Cobble Gens Fail To Export Items

Hey guys! So, we've got a bit of a head-scratcher on our hands with the cobble gens in the FTB Skies 2 modpack. It seems like these trusty cobblestone generators are having a bit of an existential crisis when it comes to exporting their hard-earned rock into other mods' systems, specifically Mekanism's Logistical Pipes and those handy Item Bins. This issue, originally flagged and discussed on the FTB Modpack Issues GitHub, points to a problem where the generated cobblestone just isn't making its way out of the generator. We're diving deep into why this might be happening, and what could be the fix.

The Core Problem: No Internal Buffer?

The main suspect, as suggested by the original report and our own observations, is that these cobble gens might be lacking an internal inventory buffer. Think of it like trying to pour water from a cup with no bottom – the water just falls straight through! In the context of Minecraft modding, an inventory buffer is crucial. It's that temporary holding space where an item resides before it's moved out to another connected system. Without this buffer, the generator might be trying to produce cobblestone and instantly push it out, but the receiving system (like the Logistical Pipes or Item Bins) isn't ready or able to accept it at that precise, instantaneous moment. This can cause a bottleneck, leading to the items simply vanishing or, more accurately, failing to enter the export system at all. It’s a frustrating sight, especially when you're setting up automated resource gathering and your main cobblestone producer just isn't cooperating. We need that smooth, seamless flow of materials, and right now, that flow is being abruptly halted at the generator itself. The implications of this are pretty significant for base building and resource management, especially in a modpack like FTB Skies 2 where efficiency is key.

Understanding the Mechanics: How Items Should Export

Let's chat a bit about how item export usually works in modded Minecraft, because understanding this will really help us pinpoint why the cobble gens are acting up. Normally, when a block like a cobble generator produces an item, that item doesn't just teleport into your pipes or bins. Instead, it first lands in the producing block's internal inventory. This inventory acts as a tiny staging area. From this staging area, other mods' systems, like Mekanism's Logistical Pipes or even vanilla hoppers and chests, can then pull or push the items. For a cobble gen to work smoothly with these export systems, it needs to have this internal buffer. The Logistical Pipes, for instance, are designed to detect items in adjacent inventories and then request them. Item Bins, similarly, are meant to receive items placed or pushed into them. If the cobble gen doesn't have that intermediate step – that little holding spot – then the exporting mechanism has nothing to latch onto. It's like trying to grab a ball that's already in motion; the Logistical Pipe might be there, ready to grab, but the ball (cobblestone) never pauses long enough in a place it can be grabbed from. This is why we suspect the lack of an internal inventory is the key culprit. The generator creates the item, and in theory, it should be somewhere accessible before it's exported. If it's not, the export simply fails. We've seen this with other blocks in various modpacks, and it's usually a tell-tale sign of a missing inventory handler or a buffer that isn't implemented correctly.

The Modpack Context: FTB Skies 2 and Its Dependencies

Now, let's zoom in on the specific environment we're dealing with: the FTB Skies 2 modpack. This pack is known for its extensive use of various tech mods, and in this case, we're looking at the interaction between FTB Stuff & Things (version 21.1.15) and potentially other mods that handle item transport. The underlying forge version is 21.1.215. The issue is specifically reported with Mekanism's Logistical Pipes and Item Bins. Mekanism is a powerhouse when it comes to automation and advanced machinery, and its item transport system is usually quite robust. Item Bins, often found in various modpacks, provide a simple and immediate way to store items. The fact that both of these systems are failing to interact with the cobble gen suggests the problem lies with the generator itself, or how it's implemented within the FTB Stuff & Things mod. It's not that Mekanism or the Item Bins are broken; they're likely behaving as programmed, but the cobble gen isn't providing the expected output in a format they can interact with. This kind of cross-mod compatibility issue is super common in large modpacks. Developers have to ensure that every block, every item, and every mechanic plays nicely with potentially dozens of other mods. Sometimes, in the rush to add new features or balance gameplay, a small detail like an item buffer can be overlooked, leading to situations like this. We need to ensure that the cobble gen, as part of the FTB Stuff & Things mod, adheres to standard Minecraft/modding conventions for item handling if we want it to integrate seamlessly with the rest of the modpack's automation systems.

