This is what make you S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

[abaris]

So I'm confused as to how the Supply Lines feature is supposed to work.

I've got first rank of the Local Leader perk, which unlocks Supply Lines.

I've selected a settler at Sanctuary, and instructed them to form a supply line with Red Rocket (just across the river).  I waited for 36 in-game hours, then went to Red Rocket's workbench to see if the workbench inventory was shared with Sanctuary.  Nope.

I also sent settlers to form supply lines with several other settlements, fast traveled to them, and accessed the workbench inventory.  I could not see any evidence that the feature is working, even though the supply lines can be seen on the pip boy map display.

Am I missing something?

If it doesn't connect, something's wrong.

First call up the map. On the bottom there's an option to show supply lines. It's C on the PC. If it's there, settlements are connected. If it doesn't, your settler somehow didn't get the command.

[Jackalope]

So I'm confused as to how the Supply Lines feature is supposed to work.

I've got first rank of the Local Leader perk, which unlocks Supply Lines.

I've selected a settler at Sanctuary, and instructed them to form a supply line with Red Rocket (just across the river).  I waited for 36 in-game hours, then went to Red Rocket's workbench to see if the workbench inventory was shared with Sanctuary.  Nope.

I also sent settlers to form supply lines with several other settlements, fast traveled to them, and accessed the workbench inventory.  I could not see any evidence that the feature is working, even though the supply lines can be seen on the pip boy map display.

Am I missing something?

If it doesn't connect, something's wrong.

First call up the map. On the bottom there's an option to show supply lines. It's C on the PC. If it's there, settlements are connected. If it doesn't, your settler somehow didn't get the command.

Yep, they're connected. Supposedly.

[abaris]

Yep, they're connected.  Supposedly.

So, no worries. They're sharing resources all right. And you don't have to wait for it. It works the moment you established connections. Looking at the local workshop inventory doesn't tell you anything though. It only shows local items. Only when you build something, you have access to all the shared resources.

[Jackalope]

Yep, they're connected.  Supposedly.

So, no worries. They're sharing resources all right. And you don't have to wait for it. It works the moment you established connections. Looking at the local workshop inventory doesn't tell you anything though. It only shows local items. Only when you build something, you have access to all the shared resources.

Ah, so that's what I was missing. The description of the perk on Nukapedia is a bit misleading ("When building at a workshop or using a crafting station inside a settlement, one can use the inventory of all linked workshops/crafting stations.") You can use the inventory for building and other recipes, but not other purposes. So it works for some values of "use the inventory".

It's all good, it does what I need it to. I'll just have to periodically sweep up the surplus inventory for sale or salvage.

[abaris]

I'll just have to periodically sweep up the surplus inventory for sale or salvage.

Why would you do that? It is available in all your settlements. There is no surplus other than what you are producing. Crops and water. And these go into the workshop inventory of the settlement where they are produced. So, most likely Sanctuary, since it offers the biggest opportunities for water and crop production.

[houseofcantor]

You have to fast travel out someplace and spend sufficient time away.  Not sure how long that is exactly.

I usually inspect my outlying settlements anyway from time to time. So it's no big deal.

The bigger deal seems to be the object limit. I ran into that at the castle. Can't build anything anymore there, which is quite a problem, since I'm still not done with repairing the walls and setting up defenses. Well, there's a couple of mods on the nexus, removing that limit, but one relies on some third party program, filled with adware, as I noticed and the other one relies on console commands. The tilde key doesn't work for me for some reason and so I don't know how to call up the console.

There's a way to get past the object limit - it's silly af. Go to the workbench and transfer a bunch of weapons inside from your inventory, then take 'em all out and dump 'em on the ground. Go into workshop view, look at 'em and store 'em in the workbench. The object limit meter noticeably decreases as you perform this operation. 

If you use this method too much though, you may notice some stutter and lag. I've had that happen once but it seems to have went away.

[abaris]

There's a way to get past the object limit - it's silly af. Go to the workbench and transfer a bunch of weapons inside from your inventory, then take 'em all out and dump 'em on the ground. Go into workshop view, look at 'em and store 'em in the workbench. The object limit meter noticeably decreases as you perform this operation. 

If you use this method too much though, you may notice some stutter and lag. I've had that happen once but it seems to have went away.

Yes, I read that today at some site. Wonder if simply scrapping them on the ground is working also.

[houseofcantor]

There's a way to get past the object limit - it's silly af. Go to the workbench and transfer a bunch of weapons inside from your inventory, then take 'em all out and dump 'em on the ground. Go into workshop view, look at 'em and store 'em in the workbench. The object limit meter noticeably decreases as you perform this operation. 

If you use this method too much though, you may notice some stutter and lag. I've had that happen once but it seems to have went away.

Yes, I read that today at some site. Wonder if simply scrapping them on the ground is working also.

Not as well it seems, but it still works.

[Jackalope]

I'll just have to periodically sweep up the surplus inventory for sale or salvage.

Why would you do that? It is available in all your settlements. There is no surplus other than what you are producing. Crops and water. And these go into the workshop inventory of the settlement where they are produced. So, most likely Sanctuary, since it offers the biggest opportunities for water and crop production.

Yes, the materials are available for building, yes the junk is available for breaking down into materials. The armor, weapons and other junk I looted but might want to sell aren't unless I visit the location in question. Unless I'm missing something.

[houseofcantor]

So!

I set up a supply route from The Castle to Spectacle Island. Go to Spectacle Island, no stuff. 

Swim around aimlessly, find a provisioner and his brahmin at the bottom of the ocean.