Blueprint string format

This is a technical description of the blueprint string format, used to share blueprints with other users.

A blueprint string is a json representation of the blueprint, encoded using base 64 with the version byte in front (0 in vanilla 0.15 and 0.16) and then compressed with zlib deflate. So to get the json representation of a blueprint from a blueprint string, skip the first byte, base64 decode the string, and finally decompress using zlib deflate.

Json representation of a blueprint/blueprint book

The json representation of a blueprint or blueprint book is one large object inside another "wrapping" object, its key inside that object is either blueprint or blueprint-book.

Blueprint book object

Key	Description
item	String, the name of the item that was saved ("blueprint-book" in vanilla).
label	String, the name of the blueprint set by the user.
blueprints	The actual content of the blueprint book, array of objects containing an "index" key and 0-based value and a "blueprint" key with a #Blueprint object as the value.
active_index	Index of the currently selected blueprint, 0-based.
version	The map version of the map the blueprint was created in.

Blueprint object

Key	Description
item	String, the name of the item that was saved ("blueprint" in vanilla).
label	String, the name of the blueprint set by the user.
entities	The actual content of the blueprint, array of #Entity objects.
tiles	The tiles included in the blueprint, array of #Tile objects.
icons	The icons of the blueprint set by the user, array of #Icon objects.
version	The map version of the map the blueprint was created in.

Icon object

Key	Description
index	Index of the icon, 1-based.
signal	The icon that is displayed, #SignalID object.

SignalID object

Key	Description
name	Name of the signal prototype this signal is set to.
type	Type of the signal. Either "item", "fluid" or "virtual".

Entity object

Key	Description
entity_number	Index of the entity, 1-based.
name	Prototype name of the entity (e.g. "offshore-pump").
position	#Position object, position of the entity within the blueprint.
direction	Direction of the entity, uint (optional).
connections	Circuit connection, object with keys starting from 1, values are #Connection objects (optional).
control_behaviour
items	Item requests by this entity, this is what defines the item-request-proxy when the blueprint is placed, optional. #Item request object
recipe	Name of the recipe prototype this assembling machine is set to, optional, string.
bar	Used by Prototype/Container, optional. The index of the first inaccessible item slot due to limiting with the red "bar". 0-based Types/ItemStackIndex.
infinity_settings	Used by Prototype/InfinityContainer, optional. #Infinity settings object
type	Type of the underground belt or loader, optional. Either "input" or "output".
input_priority	Input priority of the splitter, optional. Either "right" or "left", "none" is omitted.
output_priority	Output priority of the splitter, optional. Either "right" or "left", "none" is omitted.
filter	Filter of the splitter, optional. Name of the item prototype the filter is set to, string.
filters	Filters of the filter inserter or loader, optional. Array of #Item filter objects.
override_stack_size	The stack size the inserter is set to, optional. Types/uint8.
drop_position	The drop position the inserter is set to, optional. #Position object.
pickup_position	The pickup position the inserter is set to, optional. #Position object.
request_filters	Used by Prototype/LogisticContainer, optional. #Logistic filter object.
request_from_buffers	Boolean. Whether this requester chest can request from buffer chests.
parameters	Used by Programmable speaker, optional. #Speaker parameter object.
alert_parameters	Used by Programmable speaker, optional. #Speaker alert parameter object
auto_launch	Used by the rocket silo, optional. Boolean, whether auto launch is enabled.
variation	Used by Prototype/SimpleEntityWithForce or Prototype/SimpleEntityWithOwner, optional. Types/GraphicsVariation
color	Color of the Prototype/SimpleEntityWithForce, Prototype/SimpleEntityWithOwner, or train station, optional. #Color object.
station	The name of the train station, optional.

Tile object

Key	Description
name	Prototype name of the tile (e.g. "concrete")
position	#Position object, position of the entity within the blueprint.

Position object

Key	Description
x	X position within the blueprint, 0 is the center.
y	Y position within the blueprint, 0 is the center.

Item request object

1 or more instances of key/value pairs. Key is the name of the item, string. Value is the amount of items to be requested, Types/ItemCountType.

Item filter object

Key	Description
name	Name of the item prototype this filter is set to.
index	Index of the filter, 1-based.

Infinity settings object

Key	Description
remove_unfiltered_items	Boolean. Whether the "remove unfiltered items" checkbox is checked.
filters	Filters of the infinity container, optional. Array of #Infinity filter objects.

Infinity filter object

Key	Description
name	Name of the item prototype the filter is set to, string.
count	Number the filter is set to, Types/ItemCountType.
mode	Mode of the filter. Either "at-least", "at-most", or "exactly".
index	Index of the filter, 1-based.

Logistic filter object

Key	Description
name	Name of the item prototype this filter is set to.
index	Index of the filter, 1-based.
count	Number the filter is set to, Types/ItemCountType. Is 0 for storage chests.

Speaker parameter object

Key	Description
playback_volume	Types/double. Volume of the speaker.
playback_globally	Boolean, whether global playback is enabled.
allow_polyphony	Boolean, whether polyphony is allowed.

Speaker alert parameter object

Key	Description
show_alert	Boolean, whether an alert is shown.
show_on_map	Boolean, whether an alert icon is shown on the map.
icon_signal_id	The icon that is displayed with the alert, #SignalID object.
alert_message	String, message of the alert.

Color object

Key	Description
r	red
g	green
b	blue
a	transparency