"Read research" as additional output in research labs

[Eiermann]

TL;DR

Allow labs to output all currently available research technologies and their levels via the circuit network.

What?

Add a circuit network output to the new 2.1 lab that reports every currently available research.

For each available technology, the lab would output:

The technology's signal/icon.
Its current research level (or 1 for non-repeatable technologies).

Example:

06-26-2026, 00-44-07.png (57.3 KiB) Viewed 203 times

Why?

This would make it possible to build more advanced research automation using the circuit network.

Currently, circuit logic can only react to the active research, making it difficult to implement more sophisticated decision-making. Being able to read all available research options would allow players to automatically choose the next technology based on custom priorities, available resources, or other circuit conditions instead of relying on simple sequential logic.

[The-Zee-System]

+1 this so i can make it automated with research

[Rseding91]

This was discussed internally at the time and we ended up rejecting it. Signals do not support technologies and it simply over complicated things to have another signal type with potentially overlapping icons and names.

[ichVII]

FYI: The mod https://mods.factorio.com/mod/utility-c ... rom=search includes the "Bonus combinator", that almost does what you are asking for. It currently does not include the recipe productivity levels. But that should not be a hard adaptation and you might just be able to convince some random geek to implement it.

I know, that some people prefer to play without mods, but I feel you should be aware of this mod.

[ichVII]

Without a mod, this can still theoretically be currently achieved, as you can read the level of the technology you are currently researching. One could build a circuit contraption that, e.g. once every hour lets a lab cycle through all the infinite technologies, read their current level and save that number in a combinator. That way, you can create the circuit output you desire (be at a bit out of date) to use in further lab automation. It is not easy nor convenient, but certainly possible.