Friday Facts #405 - Whole belt reader, New logistics GUI

[dragon-architect]

Since we're definitely in the process of adding QoL circuit network behavior to various entities for 2.0, I have a request along those lines:

Can we also get storage containers able to report some more useful statistics? I have a few cargo station designs that I would like to be able to more generically simplify by having the buffer storage report some extra statistics for me, notably:

• Container fill level (given as a number in the range [0,100] indicating a percentage of how many slots have stuff in them, ignoring whether the slots contain full stacks
• Container size in slots
• Number of empty slots in the container

For those latter two points, there already exist methods in the LUA API. Notably, in ContainerPrototype, there is ContainerPrototype.inventory_size and in LuaInventory there is LuaInventory.count_empty_stacks(), so these are already built-in to the game as of 1.1. I don't think it would be a tremendous stretch to add the output values of these two API methods to the circuit output of storage containers.

As for the container fill level, that one easily makes use of the two API methods as follows:

Code: Select all

(ContainerPrototype.inventory_size - LuaInventory.count_empty_stacks())*100/ContainerPrototype.inventory_size

Currently, this extra behavior has to come from a modded constant combinator that must be snuggled up against the side of a storage container. I think it would make sense for storage containers to just report some basic statistics about themselves as standard behavior! Maybe also give players the option to define which circuit signals those statistics are reported under, as a way to enable/disable those specific outputs.

Fluid tanks have slightly different available methods already in the LUA API. Notably: LuaFluidBox.get_capacity() and (I don't think this is the right method, but...) LuaFluidBox.get_fluid_system_contents() but I'm not 100% confident on this second one. Fluid container statistics may have to be an exercise left to the developers to know which API methods to hook into for that!

[YanMaojie]

is there option to read whole liquid system content？

[Kalanndok]

The main question after FF405 - why are there 84k rockets in the logistic network? Could we be getting a new turret or are these used for spiders?

hmm...
Maybe we'll get flying enemies which we'll need to air-defend against?
Or we might finally find or somehow summon the Brainbug?

[TheRaph]

Maybe the whole belt reader indicators should be asymmetrical, to indicate which direction the connector is from a belt segment? Belts are easy to trace with your eyes, but you do need to know which way to go.

It goes both directions until Splitter or end/start

[TheRaph]

Amazing!!!

About "Integration with Remote view":

Can we please have the same for trains too? I don't find the view with the 100 small maps for each train very helpful in getting an idea of where the trains are. Sometimes I don't even recognize the place I then have to click on the map and then zoom out to find out where the train is.

+1

[mtfreitasf]

Hi all! Amazing expansion and congratulations for all the work.

With pump filters, will two connected pipes be able to have different fluids? Will I have to wait for the pipes to empty to change the fluid? Will it be possible to connect the network to a pipe to see its contents?

Best regards

[bnrom]

It would be cool if logistic requests for the player or spidertrons could be conditional on being inside logistic networks with certain names. With this feature the player could stock up on ammo automatically only if they are at the main base/ammo factory, without ever worrying about depleting ammo stores of outposts.

[Koub]

[...] the player could stock up on ammo automatically only if they are at the main base/ammo factory, without ever worrying about depleting ammo stores of outposts.

Is the risk really real ? I mean I don't see myself adding provider chests with ammo in my outposts. And if ammo ends-up in a storage chest, then it probably won't be needed there.

[BattleFluffy]

I love the new logistics interface. It almost looks like it could be an extension of the map itself. Maybe there should be a map overlay button for it? Or an (toggleable) button in the bottom bar to open it?

[xantoxthefloof]

First of all thanks for giving us so much QoL stuff

Secondly I love the changes so far, however I would like to suggest a few changes or additions :

Filters on fluid wagons
In the new Logistics GUI The oppertunity to search for specific items in a specific network and a location to the container. because most of the time I want to know where stuff is rather then knowing that I have enough. Knowing that some item is in a network is great but i like to keep track of where that item is exactly instead of an estimate.

[bmmtstb]

Seeing all the "Network #X" it is fairly obvious to ask, is it possible to change network names?

[Loewchen]

Seeing all the "Network #X" it is fairly obvious to ask, is it possible to change network names?

Another nice small feature we added was the ability to rename logistic networks, so you can keep track of things in your own ways.

[capnTelescope]

I don't know if this was covered above, but when an item on the logistics tab is hovered by the mouse, the item is highlighted in the player inventory. I would really like to be able to do this in reverse: (hover the item in inventory and highlight the logistic setting for it).

You guys are doing great. Keep up the good work!

Brad

[Dutchtaylor]

Ooh are those waiting stations with a singular train stop??

[FuryoftheStars]

Ooh are those waiting stations with a singular train stop??

Unless I'm missing something, you can do that now....

[Karamel]

Maybe the whole belt reader indicators should be asymmetrical, to indicate which direction the connector is from a belt segment? Belts are easy to trace with your eyes, but you do need to know which way to go.

It goes both directions until Splitter or end/start

I meant, if you see a belt segment that's part of a "whole belt reader", it's a bit faster to find the circuit connection if you can tell at glance which direction it's in.

[mrvn]

Can one hover over a roboport, logistic chest or connected entity and then open the logistic view with the network for that entity pre-selected? Or will it always open with the network under the mouse (if there is one)?

I assume with the minimap that only logistic networks on the current planet are shown?

How hard will it be to switch to logistic networks on a different planet?

Can I filter for networks lacking items to fill a) buffer chest, b) requester chests, c) personal logistic requests, d) construction requests, e) lack of storage space, f) damaged entities and units?

[mrvn]

When I have a whole belt reader and a normal belt reader on the same segment how do I know which is which? It would be nice if the normal belt reader visually didn't connect to the railings for the whole belt reader.

Can splitters get a circuit interface so they can be read, and maybe even more awsome have a "set filter"?

Would it be possible to connect belt segments with a wire, e.g. across a splitter, so that reading the belt at another place gives the total content of all the segments? A "connect belts" option for the belt reader.

Alternatively or additionally when connecting a wire along belts draw it as a wire along the railing of a belt instead of in the air. That way reading multiple belt segments would look neat. The wire connection for "None" actions could have just a little mast for the wire connection, a normal belt reader a small box and the whole belt reader a big box + railings.

belt-wires.png (52.83 KiB) Viewed 1957 times

[Ivelieu]

Regarding fluid filters...

And of course, if we have the fluid filter, it makes sense to also make it part of the circuit network control. We are sure there will be some ingenious designs that will utilise the new power... Sushi pipes anyone?

Well, I have good news! I built a fully functioning sushi fluid prototype, without fluid filters, in the current version! I posted about it here: viewtopic.php?p=609177#p609177

[catpig]

It doesn't hurt to reinforce that this is a feature that multiple people want. I too would love to have an easy way to determine where specific items are stored.

Sometimes, after using the logistics window to confirm that the item does exist, I want to just go pick it up myself, rather than fiddling with temporary logistics requests and waiting on bots. Since I already have the logistics window open and I've located the item type in the list (usually with Ctrl+F), it could be just one tiny additional step of hovering over or clicking the item and glancing at the minimap to get the info I want. That would be a very welcomed feature!

Quoting you because that sounds like a neat addition.

Beyond that: Loving all parts of this FFF. Been playing since 0.14 or earlier, but I had no idea about the logistics GUI either lol. The new one is a million times better though. The whole belt reading in particular sounds useful. I might actually do sushi for the first time ever