[SOLVED] Fluid boxes not moving resources

[Shenpen]

Solved



My fluid boxes seemingly not functional:

I am trying to build a mining drill/pumpjack that will take mining fluid (nitric acid) and output some sludge.

While seemingly connected to pipes for input of mining fluid and pipes for the mined sludge it can not run.

When i coment out the requirement for mining fluid, it runs (as seen in screenie) but does not output to output-pipes.


Are there special requirements for fluid box coordinates that I have not filled?

Are there other explanations?

Code: Select all

{
    type = "mining-drill",
    name = "fracking-station-dl",
    icon = "__druglab__/graphics/icons/deepdrill.png",
	icon_size = 32,
    flags = {"placeable-neutral", "player-creation"},
    minable = {mining_time = 1, result = "fracking-station-dl"},
    resource_categories = {"fracking-sludge"},
    max_health = 200,
    corpse = "big-remnants",
    dying_explosion = "medium-explosion",
	
	collision_box = {{-2, -2}, {2, 2}},
    selection_box = {{-2, -2}, {2, 2}},
	
    --collision_box = {{-2.5, -2.5}, {2.5, 2.5}},
    --selection_box = {{-2.5, -2.5}, {2.5, 2.5}},
	

    --drawing_box = {{-2.5, -2.5}, {2.5, 2.5}}, --???? legacy?????
    energy_source =
    {
      type = "electric",
      -- will produce this much * energy pollution units per tick
      emissions = 0.15 / 1.5,
      usage_priority = "secondary-input"
    },
	output_fluid_box =
    {
      base_area = 1,
      base_level = 0,
      pipe_covers = pipecoverspictures(),
      pipe_connections =
      {
        {
		  positions = { {1.45, -2.6}, {2.6, -1.45},{-1.45, 2.6}, {-2.6, 1.45}  }	
        }
      },
    },
	input_fluid_box =
    {
      base_area = 1,
      base_level = 0,
      pipe_covers = pipecoverspictures(),
      pipe_connections =
      {
        {
		positions = { {-1.45, 2.6}, {-2.6, 1.45},{1.45, -2.6},{2.6, -1.45} }}
      },
    },....
	

Screenie(with mining fluid requirement disabled):

fluidboxes not moving resources.png (645.87 KiB) Viewed 4601 times

[orzelek]

You made this building to be a mining drill.
They might not support fluid boxes normally. In base game fluid box is somehow activated by placing the drill on ore that requires fluid to mine.
Try making it into a furnance if you want automatic recipe selection or assembler for manual one.

[Shenpen]

You made this building to be a mining drill.
They might not support fluid boxes normally. In base game fluid box is somehow activated by placing the drill on ore that requires fluid to mine.
Try making it into a furnance if you want automatic recipe selection or assembler for manual one.

As I understand the game mechanics your solution will not work for what is planned.

It might not be ovbious from the text above or the screenshot, but the Fracking station is actually placed on a "Shale Formation" resource, modeled on base game crude oil. For that reason, it is important to make the Fracking Station either a mining drill or a "miningdrill/pumpjack". Preferable the last option. Question is how.

If I make the entity either an assempler or a furnace, then production of the fracking sludge will not be dependent on placement on a "oil-like" resource, which is dispersed on the map by autoplacement.




And don't let the greasy graphic fool you, the shale formation is rock solid!


If I understand you correctly, the mining drill will have an input fluidbox iff there is a fluid requirement. And that finding an output fluid box in a mining drill might be tricky.
But as we all know it is not impossible: The base game pumpjack is such a miningdrill and comes with a perfect output fluid box. Regrettably it does not normally have any input fluidbox. Question is how to get both, which again might prove tricky.

So either persuade a mining drill proper to output through an output fluidbox. Or conversely find a way to make the trusted pumpjack accept a bit of fluid requirement.

There is language in the wiki to suggest that this should not be impossible:

There may be machines that have pipe sockets for both input and output (like a drill placed over uranium ore).

https://wiki.factorio.com/Fluid_system

Obviously the point of those fluidboxes is only that the drill should be able to pass on the required fluid to the next in line drill. Question is how hard-coded the special adaptations to that purpose are.

shale formation.png (598.57 KiB) Viewed 4581 times

If I make the fracking station require fluid - nitric acid (in lieu of the actual fracking emulsion) - it shows the requirement as normal for a mining drill, but does no longer run the production. Presumably because it cant fill the requirement without a properly connected fluidbox full of acid. That this does not work is probably explained by the fact that the entity is a mining drill-pumpjack that might lack the internals for implementing the fluid requirements.

