Can you impove Splitters/Mergers and Conveyor System?

Question

Playing the game i found a lot of minor annoyences when building up conveyor systems, so this is a list of some ideas i would like to see to that would make playing Satisactory... even more satisfactory:

1. Combine Splitter and Merger: there should be an improved version that is both a splitter and conveyor. just like the current splitter can be configured, such a version would allow to set in- and output ports manually (while they are not connected with a conveyor). this would for example allow having a 2-in 2-out conveyor node. but it would also make life much easier when one misplaced a splitter (e.g. wrong input direction).
2. Autoconnect: splitters and mergers should be able to autoconnect to buildings / other splitters/mergers over very short distances when build - similar to lift conveyors. this is because sometimes it an annoyingly difficult and time consuming clicking challenge to get two things connected if they are very close to each other and the conveyors preview are hardly visible. This would however require implementing point 1 with an additional option to block a port alltogether such that for example an unintended connection between two close up merger and splitter can be disabled. auto-connected buildings should have no actual conveyor in between such that its upgrade level is not relevant (i think same applies to auto-connected lifts). 
3. Upgradable: just like conveyors can be upgraded to a better version without tearing them down first the same should apply to splitters and mergers. EDIT: to clarify: by upgdade i mean convert a regular spitter into a smart splitter or a programmable one. with the suggestions listed here it's likely we would get even more types requiring different components to build. also, possibly upgrades could be independent in the sense that a smart upgrade and an overflow upgrade are different things that one can apply individually to a splitter and combine both.
4. Overflow Condition: at least programmable splitters should be able to assign an overflow direction: whenever the splitter is stuck due to full storages, the overflow condition would become active. it would overwrite all direction settings for item types and move them out in the specified overflow direction. maybe a small red light could be turned on the conveyor in the overflow case to make it also easily visible. this would help immensly with truck stations which are setup to transport multible item types at once and use smart splitters later on. those are however mostly useless because very often one item type overfills and blocks all other items. 
5. Trash: since resources are produced indefinetly they fill up all storages inevitably causing jams in the entire conveyor system. a building that can destroy all item types would be great. together with an overflow condition one would be able to resolve most of these problems.
6. Vertical Splitters/Mergers: now that we have lifts maybe an advanced splitter / merger could be added where its roof and its bottom are also possible in- and out put ports.
7. Smart Storages: advanced storage containers that could be set to hold a specified amount of stacks of a specific item. even if such a storage would have an output conveyor attached, it would not sent out items that is it setup to hold. 
8. Automatic Splitters and an Item Order System: improved version of the smart storage container of point 7 for the end game with the ability to request items of a specific type for delivery. automatic splitters would register that request and direct the specified number of items along the conveyor network to the right target (possibly overwriting any other directions for the given item type). this would basically work the very same as the roads network in "The Settlers I/II" games.

Comments

2. Autoconnect without conveyors would mean no speed limit. Solution?

Otherwise great ideas.

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well, if this is considered a problem speed could be limited to best attached conveyor.

but indeed, if people started to connect buildings using only auto connected splitters, then yes, they would be able to move all items from one storage to another instantly. then again it would be hellishly inconvenient to place everything right for the autoconnect to work - and moving large amounts of items is anyway possible already now: instead of conveyors move it via Ctrl+Drag to your inventory and back again into another storgage... so yeah.

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Autoconnect: splitters and mergers - At the very least show the blue line accurately as I find some equipment (assemblers input side) doesn't "line up" to the slot it lines up to the center.
Upgradable: This would be really great.

Overflow Condition:  This is similar to what I asked for (I want smart splitters to be weighting where I can split: left 4 right 1 and if full center.
 
Trash:  This one would be easily solved with the "overflow" option.

Smart Storages:  This would also be great to solve the "overstock" issue I could allow overage to be dumped into "trash" being a truck stop to haul it off or a building that will destroy it.
Automatic Splitters and an Item Order System: This would sounds overly complicated not sure I fully see the benefit.

Answer 1

1. Theres already been requests for spliter/merger hybrid
2. Yes, please, this would compact factories further
3. Im not a fan of it, when you have #2 you can have multi-output buildings therefore handle >180 output using only mk1 belts if you are creative, it would not be possible if S/M are capped, my only concern is that, without a speed cap and #2 people would start making lines of splitters to exploit its speed
4. So, lets say at input to #7 smart storage you have a #2 connected #4 overflow splitter that would redirect any unwanted items to either #5 trash or storage.
5. An item destroyer will be useful, i end up with items in my inventory i don't need.
6. i'd rather have a restrictive system that encourages creativity than a confusing one with unnecessary components
7&8. Other than a truck station, you should have different containers for different items,an order system is a bit of an overkill

Over all i like #2 and #5, but congratulations on a neat ecosystem.

Comments

3. i think there is a misunderstanding here. i updated this point to clear it out.

7. it is currently not possible to do. for example in early game i would like to place a storage container between one base production building and an assembler such that it stores a few stacks of the simple items for construction use. if someone (in multiplayer) overcharges the assembler it will however consume more then the constructor puts out thus emptying the storage in between and rendering it entirely useless. of course i could replace the storage with a splitter and connect it to the storage instead but this will hamper (half) production for quite a long while until it's full. perhaps with a splitter that can set a splitt ratio it could work too, but none such exists either.
also related: https://questions.satisfactorygame.com/2811/add-the-posibility-to-limit-the-container-space

8. yeah, admittedly this one is a gimmick for the end game - but if programmable splitters use supercomputers then it would be appropriate to give them a functionality worthy of them. for example it would make it easy to create a central storage area for all item types. all production lines would add an automatic splitter and direct it to the central storage. you could easily combine multiple items in one storage without the overfill problem. having frequently used construction items stored in one container would make a lot of running around searching for the right ones superfluous (in late game there are many item types). but it could also be used for factories (if they are extended as well): for example you could feed manufacturers with a single conveyor line that transports all needed item types. an automatic splitter could split only as much items as the factory really needs without overfilling any item type leaving everything else to move on... e.g. to the next factory. this would massively reduce the amount of needed conveyors as all factories would need only one input port. perhaps that's an oversimplification unless they are made late game only and expensive enough - providing an end game goal to streamline all previous production.

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3. oh, wow i really missed the mark on it, its a simple QOL improvement then.

7. Im used to making small percentage of my production go to a container in the center of my base,  so lets say i can relate to wanting a buffer container

8. Im on defense on this one, smart base control would be neat IF done correctly.

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You beat me to it... All of those have already been suggested at least once.

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For #s 2/3 i don't think there needs to be a speed limit just make it so you cant auto connect two splitters/mergers.  anything after that is just a creative use of belts to increase throughput at the cost of space and material which i believe would still be an effective drawback.