Expanding circuit connected readings (fluid flow, electrical stats, etc.)

[malventano]

Circuit networks can read lots of stuff, but there are a few missing items that folks have repeatedly requested. I think the holdup has been with figuring out how to implement, so here are my suggestions to improve the signal-reading experience:

Fluid flow:
- There used to be no easy way to do this, but 0.18 added a pumping speed tooltip to pumps, so the data is now there for the taking!
Recommendation:
- When a pump is circuit connected, there should be an additional Mode of operation (switchable like Roboports) to 'Read pumping speed', which provides the output signal P (items/s).

Electrical network info (Satisfaction / Production):
While Accumulator charge is readable via a circuit connected accumulator, Satisfaction and Production are not present.
Recommendation #1:
- Change circuit-connected Accumulator Mode of operation to 'Read Electrical network info'.
- Add four signal outputs (Satisfaction Amount (S), Satisfaction Percentage (T), Production Amount (P), Production Percentage (Q)).
Recommendation #2:
- Leave Accumulator as-is.
- Add the above four signal outputs to circuit-connected electrical generators (Steam engine / Steam turbine).
- This option may be less practical as remote sensing means you add an otherwise useless engine or turbine just to get the signals.

I'm open for adding additional 'missing' items to this request list in the hopes that we can get a few of them implemented.

[Sad_Brother]

I'm open for adding additional 'missing' items to this request list in the hopes that we can get a few of them implemented.

Many entities like Assemblers, Plants, ... even Inserters could give out aside of inventory signals (even if they have no now) status signal like:
- Black if cannot work because of no power;
- Red if cannot work because of no input materials;
- Yellow if cannot work because of output buffer full;
- Blue if work but underpowered;
- Green if work at full strength.

Probably after special technology. Would be helpful to collect statistics and improve schemes.

[ssilk]

This had been suggested a lot of times, but I won’t move it, cause there is so much, that I cannot decide into which thread it should be moved.


A lot around this topic is here: viewtopic.php?f=80&t=41855
Because when there would be more complex hot fluid handling, it would also need something to measure that.

Which links to this article where rseding mentioned that it “would be a lot of hassle” for pipes:
viewtopic.php?p=227463#p227463

I recommend to use inventory sensor:
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Inventory%20Sensor
Will not handle all the mentioned stuff, but some.

There is also power meter: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/PowerPlusPowerMeter
Or power combinator: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/power-combinator

[malventano]

Which links to this article where rseding mentioned that it “would be a lot of hassle” for pipes:
viewtopic.php?p=227463#p227463

Indeed it was 'a lot of hassle' back then, but now we have pump flow tracked by the base game. Anywhere that fluid flow is desired to be measured could be done by just adding a pump in that line and switching its mode of operation to read its current pumping speed value.

There is also power meter: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/PowerPlusPowerMeter
Or power combinator: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/power-combinator

I'd checked those out in the past, but they seem to be either overly complex or too simple (missing info e.g. satisfaction percentage) with respect to the four basic parameters that I mentioned. I stand by the idea that this information would be valuable to the player in the base game, as they are the few remaining 'major' parameters displayed to the player but that can not be detected by a circuit network, forcing the player to be the one to take an action based on a change (not enough flow, or not enough power) as opposed to being able to potentially automate that task (automate all of the things!), so this post was in hope that providing simple options for implementation might gain some traction.

It may be possible for me to make a mod that implements power detection as I've described it, but I don't believe the pump flow output is possible via lua/mod unless the devs add in some code on their end to expose the current pumping speed.

[ssilk]

Well, if you want to mod, then put this whishlist into modding discussions viewforum.php?f=33

[JasonC]

I would like the ability to read the contents of ingredient slots via the circuit network. E.g. for assemblers, furnaces, refineries, chemical plants, centrifuges, and especially nuclear reactors, and anything else like that.

[ssilk]

Merged with similar topic, ssilk

And the answer is still https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Inventory%20Sensor

[JasonC]

Merged with similar topic, ssilk

And the answer is still https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Inventory%20Sensor

Hey ssilk; thanks for digging this up and the merge. I'm worried now though that my request will get lost in the complexity of this one. I'm not personally interested in any of the outputs the OP described. Dunno, though. Whatever makes sense.

Cool mod though. Wish it didn't take up a tile for the sensor, and had some way to be more selective about the buildings it read when buildings are close together, but still pretty useful.

Thanks!

[JasonC]

Some tips for the OP:

Fluid flow:
- There used to be no easy way to do this, but 0.18 added a pumping speed tooltip to pumps, so the data is now there for the taking!

While it's not directly reading pumping speed, in many cases you can still achieve whatever end result you're going for by placing a fluid tank right before a pump and monitoring its level. E.g. things like powering on additional fluid production if demand is high, etc., can generally be accomplished by taking a tank-level based control approach instead of something based on flow rates. This circuit can come in handy for this strategy.

While Accumulator charge is readable via a circuit connected accumulator, Satisfaction and Production are not present.

Dunno if it's helpful but there's a couple electric meter mods that I really like:

- Circuit Power Measurement Pole -- I use this one a lot to enable nuclear reactors in response to demand (btw this is why I want inventory on circuit network; so I can just keep one fuel cell in a reactor instead of 5 or whatever, so I don't waste so much fuel when the reactor is no longer needed). It's my favorite one.
- Circuit Power Measurement Combinator -- Slightly different take on the above (combinator that reads from a pole, as opposed to pole that transmits to a combinator).
- Power Plus Power Meter -- Can be used to measure % utilization in a generator-independent way.

Check 'em out.

[ssilk]

Cool mod though. Wish it didn't take up a tile for the sensor, and had some way to be more selective about the buildings it read when buildings are close together, but still pretty useful.

I think I remember you control this with the direction in which you place the sensor....

[Xoriun]

It would be really nice, if you could read the fluid flow and fill level of a pump, similar to the inserters.
I know reading whether fluid is flowing through a pump is somewhat possible already, using fluid tanks, pumps and some combinators (just built one myself). But they are somewhat clumpy, inaccurate and permanently take away some of the liquid (at least mine and I couldn't find any significantly better solutions).
The bulkiness is not a big issue to me, just an inconvenience, but the other two really bother me.

[ssilk]

Merged with existing thread - ssilk