Edit: I put the solution up as a suggestion:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=55668

[bobingabout]

You made this building to be a mining drill.
They might not support fluid boxes normally. In base game fluid box is somehow activated by placing the drill on ore that requires fluid to mine.
Try making it into a furnance if you want automatic recipe selection or assembler for manual one.

The pumpjack is a mining drill... they can mine fluids too.

in fact you can even make a fracking drill... requires water to mine, produces natural gas... of course it's the ore patch that tells it that it needs the water to get gas.

[Shenpen]

You made this building to be a mining drill.
They might not support fluid boxes normally. In base game fluid box is somehow activated by placing the drill on ore that requires fluid to mine.
Try making it into a furnance if you want automatic recipe selection or assembler for manual one.

The pumpjack is a mining drill... they can mine fluids too.

in fact you can even make a fracking drill... requires water to mine, produces natural gas... of course it's the ore patch that tells it that it needs the water to get gas.

Yes. The problem is that you need both input and output fluid boxes before the entity can run the production and output the product.
And while the pumpjack is a mining drill and has an output fluidbox, it doesnt seem to have any input fluidbox.

At least activating the fluid requirement in the resource/ore specification seem to remove the output fluidbox - aka making the pumpjack a standard miningdrill again.

If only there was a way to prevent this or to force the mining drill to be a pumpjack in spite of a fluid requirement in the ore specification. AND retain the input fluidbox functionality.

However you choose to put it, it comes down to the huge benefit of having two large fluidboxes available.

Or as Action Bronson puts it:

Code: Select all

The money eases everybody's mind
Put kids through school, new titties on wives
New tits for the mistress
Fuck it, new titties for everybody, it's Christmas, yeah

https://genius.com/Action-bronson-stand ... ain-lyrics

[QGamer]

Look at the positions of your input and output fluidbox connections:

Code: Select all

...
	output_fluid_box =
    { positions = { {1.45, -2.6}, {2.6, -1.45},{-1.45, 2.6}, {-2.6, 1.45}  }},
	input_fluid_box =
    { positions = { {-1.45, 2.6}, {-2.6, 1.45},{1.45, -2.6},{2.6, -1.45} }}
...

They are the same. (But in a different order.) That could be your problem.

Edit: you are outputting the fluid into the same pipe that is your input slot, which is most likely confusing the game engine and/or mixing your fluids.

[Shenpen]

Look at the positions of your input and output fluidbox connections:

Code: Select all

...
	output_fluid_box =
    { positions = { {1.45, -2.6}, {2.6, -1.45},{-1.45, 2.6}, {-2.6, 1.45}  }},
	input_fluid_box =
    { positions = { {-1.45, 2.6}, {-2.6, 1.45},{1.45, -2.6},{2.6, -1.45} }}
...

They are the same. (But in a different order.) That could be your problem.

Edit: you are outputting the fluid into the same pipe that is your input slot, which is most likely confusing the game engine and/or mixing your fluids.

Those positions are declared assuming that they are never "used" at the same time.
But off course, if that assumption is wrong that might explain a bit.
It is at least not really clear what "used" means for the game engine.
Off for some testing...
Thanks for paying attention!


EDIT:
Put all output boxes in either north-east corner or south-west corner AND all input boxes in north-west or south-east corners.
But issue remains: No filling of required fluid into input boxes...

Code: Select all

output positions = { {1.55, -2.6}, {2.6, -1.55},{-1.55, 2.6}, {-2.6, 1.55}  }
input positions = { {-2.6, -0.5}, {-0.5, -2.6},{2.6, 0.5}, {0.5, 2.6}  }

trapped.png (754.17 KiB) Viewed 4521 times

EDIT2:

It works - sorta - when toggling in and out a pipe at the position above the warning sign.
It still wont output to pipes, but it does take in the required fluid and runs the production!
So with a bit of sorting out the box positions it should actually run like advertised.

However: when moving the fluid boxes into positions where they connect to the input or output pipes, they dont actually make any exchange with either.
There is no position with a stable transfer function. Only the same effect of removing a pipe/fluidbox near the internal input fluidbox.
This would seem to rely on the game mechanics that are related to transfers when mining a fluidbox rather than the game mechanics for the normal on-tic transfer updates.

