Add sorting function to Spliter/Joiner

[Neotix]

It would be great to add Smart Splitter/Joiner. It would work like common Splitter/Joiner with Smart Inserter abilty to pick only selected items.

[Nirahiel]

What if one of the two exit lanes get full ? Mix unsorted with sorted in the other one ?

[Neotix]

If left exit is full of sorted materials then all incoming materials will mix in right exit (same if inserters can't handle to take all incoming materials, they are transporting further). To make sorting more efficent we could build system based on cascades and loops.

eg.



When the first line is full of iron, the iron passes through the right output to the next sorter, and then returns to the first sorter through the loop.
The left side is primary so the iron is taken first from the loop.

[ssilk]

I did now long testing this sorting ideas and as long as we don't have wireless circuit network or so it makes no sense to sort.

Reason:
* sorting means, that we split a stream of items into two (or more)
* for that, it is absolutely necessary, that the resulting streams are all used. Completely used.
* because otherwise the unused part of the stream must block the used. This can be seen often, either you have too less iron or too less copper. That it is exactly even used is in really, really seldom and only, unless one mine gets empty.
* so the unused item will block the needed. There is no way around it!

We can make many things to go over this blocking:
* first: storages.
* second: bigger storages.
* third: enormous storages

At some point in thruput your storage will be filled extremely fast and you need a bigger storage.

And the only thing, that can be done to avoid that is by regulating the production. And regulating means, to measure how full a storage gets and if too full, then stop production before the storage gets too small to avoid the blocking.

And that means, that I need to have to transmit this information over a long way (train) to the mining-site, because only there I can switch it of.

Hmm... What do I want to say is: a sorting splitter has been suggested many times yet. But before that I can sort with smart inserter and before that I need to have control over the production.

[Neotix]

I am always controlling production, depending on the storage capacity. I put the power lines along the tracks and sending signals to the smart inserters, which serve for loading wagons. When smart chest at the entrance of the warehouse are full, inserters in the mines do not load the raw materials in wagons.

[ssilk]

Circuit network cable are not a good option, if it takes more than 30 seconds to drive to that site by train. That will take you some minutes to place all the cables.

Below you don't have the problem, because it is easier to drive to that site and switch some mines off.

[Neotix]

Yes, it take some time and resources but it's idea of this game for me. I want to build all to run automatically.