[15.37] Inserters ignore cars when belts present

[paradigmsort]

What I did:
- Create a new sandbox game with no mods (default map generation, all techs, cheat mode, always day)
- Place the following:
a) car on grass -> inserter -> chest
b) car on belt -> inserter -> chest
c) car on belt -> space -> inserter -> chest

Screen Shot 2017-11-12 at 9.51.40 AM.png (726.91 KiB) Viewed 1967 times

- Put the same item in the inventory of all 3 cars (I used green wire)
What I expected:
In all 3 cases the inserter should move the green wire from the car to the chest
[c) should work because the hitbox of the car is bigger than 1 tile]

What happens:
The inserter moves the green wire in a) and c), but not in b)
That is; when there is a belt right next to the inserter, the car is ignored.
As far as I can tell, this happens every time.

[Rseding91]

Thanks for the report. I don't consider this worth the performance implications it will have to make the inserters search constantly to always find cars that drive into their area.

[paradigmsort]

That's reasonable.

I actually came across this when trying to create a mod which would add "bins" which are basically chests which can sent along belts, but don't overflow the sides like cars do.

As far as I know vehicles are the only thing that can be placed on top of belts like this, so I guess I will have to abandon this mod idea.

[impetus maximus]

just move the inserter one block away from the belt. it will then enter the vehicle.