[0.16] Disable overwriting of combinators via blueprint

[Hoefnix]

TL;DR

The new feature of 0.16 to overwrite settings of existing buildings also present in a blueprint is undesirable when expanding combinator builds and combinators should be exempt from this feature.

What ?

I already have quite some extensive combinator builds and quite some of them use a database style architecture. Here requests or data is addressed in such a way it is easy to expand the database by adding a line under the existing ones.
I used to be able to expand a database by copying the last two lines of the database and blueprinting them over the last line, this way I was sure all the wires hooked in correctly. I then set the data in the constant combinator and any filters in decider combinators however the new entry requires. Now however when blueprinting the new line it overrides the last line with the data from the second to last line, highly undesirable.
Above is my main annoyance with the change, however I already find that I use blueprints to hook up circuit wires correctly way more often than I thought and find myself overwriting combinator settings all the time. Yes I could hook them in manually but that is much more grindy and prone to errors.

Change i'm referring to: viewtopic.php?t=51308

Why ?

It makes working with combinators easier. This change is referred to as a QOL change, however for combinators it decreases quality of life (where life=factorio).

Thanks for your attention and keep up the awesome work!
Hoefnix

[golfmiketango]

TL;DR

The new feature of 0.16 to overwrite settings of existing buildings also present in a blueprint is undesirable when expanding combinator builds and combinators should be exempt from this feature.

What ?

I already have quite some extensive combinator builds and quite some of them use a database style architecture. Here requests or data is addressed in such a way it is easy to expand the database by adding a line under the existing ones.
I used to be able to expand a database by copying the last two lines of the database and blueprinting them over the last line, this way I was sure all the wires hooked in correctly. I then set the data in the constant combinator and any filters in decider combinators however the new entry requires. Now however when blueprinting the new line it overrides the last line with the data from the second to last line, highly undesirable.
Above is my main annoyance with the change, however I already find that I use blueprints to hook up circuit wires correctly way more often than I thought and find myself overwriting combinator settings all the time. Yes I could hook them in manually but that is much more grindy and prone to errors.

Change i'm referring to: viewtopic.php?t=51308

Why ?

It makes working with combinators easier. This change is referred to as a QOL change, however for combinators it decreases quality of life (where life=factorio).

Thanks for your attention and keep up the awesome work!
Hoefnix

+1! I thought I was going to like this change, but, for exactly the same reason, it has so far proven to be mostly an inconvenience.

[Xeteth]

I too have found this change to be extremely detrimental to working on large-scale combinator builds.

TL;DR

combinators should be exempt from this feature.

I propose an alternative implemented:

Settings for entities should only be updated if the blueprint is force-placed (ie. shift is held down). This way the player can make the choice what is and isn't updated.