So while some of the game-mechanics for production are working, there is nothing to suggest that the fluid box connections are actually in working order.

not connecting to pipe.png (568.1 KiB) Viewed 4520 times

[bobingabout]

from what I can tell, you just need to specify an input and output fluid box as follows, taken from the pumpjack and mining drill, and it should work.
if it doesn't work, maybe it's a bug? (note, I haven't actually tried making a drill that uses both at the same time yet)

Code: Select all

    input_fluid_box = 
    {
      production_type = "input-output",
      pipe_picture = assembler2pipepictures(),
      pipe_covers = pipecoverspictures(),
      base_area = 1,
      height = 2,
      base_level = -1,
      pipe_connections =
      {
        { position = {-2, 0} },
        { position = {2, 0} },
        { position = {0, 2} },
      }
    },
    output_fluid_box =
    {
      base_area = 1,
      base_level = 1,
      pipe_covers = pipecoverspictures(),
      pipe_connections =
      {
        {
          positions = { {1, -2}, {2, -1}, {-1, 2}, {-2, 1} }
        }
      },
    },

Also note the difference in definitions of the positions.
One version defines 3 position = tags, while the other defines a posisions = array. There is a difference, the list of position tags will have ALL definited positions active simultaniously, where the positions tag with the array will only have 1 enabled, and change it with rotation. Consider that when defining them, and trying to connect. (I don't think it makes a difference to the function of the drill which one you use for each, they're just part of a fluidbox definition)


Also, the resource you are mining requires you to specify that it requires a fluid to mine it, else the input pipes will NOT exist

an example of the tags on a minable fluid:

Code: Select all

    minable =
    {
      hardness = 1,
      mining_time = 1,
      results =
      {
        {
          type = "fluid",
          name = "crude-oil",
          amount_min = 10,
          amount_max = 10,
          probability = 1
        }
      },
      fluid_amount = 10,
      required_fluid = "sulfuric-acid"
    },

if you are defining things as I describe here, and it's not working, then there is likely a bug, and you should report it as one.
if you're not doing things as I describe, you're doing it wrong, try changing your code to match and try again.

if you need the entire entity/resource code for clarity, let me know.

[Shenpen]

boxestest.png (1.92 MiB) Viewed 4498 times

With your fluidbox definition I can get a running "production" as the input fluidbox will connect to the supply pipes.

But there is nothing to suggest that any output fluidbox exists. At least there is no transfer taking place to the connected pipes on the east side of the entity.

I don't know if you would call it a bug or not. Operating with input and output fluid boxes was never needed with a vanilla factory.
My guess is that separate adaptations of code to the needs of pumpjack operation and uranium mining have led to a bifurcation which only becomes a problem as you try to have it both ways.

I have put the issue up as a suggestion and hopefully it is something that is really easy to fix in some future update.

Your suggestion is much appreciated, but it does not solve the problem.
Would some other combination of say two different arrays have better chances?

[Shenpen]

Just in case I tried running the production with more separation between the input- and output boxes.
But it made no real difference.

boxestest2.png (1.54 MiB) Viewed 4490 times

Again the input seems to work fine, the production is executed, but there is no output to the connected pipes. Probably because there is no functional output fluidbox, even if one is defined in the place marked by the singe blue arrow. Apart from the defined graphics for the box (the blue arrow) there obviously need to be a defined variable that represents the amount of fluid in the box. If that variable is not defined and updated the "production" goes nowhere.

Again this suggests to me that the data-structure needed for two-box in/out operation is not really there.

[chrisgbk]

Just in case I tried running the production with more separation between the input- and output boxes.
But it made no real difference.

boxestest2.png

Again the input seems to work fine, the production is executed, but there is no output to the connected pipes. Probably because there is no functional output fluidbox, even if one is defined in the place marked by the singe blue arrow. Apart from the defined graphics for the box (the blue arrow) there obviously need to be a defined variable that represents the amount of fluid in the box. If that variable is not defined and updated the "production" goes nowhere.

Again this suggests to me that the data-structure needed for two-box in/out operation is not really there.

