[2.1] Add visual indicator to inserters which input lane has priority or if inserter has been flipped

[warbaque]

TL;DR

Add visual indicator to inserters which input lane has priority if belt is in the same orientation as the inserter.

What?

UI element that shows if inserter prefers left or right lane.

Currently there's nothing in the UI that shows if the inserter has been flipped.

08-01-2026, 22-24-49.png (802.62 KiB) Viewed 503 times

Something small: dot, arrow, chevron, anything would be nice.

08-01-2026, 22-29-14.png (802.74 KiB) Viewed 503 times

Why?

2.1 adds an option to flip inserters, but the UI shows the orientation only if inserter is outputting to a belt. If inserter is outputting to a chest/machine, it's impossible to know from a glance which lane has priority. This can cause jams in multiple scenarios. It's also easy to accidently flip an inserter and there's no visual information that it happened.

Example, both inserters look completely identical, but bottom setup will get stuck:

inserter-lane-priority.mp4

(33.06 MiB) Downloaded 13 times

[tappi]

I'd really like an indicator as well. I'm already making builds that utilize the preferred input lane of inserters and trying to remember which inserters are which / having to test the inserters to know their orientation is cumbersome.

[xAeryn]

Ditto, really useful feature but awkward to use because you often can't tell which mode you have on.

[Eisenefaust]

yes please!
+1

[redrook]

+1

[skyman]

Wouldn't it be simpler and probably better to have inserters pick-up from both sides interchangeably? If second side is empty, it will skip it, but only until there is something on the other side. This way inserter may pickup from both sides, while having the priority for the last unused side.

UI is already clustered with quality turned on and since inserters are able to pick-up from both sides this would just make it easier to use and should eliminate reported behaviour.

[Alfonse215]

Wouldn't it be simpler and probably better to have inserters pick-up from both sides interchangeably? If second side is empty, it will skip it, but only until there is something on the other side. This way inserter may pickup from both sides, while having the priority for the last unused side.

Inserters do "pick-up from both sides interchangeably". But they don't do it evenly; they prioritize one side or another. If both sides have stuff, they'll take from one side preferentially. And that prioritization can be controlled via flipping.

What's missing is a visual indicator of what can already be controlled.

[robot256]

+1

Furthermore, changing from a static priority function to a dynamic one would involve adding a boolean memory value to every inserter and making it save-load consistent to avoid desyncs. It's not impossible, but it's not simpler than a GUI change. Even then, it's not a guarantee of perfectly even distribution. Also the pickup-position priority mechanic is useful and you still need the GUI features if you allow mods to emable it.

[skyman]

Wouldn't it be simpler and probably better to have inserters pick-up from both sides interchangeably? If second side is empty, it will skip it, but only until there is something on the other side. This way inserter may pickup from both sides, while having the priority for the last unused side.

Inserters do "pick-up from both sides interchangeably". But they don't do it evenly; they prioritize one side or another. If both sides have stuff, they'll take from one side preferentially. And that prioritization can be controlled via flipping.

What's missing is a visual indicator of what can already be controlled.

What I meant is they shouldn't prioritize either side by default, unless they already pick from another one.

Wouldn't it be simpler and probably better to have inserters pick-up from both sides interchangeably? If second side is empty, it will skip it, but only until there is something on the other side. This way inserter may pickup from both sides, while having the priority for the last unused side.

Inserters do "pick-up from both sides interchangeably". But they don't do it evenly; they prioritize one side or another. If both sides have stuff, they'll take from one side preferentially. And that prioritization can be controlled via flipping.

What's missing is a visual indicator of what can already be controlled.

By "simpler" I meant simpler for players, not for devs to program it, although I doubt it would be a challenge for devs regardless of which version they choose eventually.

If we were to choose priority for the input, indicator would have to be quite different than the one for output as to indicate both sides will be picked up eventually, but one of them gets priority. Simple line doesn't seems descriptive enough. This is different than just selecting output sides and I just wonder if that added UI/UX complexity is worth it... extra boolean value behind the scenes on the other hand seems better at least IMO.

Even then, it's not a guarantee of perfectly even distribution.

If you want perfectly even distribution you can use extra splitter, if you want simplicity and avoid clogged sides on the line you could get the aforementioned inserter.

Also the pickup-position priority mechanic is useful and you still need the GUI features if you allow mods to emable it.

Shouldn't mods do it then? (I'm not sure how much moddable GUI is)