Roboport Functionality

[Gandamir]

It would be nice to have a robot launcher platform. Think of it as a push only Roboport that does not allow robots to land in it. I use an inserter to add robots to a roboport, one for logistics, one for construction. However, these invariably fill up with the other kind of robots at some point, preventing further release of robots into the wild. Alternatively the ability to filter what kind of robots can land at a given Roboport.

[BlueTemplar]

A different kind of "robot launcher platform" :
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/BotShots

[Hannu]

I think worst problem is that construction bots fill insertion roboport for logic bots. You can affect it by placing insertion roboport for construction bots far from storage chest area or put extra roboports between the storage and insertion point. Bots bring stuff there and go to nearest free roboport after that. If insertion roboport is filled with logistic bots there is naturally no need for more at that moment.

[csduff]

My later game technique is to have one roboport set with a filter inserter to remove all construction bots from the roboport and put them in an active provider chest, and an inserter (wired to the roboport for robot statistics) to insert logistic bots when demand arrises, then have a second that removes all logistics and inserts construction.

You can affect it by placing insertion roboport for construction bots far from storage chest area

And, yes, placement is key. Otherwise your remover of logistics drones is constantly working, causing an unnecessary additional load on the networks.

[Honktown]

A workaround would be to put down requester chests at random roboports for either robot, and stuff the logistic and construction bots in provider chests. Or just not have your construction bots being inserted near your logistics paths (a requester chest can reach 4 robotports I think with long arms - you can put that anywhere).

You can always be a jerk and filter them out into a provider chest and a requester somewhere else so they get carried faaaaar away

If you really need that many (many thousands), use a conveyor belt and inserter them into two sides of roboports.

[ssilk]

Hm.
I don’t think the OP idea is useful. But it points to a general problem with the roboports.

The others already wrote what could be done about the basic problem (position of roboport, taking robots out with filter inserters). Besides that I would also say, that if overfilled roboport exists, than it’s a clear sign of misunderstanding or not automated insert.

With that in mind I would add: make roboport behaving like a buffer chest. When a robot is out of work he looks first, if there is a roboport without fulfilled buffer-request. I’m not sure if this should work also with bots already parked in ports, that is part of development.

There is another suggestion in this forum (viewtopic.php?f=6&t=39474 Roboports should output missing materials to circuit network ) about better robot network signals, like we need the number of robots waiting for load and so on. See list of suggestions at the end. With those signals and this and other suggestion together the robots could be really nicely automated.

That would solve
A) when a robot network is overfilled, how can I get robots out?
Just sent request signal (100 logistic bots) to a roboport and move them out with filter inserter. Yes, of course the roboport signals should have a third option “buffer chest” which behaves exactly like a buffer chest.
B) for mod x I need to take out all robots of some type: see A)
C) How can I make sure the repair robots are fast enough?
Request some construction robots to your border roboports. Add a repair pack buffer chest nearby. Or much better: how nice would it be, if the roboport buffer chest feature can also request repair packs?

Related stuff :
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=28820 repair packs signal
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=16798 much more related ideas, like
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12644 Control the amount robots
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8925 Distribution of robots
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10152 Controlling robot distribution

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=39474 Roboports should output missing materials to circuit network
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=68233 Roboport contents

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=67650 Roboport like a Provider/Requester chest for bots/tools

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=63965 no repair during battle
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=60980 Bot recall