[0.13.8] Circular Belt gets stuck when getting filled.

[Semaphor]

Circular Belt with science packs is stuck (red arrow). It seems that the blue science is trying to be jammed into the circular belt (to fill it) but there is no space for it. So the entire belt becomes stuck and doesn't move.

Screenshot:


Saved game, logs, and mods:
http://www.fast-files.com/getfile.aspx?file=117343

[Ranakastrasz]

Is the problem that it won't insert more blue science? That is normal.
If the problem is that the circular belt isn't moving, yea, thats a problem.

[Optera]

No bug just a terrible design.
Easy fixes:
1) use Splitters to merge belts
2) check circular belt content and only allow adding new items if there is lack of said item eg: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28414

[Loewchen]

Agreed, that is not a bug.

[daniel34]

If the problem is that the circular belt isn't moving, yea, thats a problem.

That actually is the case. The belt is stuck (note the jammed blue science pack on the belt at the sideloading point) and doesn't move. Removing and replacing any tile of the belt fixes it.
The game is modded (here I loaded it without mods), but I didn't see any mod in there that's belt-related.

Mods

[Ranakastrasz]

Definitely a bug then if a really minor one.

[Klonan]

Its not a bug, the belt is full, it doesn't need to loop if its full, and it would be a lot of work and un-optimization to keep a full belt looping

[Ormek]

I experienced the same behavior of a non moving belt with 0.13.20 build 24011 and it does in no way meet my expectations as a player.

Its not a bug, the belt is full, it doesn't need to loop if its full, and it would be a lot of work and un-optimization to keep a full belt looping

I agree: It does not need to loop, if all tiles contain the same material.
I diagree: It does need to loop, if at least one tile is different from the others. That difference need to move around!

In the animation of daniel34, I expect the blue flask on the left that is already on the belt to move around.
Even if it does work as designed it fails the reality check: A real belt would transport the one blue flask around until someone graps it. In factorio it will never reach the inserter.

[steinio]

This loop example solved this issue for me.
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=32133&p=208892#p203118

The trick is, to uncompress the belt in the loop with splitters.

Greetings steinio

[Ormek]

Thanks Steinio, but I do not have an actual problem with the belts getting stuck. My belts are designed in such way that each tile contains exactly the same items, if full.
I just cannot believe that Factorio does not want to simulate a real world belt. I expect the belt to not require a trick to move.

I also do not understand the optimization argument: As the post that you linked show, players will add splitters to make the looping belt run again, which probably consumes at least the same amount of CPU cycles as the regular circular belt with mixed content.

[mooklepticon]

I use loops to do early sorting with mixed outputs, like Angel's ores, and they do need to keep moving. The alternatives I've found are adding to the loop via splitter or inserter.