Production schedule

[ssilk]

I suggest a module which enables scheduling of items in assemblies.

When inserting this module into an assembly a new button appears and opens the list of commands. A command is currently something like "built this number of that item-type". You can add commands (unlimited), delete them, move them in the list.

At the end of the list you can set a command "restart". Otherwise the schedule is stopped. With an update more commands could be available, like "store the produced item inside for the next command".

The sense of it is to spare/multiuse assemblies for stuff, which isn't used often or to produce the exact amount of items, which are used to build something. For this task it would be useful, if by selecting an item, the list if items, which are needed to produce the target item is auto-generated (an button for that function). For example to produce an green inserter, some electric circuits, wheels etc. are needed, which are produced before and tried to be stored inside.

PS:
The next step would be to have more advanced programming functions for the command like triggers: "if less than 1000 basic belts then .. (produce 1000 basic belts)... " and to copy these "recipes" from assembly to assembly, but for that a more useful circuit network is needed.

[n9103]

Um.. ew.
As a module, no way.

As a wholly new factory, that's a different matter.
Such a factory should probably have a small number of internal storage slots for intermediary products, with only one or two slots for removal by inserter.
Could be interesting for making a low-speed but highly compact factory. (time *should* be wasted for each step in the 'programming', otherwise the ideal factory layout would just be a dozen of these Programmable Factories and their input and output belts/chests.

As long as such an idea doesn't make the whole setup imba, it sounds like it could be an interesting idea, and would probably enable Factorio to be Turing Complete.

[ssilk]

New type of assembly: yes...I thought with an module ... Would be nice.
Lower speed: well, of course.

Your sentence "step in programming " gave me clear picture/vision of the old teleprinter machines.
Woa, that would be so cool: an assembly produces the exact same stuff, as laying on a parallel belt!
And we can define new tokens: for example wood cannot be produced. So if there is wood scanned it means for llexample put the item out of assembly...

In short:
- there is a belt, where I just put on the items I want to produce and the order (btw. putting items exactly so on the ground is difficult.) this replaces the programming like follows:
- An "item-scanner" "reads" the next item and the wired factory is reprogrammed.
- when the item is produced the scanner reads the next item...

Teleprinters match so wonderful into the steampunk scenario... This would be really cool, if that would be possible!

[andzoak]

It could be small factories. One factory has defined number of assembly lines. That allow to do some intermediate products needed to make final product which is putted on transport belt. That way would be continuation of upgrading assemblers. Some time we need to change big factories into small and then make more advanced stuff.

[ssilk]

I like that idea. Replaces my factory idea (See https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... f=5&t=1016 ), because the game behaves much differently with the modules (which I like).