Factorio Forums

Posted: **Sun Mar 16, 2025 5:30 am**

I am cracking my skull trying to understand the example at: https://wiki.factorio.com/Tutorial:Circ ... _/_Counter, The green inserters are not connected to the memory cell output, only the output of the green inserters is connected to the input of the memory cell. How can this work? Since each inserter needs to compare the value of the memory cell for it's science pack.
When I run my build of this setup, the inserters never have anything but their own single value of 1 pulse to compare against the desired # of science, in this case 16. So the inserters just all keep outputting until the science packs are all used up (or if I had enough science packs the belt would jam. I can add my build blueprint right here?

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Posted: **Sun Mar 16, 2025 11:10 am**

The wiki example shows how to count the items moved by the inserter. The counter is available from any wire connected to one of the outputs of the combinator. The inserter in the example is connected with green wire to the output of the combinator, and the green wire continues to the input of the combinator. So anything pulsed by the inserter reaches the input of the combinator, from where it is forwarded to its output, from where it is available for anyone to use. It's still connected to the input, so the next tick the value is again forwarded to the output, in eternity, so this acts like a memory for the counter value. Anything additionally pulsed by the inserter is added to that counter value.

In your blueprint, you added the feedback loop of the memory cell as red wire. And you connected the inserters to the right with green wire to the input of the memory cell. The output of the memory cell isn't being output to the green wire, it's just connected to the red wire. So the inserters cannot use the values from the memory cell.
You need to replace the red wire feedback wire with a green wire feedback wire, so the output also reaches the inserters to the right, so you're able to use the memorized value in the inserter conditions.

Posted: **Sun Mar 16, 2025 3:39 pm**

Ah! thanks. I was fixated on adding the feedback of the memory cell using the same red wire as went into the input. I switched the feedback to green and lo! it works. Much thanks. Its all not as hard as one thinks, but getting one's thinking into line with reality is a challenge. It would be great if these early examples of circuits came with blueprints, I seem to have failed at reading the example wiring correctly.

Posted: **Sun Mar 16, 2025 6:19 pm**

markw wrote: Sun Mar 16, 2025 3:39 pmIt would be great if these early examples of circuits came with blueprints, I seem to have failed at reading the example wiring correctly.

It is a Wiki; improvements are welcomed.

I skipped the tutorials myself and figured it out pretty much immediately, so I don’t know what it’s like to not understand the circuit system. It sounds like you have the right type of insight to offer fellow players who might be stuck at the same point.

Posted: **Wed Mar 19, 2025 1:37 am**

It sounds like you have the right type of insight to offer fellow players who might be stuck at the same point.

Hey, the only insight I have on this: the Alt X (reveal mode) causes the combinator to be difficult to see the wiring color unless you know exactly what to look for I guess. With the "reveal" on, and the switch from the red input wire to the green return from the output, as needed by a memory cell, I made the mistake of thinking it was red! I understand that the blueprints keep going out of date, so putting blueprints in is somewhat futile. If I had used my brains I would have figured that that was the issue, but I'm too new to the subject, I need to see it done right once. But hey, one does learn from mistakes, and I learned from this one. Thanks to the quick response too. This is a great forum.

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