Filtered Chests Like Train Wagons

[ThatGuyStyx]

Would it be possible to filter chests in the same way you can train wagons?

This would be useful for when using a single chest to store multiple items, and preventing one item from gradually building up making no space for others.

[Ranakastrasz]

I second this. Would be great for sorting/storage hybrid systems especially.

[ssilk]

This suggestion is a mod. It has very low chance to get into vanilla.
should I move it to modding ideas?

[Optera]

Seems like a legit base feature request to me.

Sure, if it became a base feature filters should be exposed in the API.

[ThatGuyStyx]

This suggestion is a mod. It has very low chance to get into vanilla.
should I move it to modding ideas?

What mod does this? Would be nice to have it in vanilla.

[ssilk]

Hm, I shouldn’t post, when I’ve no time. Sorry.

@Optera: yes, should be made possible via Lua-Api. Mods should be made possible, because now you need a modded wagon on rails... But I think the devs had reasons to not have storage-chests with 48 filter options in vanilla...

@ThatGuyStyx There is no mod. I meant, that this suggestion should be implemented as mod, and not in vanilla.

More arguments: the size of the chests is already pretty small, space is no real issue in Factorio, so I don’t see a problem with having a chest for each item. And for the case you need it: it has a pretty deep puzzle factor do do it without filters; there is more possible as you might think on first view.

[Ranakastrasz]

True enough. You have to determine stack size of all types of items that might end up in the chest, and use that to determine how full a chest will end up being, use that as a limiter to avoid the chest hitting 100% capacity, so as to ensure there is always room for inserters to insert one of the other item types. It was a pain in the ass for ores, and I imagine it is drastically worse for things with different stack caps.

[pf_moore]

I'd like to be able to lock chest inventory slots to particular items, like you can with cargo wagons.

When setting up a cargo wagon, you can use middle click to "lock" an inventory slot to a particular item. You can do the same with your character inventory. But you can't do this with the inventory of a chest. Is there a reason for this limitation? If not, is it something that could be added?

I would find it really useful when setting up logistic storage to be able to limit which slots in the chest could hold which items. This would (for example) allow a provider chest to be partitioned so that it can be shared between multiple assemblers, without the risk that one assembler could over-produce and fill the chest. Yes, this can be achieved with circuit conditions on the inserter filling the chest, but that's not always an option (for example, with recyclers, which don't use an inserter and can't be hooked up to the circuit or logistic network). Another use case I had recently was a stricter version of the logistic filter on storage chests. By filtering the slots, I could force a chest to only hold one type of item, whereas the logistic filter is simply a request (if other storage runs out, the bots will disregard the filter and put random junk in the chest).

(By the way, I was a bit surprised this didn't seem to have been requested before, but I did try searching for it and couldn't fine another post about it. Sorry if I missed something and this has been discussed previously).

[Gorb]

I desired this on chests as well. Specifically with quality options, limiting chests is a lot harder. Gambling on quality with Nuclear reactors is an example of this. With a stack size of 10, and relatively few needed, rolling that desired rare or uncommon means I can't limit my chest to only 1 stack without using circuit logic.

[LCStark]

(By the way, I was a bit surprised this didn't seem to have been requested before, but I did try searching for it and couldn't fine another post about it. Sorry if I missed something and this has been discussed previously).

I'd guess you'd find it as "chest inventory filters" or something like that.

When setting up a cargo wagon, you can use middle click to "lock" an inventory slot to a particular item. You can do the same with your character inventory. But you can't do this with the inventory of a chest. Is there a reason for this limitation? If not, is it something that could be added?

Definitely doable with mods, there are a few: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/FilterChests, https://mods.factorio.com/mod/filter_assistant

Yes, this can be achieved with circuit conditions on the inserter filling the chest, but that's not always an option (for example, with recyclers, which don't use an inserter and can't be hooked up to the circuit or logistic network).

You can still use a recycler with an inserter. Placing an inserter in the spot the recycler outputs to blocks that output and the inserter can grab items from it:

Another use case I had recently was a stricter version of the logistic filter on storage chests. By filtering the slots, I could force a chest to only hold one type of item, whereas the logistic filter is simply a request (if other storage runs out, the bots will disregard the filter and put random junk in the chest).

From the Factorio wiki about the storage chest:

The filter that can be set on the storage chest is respected even if items that are actively being pushed to the network can not be stored anywhere else.

I haven't checked if that's true, but I've always assumed so and never found it to work differently. As long as you set the filter on a chest before bots have a chance to order putting something in it, it should respect the filter always.

[pf_moore]

I haven't checked if that's true, but I've always assumed so and never found it to work differently.

I'm pretty sure I set up filtered chests but forgot to add general storage once, and the bots put something unexpected into one of my filtered chests. But maybe I'm wrong - I'll have to check.

Edit: Never mind, I just checked my game and it looks like I missed the filters off some of my chests My mistake.

[Koub]

[Koub] Merged into an older thread with the same suggestion.