Troubleshooting Steps and Potential Fixes

Alright, let's talk solutions, guys! Since the primary suspect is the lack of an internal inventory buffer on the cobble gens, our troubleshooting and potential fixes will revolve around that. The most straightforward, albeit potentially unofficial, fix would be for the developers of FTB Stuff & Things to implement an internal inventory for the cobblestone generator. This would allow items to sit there briefly, making them accessible to adjacent pipes, hoppers, or other transfer systems. If that’s not immediately possible, we need to explore workarounds. One common approach is to place a block with a small buffer directly adjacent to the cobble gen. For instance, a simple wooden or iron chest, or even a basic hopper placed underneath or beside the generator, might act as that intermediary buffer. The hopper would pull the cobblestone into its own small internal buffer, and then the Logistical Pipes or Item Bins could connect to the hopper or chest to extract the items. This adds an extra step but often solves the immediate problem. We'd need to experiment with placement – a hopper directly beneath the gen, or a chest to the side. You might also consider mods that offer more robust item transfer solutions that are perhaps more forgiving of blocks with no internal inventories, though that could be overkill. The core idea is to introduce a block with a buffer between the generator and your desired export system. It’s like giving the cobblestone a place to pause before its big journey. We’ll need to test which configurations work best, but the principle remains: create that buffer!

Reproduction: A Step-by-Step Guide

To really nail down this issue and confirm it's happening consistently, let's walk through the exact steps you'd take in-game. This is crucial for developers to replicate the problem and, hopefully, find a fix. First, make sure you have the FTB Skies 2 modpack installed and running, with the specified versions of Forge and the FTB Stuff & Things mod. Step 1: Place a Cobblestone Generator. Find or craft a cobblestone generator from the FTB Stuff & Things mod and place it down in your world. It doesn't matter where, but an open area is best so you can easily place other blocks around it. Step 2: Connect an Export System. This is where the problem usually shows up. Try connecting either Mekanism's Logistical Pipes or an Item Bin directly to the cobblestone generator. For Logistical Pipes, you’d typically place a pipe adjacent to the generator block, often on the side or bottom, and ensure it has a provider or extraction upgrade configured to pull cobblestone. For an Item Bin, you'd place it directly next to or facing the generator. Step 3: Observe the Result. After connecting your export system, wait for the generator to try and produce cobblestone. Normally, you'd see cobblestone appearing in the Item Bin or being pulled through the Logistical Pipes. However, with this bug, no cobblestone is generated or exported. The generator might show activity, but the items never enter the connected storage or transport system. It’s important to note that sometimes blocks with no internal inventory might still render the item briefly above them before it disappears. If you see this, it further confirms the lack of a buffer. If you've followed these steps and seen no cobblestone anywhere other than potentially inside the generator block itself (if it has a hidden buffer), then you've successfully reproduced the issue. This clear, repeatable process is vital for bug hunting, guys!

Conclusion: Towards a Smoother Automation

So there you have it, folks! The issue with cobble gens not exporting items into Mekanism's Logistical Pipes or Item Bins in FTB Skies 2, likely due to a missing internal inventory buffer in the FTB Stuff & Things mod, is a real pain point for automation enthusiasts. It disrupts the seamless flow of resources that we all strive for in modded Minecraft. While the ideal solution is for the mod developers to implement a proper inventory buffer, we've discussed practical workarounds like inserting a hopper or chest between the generator and the export system. These workarounds, while adding a small extra step, can effectively bridge the gap and get your cobblestone flowing again. It’s all about getting creative with the tools we have! Keep an eye on the FTB Modpack Issues GitHub for any official updates or potential fixes from the developers. In the meantime, happy building, and may your cobblestone always find its way where it needs to go! Let us know in the comments if you've found any other clever solutions or workarounds for this pesky problem. We're all in this together, figuring out this amazing world of modded Minecraft, one block at a time!