Set Recipe pick 'intermediate-products' group before others like 'logistics' group
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 7:52 pm
tl;dr
The signal ordering, whether through a selector combinator index on equal value signals or 'Set Recipe' on assemblers should choose ingredients before products consistently.
What?
Currently there is inconsistency with how signals are ordered and selected by the selector combinator or the assembler 'set recipe' function. For example, if you send both a pipe and pump signal to an assembler it will correctly build the pipe before the pump (which requires pipe). However, if the pre-requisite is in the 'intermediate products' group, this does not work. For example if you send a 'iron stick' and 'medium power pole' signal to an assembler, it will try and build the power pole (which requires the iron stick) before the iron sticks. Likewise for gears and belts. I think this is because the game does not order the 'intermediate products' group before other groups. In my opinion it should be resources -> intermediate products -> everything else. Within a group the sub groups and group order handles correctly, which is why pipe-> pump works. But if you're using anything in the intermediate products group like circuits -> logistic chest, or gear -> belt, or iron stick -> power pole, it does not work.
Why?
Either order would be fine so long as it was consistent because than you could simply use an output=1 and selector combinator either ascending or descending to select the correct order. But with it being inconsistent, you cannot reliable setup an auto-recipe for many items without the pain of manually creating your own index.
The signal ordering, whether through a selector combinator index on equal value signals or 'Set Recipe' on assemblers should choose ingredients before products consistently.
What?
Currently there is inconsistency with how signals are ordered and selected by the selector combinator or the assembler 'set recipe' function. For example, if you send both a pipe and pump signal to an assembler it will correctly build the pipe before the pump (which requires pipe). However, if the pre-requisite is in the 'intermediate products' group, this does not work. For example if you send a 'iron stick' and 'medium power pole' signal to an assembler, it will try and build the power pole (which requires the iron stick) before the iron sticks. Likewise for gears and belts. I think this is because the game does not order the 'intermediate products' group before other groups. In my opinion it should be resources -> intermediate products -> everything else. Within a group the sub groups and group order handles correctly, which is why pipe-> pump works. But if you're using anything in the intermediate products group like circuits -> logistic chest, or gear -> belt, or iron stick -> power pole, it does not work.
Why?
Either order would be fine so long as it was consistent because than you could simply use an output=1 and selector combinator either ascending or descending to select the correct order. But with it being inconsistent, you cannot reliable setup an auto-recipe for many items without the pain of manually creating your own index.