[0.7.8] Fabs sometimes take resources but don't produce blocks

[layer1]

I did upgrade to the R&D version but fabs are stable and have been for a while so I think this should go here. If I should move it to R&D Feedback let me know and I'll remove this.

Reproduction:

1. Set up a feed to any fabricator with enough blocks to make two or more blocks of any type. It's easiest to reproduce this if you have enough to make multiple copies of the same block.
2. Start production on the first block. Leave repeat off.
3. Just as the fab finishes and the Cancel button becomes the Craft button, click Craft again.

At this point the fab will take in resources as if it's crafting, but the counter remains at 0/xx. When the materials run out it will poof out a black cloud as if you canceled production. Sometimes it will continue to wait for resources and continue destroying them, or it will stop and behave normally. Canceling production or removing/reinstalling the fab will reset it.

 

[Adriano]

Thanks for the report @layer1 , although I'm getting a slightly different result following your reproduction steps. When Cancel changes back to Craft, if I click it as soon as it changes the Fabricator fails to produce the block, and instead calls for more resources, which do go into the Fabricator correctly and it makes the block. So it looks to me like a slight overlap between Craft/Cancel is occurring, leading to both happening at once.

 

[ZeroGravitas]

Could you upload a save (or just a screenshot) of the crafting setup you have @layer1, to be sure we're looking at the same thing (lots of other idiosyncrasies with crafting).

And does it help with reproduction, to use a Pacemaker set to slow, for clicking the crafting button again, quickly?

 

[layer1]

The crafting setup varies, but attached is one I commonly use. Adding a pacemaker didn't change the behavior, but now the fabs aren't kicking out the first block as they were when I first posted. That's with or without a pacemaker. Maybe I'm clicking slightly faster than before.

Here's a video of exactly what I'm doing.

 

[ZeroGravitas]

The crafting setup varies, but attached is one I commonly use. Adding a pacemaker didn't change the behavior, but now the fabs aren't kicking out the first block as they were when I first posted. That's with or without a pacemaker. Maybe I'm clicking slightly faster than before.

Here's a video of exactly what I'm doing.

Fantastic reporting, thanks.

Certainly I was a bit frustrated with Fabricators disintegrating resources upon cancelling, when first learning how things worked. I could see this being fairly aggravating and confusing to new players too, if they trip on it. Though, hopefully, they'd wise up pretty quick.

Edit: I've added a link to this report in my Crafting Guide:

Bug - Clicking "Craft" too quickly, before the previous block is spat out, will cancel the previous block and sometimes waste a second set of resources too [report].

 

[Bgrmystr2]

I had experienced this bug back in this version too for what few minutes I was able to play, but was unable to report it since I was so busy.

If I told the fabricator to craft something on repeat, immediately after it spits out a block it previously crafted it would get stuck in a demanding resources loop on the new crafting recipe. Seems like it's fixed now, as I can't seem to replicate it in 0.7.8.2 so cheers for getting this when I couldn't jump on the forums.

 

[Epb7304]

when swapping from crafting one thing to another the fabricator eats resources unless you unanchor and
re-anchor then it will work Lathland discovered this bug in his most recent terratech video (I'm not 100% certain that it is in the stable version because he does not mention if he uses unstable)

24:00 onward

 

[ZeroGravitas]

Apparently, another (similar) way to cause this Fabricators destroying ingredients bug, is to switch the type of block being manufactured before the current one is finished. (TerraTech 1.0.)

Again, this requires that:
(1) The Fabricator be directly connected to a Silo with the necessary resources.
(2) You're clicking "Craft" without clicking "Cancle" first.

As demonstrated by Lathrix today in his video at 25:55.

I did some more testing [pointlessly simple save attached] and even a single conveyor block between Silo and Fabricator negates the issue. It gives the Fabricator one crafting 'tick' to do it's little destroying resources fart, and be ready to move on. Proof that holding in farts is bad.

 

[ZeroGravitas]

I've just merged @Epb7304's new thread titled "fabricators eating blocks" with this existing one, that I'd class as the same issue. (Beat me to post by about 6 seconds there, heh.)

Wanna check and update the report @kae?