It works perfectly fine:




Check your code for mistakes, following is my working code:

Code: Select all

require("util")

-- copy from base prototypes
local entity = table.deepcopy(data.raw["mining-drill"]["pumpjack"])
local item = table.deepcopy(data.raw["item"]["pumpjack"])
local recipe = table.deepcopy(data.raw["recipe"]["pumpjack"])

entity.name = "custom-pumpjack"
entity.minable.result = "custom-pumpjack"

-- we'll just copy the fluid box from the mining drill
entity.input_fluid_box = table.deepcopy(data.raw["mining-drill"]["electric-mining-drill"].input_fluid_box)

item.name = "custom-pumpjack"
item.place_result = "custom-pumpjack"

recipe.name = "custom-pumpjack"
recipe.result = "custom-pumpjack"
recipe.enabled = true --laziness for testing

data:extend{entity, item, recipe}

-- makes the base pumpjack useless, oh well
local minable = data.raw["resource"]["crude-oil"].minable
minable.required_fluid = "water"
minable.fluid_amount = 10

It looks like your resource doesn't create a result, just consumes mining fluid and does nothing else - note the lack of an output slot in your screenshots.

[Shenpen]

It looks like your resource doesn't create a result, just consumes mining fluid and does nothing else - note the lack of an output slot in your screenshots.

Nice! Had almost lost hope for a solution!

I think i might try to emulate what you have working and then go from there.
As should be obvious by now, I have no idea what goes wrong in my own attempt.

Thanks for paying attention!

[chrisgbk]

It looks like your resource doesn't create a result, just consumes mining fluid and does nothing else - note the lack of an output slot in your screenshots.

Nice! Had almost lost hope for a solution!

I think i might try to emulate what you have working and then go from there.
As should be obvious by now, I have no idea what goes wrong in my own attempt.

Thanks for paying attention!

You can copy paste my code into data.lua and it will just work, it's a 100% complete snippet since util is part of core/lualib and is available to all mods, and contains the table.deepcopy function.

I'm pretty sure that, as of the latest screenshot you made, your entity is setup correctly, just your resource isn't.

[bobingabout]

wait, that's a 4x4 entity isn't it? my numbers are designed for a 3x3... you need to add 0.5 to every number to make it work (or -0.5 if it's negative) so

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      pipe_connections =
      {
        { position = {-2, 0} },
        { position = {2, 0} },
        { position = {0, 2} },
      }

becomes

Code: Select all

      pipe_connections =
      {
        { position = {-2.5, 0.5} },
        { position = {2.5, 0.5} },
        { position = {0.5, 2.5} },
      }

and

Code: Select all

          positions = { {1, -2}, {2, -1}, {-1, 2}, {-2, 1} }

becomes

Code: Select all

          positions = { {1.5, -2.5}, {2.5, -1.5}, {-1.5, 2.5}, {-2.5, 1.5} }

Basically, all edges of the entity want to be 2.5 or -2.5, and the tile on this edge wants to be -1.5, -0.5, 0.5 or 1.5. It's tiles offset from centre, the centre on a 4x4 is between tiles.

[Shenpen]

"You can copy paste my code into data.lua and it will just work, it's a 100% complete snippet since util is part of core/lualib and is available to all mods, and contains the table.deepcopy function."

Code: Select all

require("util")

-- copy from base prototypes
local entity = table.deepcopy(data.raw["mining-drill"]["pumpjack"])
local item = table.deepcopy(data.raw["item"]["pumpjack"])
local recipe = table.deepcopy(data.raw["recipe"]["pumpjack"])

entity.name = "shale-station"
entity.minable.result = "shale-station"

-- we'll just copy the fluid box from the mining drill
entity.input_fluid_box = table.deepcopy(data.raw["mining-drill"]["electric-mining-drill"].input_fluid_box)
--entity.resource_categories = "crude-oil"        --ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
item.name = "shale-station"
item.place_result = "shale-station"

recipe.name = "shale-station"
recipe.result = "shale-station"
recipe.enabled = true --laziness for testing

data:extend{entity, item, recipe}

-- makes the base pumpjack useless, oh well
local minable = data.raw["resource"]["fracking-sludge-dl"].minable
minable.required_fluid = "water"
minable.fluid_amount = 10

So I changed the fluid "fracking-sludge-dl" , from a custom category of "fracking-sludge" to the category of "basic-fluids"
Which makes the contraption run, but still with no output.

I was then still guessing that something needs to be defined differently in relations to the ressource "fracking-sludge-dl".
But later results would show that this is very unlikely!

[Shenpen]

Shale station is set to mine fracking-sludge-dl: Check!
fracking-sludge-dl is set to yield crude oil: Check!
Consequently the shale-station requires water to run: Check!
Even so, the shale-station does not produce the crude oil!

