[2.0.55] Random gaps between items on belts created for inserters to drop into

[JigSaW]

Some testing with debug visuals







Save: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1omCZb9 ... sp=sharing

[Loewchen]

Is this belt running a loop?

[JigSaW]

Is this belt running a loop?

No

[sparr]

I have also noticed this in my attempt at pymods, where doing prioritization without splitters is important in the early game. I was surprised to need to add belts and do side loading, not being able to rely on inserters to be lower priority than items already on a full belt.

[JigSaW]

I have also noticed this in my attempt at pymods, where doing prioritization without splitters is important in the early game. I was surprised to need to add belts and do side loading, not being able to rely on inserters to be lower priority than items already on a full belt.

I don't think sideloading would fix this issue. The problem is not inserters inserting when they shouldn't, it's belts creating gaps (for some reason) for any items to be inserted into them in any way.

[Loewchen]

The save is no longer available.

[JigSaW]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HkxxH1 ... sp=sharing

[Rseding91]

Thanks for the report. After looking into this the underlying cause is 2 things:

1. Those belts have previously been connected to the circuit network and so force the merged belts to split there.
2. When the front belt gets backed up, the back belt may still be moving items further towards the front. This causes the update order to switch and gaps can form as the front belt stops and starts. Normally this doesn't matter but because of #1 you see it happen right where you have several inserters putting on the belt.

You can simply remove and re-place those belts to get rid of the control behaviors which should address that portion. #2 I don't believe has a solution and is an inherit flaw in how belts work that will likely stay forever.