Factorio Forums

Generally it is safe and works well to deconstruct a large area, and while this deconstruction is still going, put another blueprint over it to construct in its place. Some robots might have to wait for a while until they can build the new entity, but that's fine.

Things break when that new blueprint happens to build the same entity type in the same spot as is currently planned for deconstruction. In that case the entity ends up being deconstructed but is never rebuilt. This came up for me after having to move an already deployed large blueprint for straight train tracks over by a few tiles: To move all the ancillary stuff around the train tracks themselves (power, signals, some lights, etc.) I decided I'd just deconstruct the whole track and immediately after rebuild it, but moved slightly (along the train track). This meant most of the track track overlapped with where it was before (except at the ends), but all the stuff next to the train tracks moved a bit. This resulted in most of the train track being destructed, while the other entities around it didn't have this overlap and moved just fine.

It seems it would be better if (a) constructing the same entity type over an entity planned for deconstruction undoes the deconstruction-planning, though it would still need to adjust the configuration of the entity, if it is e.g. a combinator or something or (b) still deconstruct it, but then actually shortly after construct it again with the new config, like it would if it was a different entity type.


I tried to find an existing bug for this, as I assume I'm not the first one to find this issue, but I failed, so I'm filing it to be sure.

Thanks for an awesome game!

I can confirm this behavoir. but only noticed it while removing rails and directly placing a blueprint on it, bits of tracks where missing.

I definitely also had it happen to me with concrete tiles, but since you brought it up I'll try it later tonight or tomorrow with an entity like an inserter or a combinator and post the outcome here, unless somebody else posts a relevant update before.

Thanks for confirming for train tracks!

+1 for rails
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=50941

also rail signals, chain rail signals, concrete, construction concrete, brick path

I was doing a test, turns out a blueprint over itself shows buildings in blue, a blueprint over a deconstructed building shows green; except on those things that don't replace...

Looking at this a little more; not sure why some buildings have blue select around them... Oh, because of the substation.
Rocket silo prevents consturction of a blueprint over itself once placed (this is after the deconstruction/reconsturction is done...) Hmm guess I missed belts; those work though I'm sure because you can even replace those in-place.

d3x0r wrote: Looking at this a little more; not sure why some buildings have blue select around them... Oh, because of the substation.

Well power poles do react a bit wierd with blueprints (could also be a point to look in to)

d3x0r wrote:
Hmm guess I missed belts; those work though I'm sure because you can even replace those in-place.

belts, underground and splitters are working, using that alot.

Thanks for the report. While this is working as intended it can be annoying so we've changed it so in 0.16 when you build a blueprint of rails over a rail to be deconstructed it cancels deconstruction.

Canceling the deconstruction is worse.
I want to replace the rails with different style rails; not leave what was there.
And what about rocket silo preventing placing a blueprint even when it's in the same place?

This happened to me for other entities than rails as well.
When placing a blueprint over an area marked for deconstruction I expect the blueprint to be built completely. Either by removing all entities first as ordered or being somewhat smart and cancel identical entities from being deconstructed and rebuilt.

Optera wrote:This happened to me for other entities than rails as well.
When placing a blueprint over an area marked for deconstruction I expect the blueprint to be built completely. Either by removing all entities first as ordered or being somewhat smart and cancel identical entities from being deconstructed and rebuilt.

well the actual behavior for those eneittis that don't behave as normal is that the ghost is not created over it. This would be true if concrete were replaced with hazard concrete or any of the things indiciated in the screen shots I posted.

There's no ghost put down to rebuilt. so it does all the desconconsturct first, but has nothing to construct afterward... cancelling deconstruct for identical entities is of course a clever thing to do; and thqt doesn't happen for anything ATM.