So nothing to suggest that the ressource "fracking-sludge-dl" is causing the problem of not producing.
Because: Why would that cause crude oil to exhibit the same problem when fracking-sludge-dl resource is set to produce oil?

Problem is not in relation to the output or product (the "fluid" 'fracking-sludge-dl'), but of the "output yielding ressource" which is still frakcing-sludge-dl (the "ressource" 'frakcing-sludge-dl')......!!!!!

If for the shale-station I change the
local minable = data.raw["resource"]["fracking-sludge-dl"].minable to
local minable = data.raw["resource"]["crude-oil"].minable
the shale-station will then hapily mine crude oil and actually produce the wonderfull fluid into a storage tank!

Not so while set to have "fracking-sludge-dl" as minable!!!!

And it is then stil be placable on shale-rock
So how placable a pumpjacks is, seems to reflect the "basic fluid" category, not the specific resource





If anyone have an idea about how to solve this I would appreciate it!

shale-station-with-miningfluid.png (1.12 MiB) Viewed 3781 times

Resource-entity_fracking-sludge-dl.png (964.57 KiB) Viewed 3781 times

non-working shale-station with mining fluid.png (777.94 KiB) Viewed 3781 times

crude oil will not be produced.png (1.11 MiB) Viewed 3781 times

crude oil will be produced from oilressource.png (848.6 KiB) Viewed 3771 times

[Shenpen]

Question is: What could be wrong with the "fracking-sludge-dl" ressource?

Code: Select all

   
  {
    type = "resource",
    name = "fracking-sludge-dl",
    icon = "__druglab__/graphics/icons/shalerock-dl.png",--   THIS IS FOR THE ROCK
    icon_size = 32,
    flags = {"placeable-neutral"},
    category = "basic-fluid",--   samme as crude oil
    order="a-b-a",
    infinite = true,
    highlight = true,
    minimum = 60000,
    normal = 300000,
    infinite_depletion_amount = 10,
    resource_patch_search_radius = 12,
    tree_removal_probability = 0.7,
    tree_removal_max_distance = 32 * 32,

    minable =
    {
      mining_time = 1,
      fluid_amount = 4,
      required_fluid = "nitric-acid"
	  },
      results =
      {
        {
          type = "fluid",
          name = "crude-oil", --changed from fracking-sludge-dl
          amount_min = 10,
          amount_max = 10,
          probability = 1
        }
      
    },
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
    collision_box = {{ -1.4, -1.4}, {1.4, 1.4}}, -- boxes for the shale rock sticking up
    selection_box = {{ -0.5, -0.5}, {0.5, 0.5}},
	
	
	
    autoplace =
    {
      order = "b",
      control = "fracking-sludge-dl", --pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
      sharpness = 0.99,
      max_probability = 0.02,
      richness_base = 440000,
      richness_multiplier = 400000,
      richness_multiplier_distance_bonus = 1900,
      coverage = 0.006 / 3,
      peaks =
      {
        {
          noise_layer = "fracking-sludge-dl",
          noise_octaves_difference = -0.2,  -- PLACEMENT
          noise_persistence = 0.1,
        }
      }
    },
    stage_counts = {0},
    stages =
    {
      sheet =
      {
        filename = "__druglab__/graphics/technology/shalerock-dl.png",     --change for entity !!!!!!!THIS IS FOR THE ROCK (replacing puddle)
        priority = "extra-high",
        width = 64,
        height = 64,
        frame_count = 1,
        variation_count = 1
      }
    },
    map_color = {r=0.48, g=0.4, b=0.47},
    map_grid = false
  },
  
  
  
  -- ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
  
  
  
  
  
  
  {
    type = "autoplace-control",
    name = "fracking-sludge-dl",
    richness = true,
    order = "b-e",
    category = "resource",
  },
  
  
  

[Shenpen]

Ignoring the issues with the resource I setup the original Fracking Station with the fluidboxes suggested by Bobingabout.

This seem to be all working like advertised, expect for the fact that the resource is not yielding anything.

Frackting Station setup with the propper fluidboxes_ running not producing.png

[Shenpen]

I have tried to cut everything back to what "should" work:

Using the same pumpjack that works with crude oil
Using the same resource-category as crude oil
Making the resource produce crude oil instead of the fracking fluid.
Made mining fluid water

It should be the same exact thing that works for chrisgbk when mining crude-oil.

And that works for me when I set the fracking station to mine crude oil with water as mining fluid.

Something is wrong with the resource itself, not the product of the mining of the resource.

:headscratching: