Assigning multiple fluidboxes

[Gizzmohammer]

Problem:

There is no way for a recipe to manually specify that a fluid should use multiple fluid boxes.
However, manually specifying is the only real option when using connection_category to specify different types of pipes.
(I.e, Automatic fluid box indexing might send plasma through a normal pipe)
This leaves a lot of recipes looking asymmetrical (see attachment)

Request:

An optional array property in FluidIngredientPrototype and FluidProductPrototype to specify additional fluidbox_indexes to assign to this fluid,
OR
An optional property in FluidIngredientPrototype and FluidProductPrototype to specify a connection_category that must match when assigning fluid boxes

Workarounds

Being extremely careful about how crafting machines and recipes are set-up when using connection_category
(or just living with ugly recipes)


Thanks for your time!

09-09-2025, 18-16-30.png (604.08 KiB) Viewed 814 times

[protocol_1903]

You might be able to do it in the current implementation by setting just the water fluidbox and leaving the fluidbox index for the other fluid blank. But yeah, a proper way to do it would be nice

[Gizzmohammer]

You might be able to do it in the current implementation by setting just the water fluidbox and leaving the fluidbox index for the other fluid blank.

Unfortunately you can't mix automatic and manual modes, it throws an error

[protocol_1903]

You might be able to do it in the current implementation by setting just the water fluidbox and leaving the fluidbox index for the other fluid blank.

Unfortunately you can't mix automatic and manual modes, it throws an error

Dang. Strange, but ok

[oobanooba]

This would be huge for me, since I've got a number of situations where assigning multiple fluidboxes to a fluid input/output would be very useful.

Right now, I rely on wrangling the automatic indexer into doing what I want, but that only works in specific situations.

One problem of mine that this would solve is that for some of my recipes, I've added additional side connections to the chem plant.

01-16-2026, 20-16-18.png (462.22 KiB) Viewed 274 times

I would like the ability to use both the top and bottom connections, but not use the side connections. Currently, this is not possible.

Similarly, I'm working on an unpipable fluid mechanic for my mod, which requires that machines have additional fluid connections specifically for unpipable fluids, to prevent them from flowing into pipes, but to allow those fluids to flow directly between machines. (And I need to be able to do this with any combination of pipable and unpipable fluids) Autoindex doesn't really understand this, offering rather cursed results.

01-16-2026, 20-19-47.png (308.23 KiB) Viewed 274 times

Currently, this forces me to specify fluidbox indexes for each fluid output, to prevent the autoindex from placing an unpipable fluid on a regular pipe output (and thus breaking the mechanic). As a result, I am limited to exactly one connection that I can use for each fluid. Severely limiting the kind of layouts that become possible.

In this example, it would never be possible for me to say, make the water use the side connections, while the acid comes out of both bottom connections.

01-16-2026, 20-24-10.png (387.63 KiB) Viewed 274 times

I've had some small success, wrangling autoindex, using a dummy "nothing" fluid that outputs 0 per craft, but that only works for fluid outputs, and what i can do with this is limited.

01-16-2026, 20-27-27.png (430.06 KiB) Viewed 274 times

[Rseding91]

... An optional array property in FluidIngredientPrototype and FluidProductPrototype to specify additional fluidbox_indexes to assign to this fluid ...

This is not likely to ever happen. Crafting machines at their core do not support "one ingredient/product to/from multiple fluidboxes". It's a 1-1 link and is likely going to stay that way forever.