distribution

[ccomley]

I've set up a number of distribution "hats" on storage to automatically reload my inventory. that works fine!

The tick-box for "Provide to other distributors" however suggests I should be able to have bots deliver goods from one storage chest to another.

But they don't. I've tried setting up two chests for the same item, well within the researched range of the drones, but the box just says "0 available routes" and nothing is sent. I've tried setting up the 'receiving' hat with the "provide" button on or off, doesn't help. I think I've tried every combination of settings on both the send hat and the receive hat but still there are "zero available routes".

What obvious thing am I missing??

[XLjedi]

If you want stuff delivered, set the tick to orange, if you want to provide stuff to others, set the tick to blue. Make sure there are drones assigned to at least one of them, or nothing gets moved. If it says, zero routes available, then the two nodes are not close enough.

[josmith7]

To expand on what XLjedi said - "Provide to other distributors" works a little differently than supplying Icarus. The Icarus option has 3 settings and defaults to the middle one where the logistics bots are free to either provide the material to his inventory or take excess back from his inventory (if you adjust the slider that's to the right of the checkbox you can cycle between left/blue where it can provide only, center (default) where it can do either, or right/orange where it can only receive.

"Provide to other distributors" doesn't have that middle send & receive option; and instead default to exclusively provide.
So when you check that box a slider appears, but it is fully left/blue and will only provide material to other logistics distributors. To create a valid route you need:
a) a 2nd logistics distributor configured for the same item type. (if you didn't have some in the storage container to cause the item type to auto-set you'll need to click on the item filter and manually select the type of item you want received)
b) it must be within range.
c) the providing logistics distributor(s) must have "Provide to other distributors" checked and the toggle left in the default 'Provide' state.
d) the receiving logistic distributor(s) must have "Provide to other distributors" checked and the toggle switched to the 'Receive' (right/orange) state. (this will also change the text description by the checkbox)

So most likely you missed step d, toggling the direction slider on the distributor that you want to receive the material.

[ccomley]

Ting! Thanks - I utterly failed to notice the blue/orange switch next to the checkbox - I *said* i was missing something obvious! :-) Cheers.