffer and time for my logistics system bots to bring yb if some exists)
3) Tie the inserter and requester chest together and have the inserter only pull yb from the assembler if there's <100 yb in the chest

[SyncViews]

First thing is to realize is that a logistics network will handle any demand equally and (currently) you cant set dynamic demand rules in a logistic network.

What do you mean by dynamically? You can do a "set requests", which could be done based on the current network contents?

Alternatively I have often disabled inserters, which is simpler since no circuits. The requester chest still ends up demanding a buffer, but that can be kept as small as possible and with the connected assembler "disabled" items soon get redirect to other more important things (e.g. so construction of new mines/furnaces/etc. gets done before science).