Switchboard

[ssilk]

This is a combintor, which solves a gap in the current implementation of circuits. That is when you have circuits with too much signals, but you need only one or some.

.. todo list of other threads ...

This device works simple: Input signals are mapped to output signals by dragging wires from input to output (or vice versa).
Like so:

Every contact on the board is one possible input-signal. You have some cables. If you connect a cable with a contact, this signal is swichted through to the output.

I think you have only 10 cables (? part of balancing) inside of this board, so can connect only maximal 10 signals.

Add description
The switchboard enables to add text description of what signals is routed to what for which reason.
This includes, that the input and output of the switchboard shows this information when you hover the contacts.

Add more functionality
It can provide more functionality like:
- Route one of the 10 signals depending on the value of an 11th signal.
- Route only the signal with the highest value
- Multiply signals, that are connected into one output.
- Subtract/Divide signals that are connected into one output (therefore you need to have to set the order of operation)
- countless useful things more.

Multi-Switchboard
A switchboard which has multiple circuit-inputs and -outputs. I think up to four circuits can be handled. Think of it as if you have some of the switchboards from the pic above in a row.

For that another quite practical operation would be to route that item signal of Board A, which is the highest on board B. And similar others.

Reduce complexity of constructions
Besides the above mentioned reason it could also be an important part of blueprints, cause it can link some "internal signals" from the blueprint to the "outside" (and explains to another player, what he should connect here or what kind of signal comes out). Think also to "factory in factory" setups like in the Factorissimo-mod.

[Deadly-Bagel]

How about the ability to drop certain signals as well? For example you might have a counter to count items as they pass or are inserted, but (unless your timer idea gets implemented) it also has a per-tick counter on say signal [T] so after some number of ticks it resets its memory.

Rather than pass on signal [T] down the network, which might mess with other calculations such as EACH or ANY queries in deciders, drop in this device to pass on all signals except [T].

This could be implemented either as an Ignore option, or if you can configure which signals go to which outputs something like a [*](Other) signal, which outputs any signal that is not otherwise specified. Tell [*](Other) to go to Output 1, then [T] to go to Output 2, then don't connect anything to Output 2. The [*](Other) signal would ignore [*](Each) or [*](All) signals for the purposes of dropping signals.