dfhack/data/blueprints

DFHack Quickfort User Manual

DFHack Quickfort is a DFHack script that helps you build fortresses from "blueprint" .csv and .xlsx files. Many applications exist to edit these files, such as MS Excel and Google Sheets. You can also build your plan "for real" in Dwarf Fortress, and then export your map using DFHack's blueprint plugin. Most layout and building-oriented DF commands are supported through the use of multiple files or spreadsheets, each describing a different phase of DF construction: designation, building, placing stockpiles, and setting configuration.

The original idea and 1.0 codebase came from Valdemar's auto-designation macro. Joel Thornton (joelpt) reimplemented the core logic in Python and extended its functionality with Quickfort 2.0. This DFHack-native implementation, called "DFHack Quickfort" or just "quickfort", builds upon Quickfort 2.0's formats and features. DFHack Quickfort is written in Lua and interacts with Dwarf Fortress memory structures directly, allowing for instantaneous blueprint application, error checking and recovery, and many other advanced features.

This document focuses on DFHack Quickfort's capabilities and teaches players how to understand and build blueprint files. Much of the text was originally written by Joel Thornton, reused here with his permission.

For those just looking to apply blueprints, check out the quickfort command syntax in the DFHack Scripts documentation. There are also many ready-to-use blueprints available in the blueprints/library subfolder in your DFHack installation. Browse them on your computer or online, or run quickfort list -l at the DFHack# prompt to list them, and then quickfort run to apply them to your fort!

See the Links section for more information and online resources.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Editing Blueprints
  • Area expansion syntax
  • Automatic area expansion
  • Minecart tracks
  • Multilevel blueprints
  • Modeline optional markers
  • Packaging a set of blueprints
  • Meta blueprints
• Troubleshooting
• Tips and tricks
• Generating manager orders
• Caveats and limitations
• Links

Features

• General
  • Manages complete blueprints to handle the four main phases of DF construction
  • Supports .csv and multi-worksheet .xlsx blueprint files
  • Near-instant application, even for very large and complex blueprints
  • Supports multiple blueprints per .csv file/spreadsheet sheet
  • "meta" blueprints that automate the application of sequences of blueprints
  • Blueprints can span multiple z-levels
  • Undo functionality for dig, build, and place blueprints
  • Automatic cropping of blueprints so you don't get errors if the blueprint extends off the map
  • Can generate manager orders for everything required to apply build blueprints
  • Library of ready-to-use blueprints included
  • Verbose output mode for debugging
• Dig mode
  • Supports all types of designations, including dumping/forbidding items and setting traffic areas
  • Supports applying dig blueprints in marker mode
  • Handles carving arbitrarily complex minecart tracks, including tracks that cross other tracks
• Build and place modes
  • Supports stockpiles of all shapes, not just rectangular blocks
  • Configurable maximums for bins, barrels and wheelbarrows assigned to created stockpiles
  • Automatic expansion of building footprints to their minimum dimensions, so only the center tile of a multi-tile building needs to be recorded in the blueprint
  • Designates complete constructions at once, without having to wait for each tile to become supported before you can build it
  • Automatic splitting of stockpiles and buildings that exceed maximum dimension limits
  • Tile occupancy and validity checking so, for example, buildings that cannot be placed on a certain tile will simply be skipped instead of the blueprint failing to apply. Blueprints that are only partially applied for any reason (for example, you need to dig out some more tiles) can be safely reapplied to build the remaining buildings.
  • Relaxed rules for farm plot and road placement, allowing tiles that are separated by invalid tiles (e.g. stone tiles for farm plots) to be part of the same structure
• Query mode
  • Support sending arbitrary keystroke sequences to the UI -- configure anything
  • Supports aliases to automate frequent keystroke combos
  • Supports including aliases in other aliases, and repeating key sequences a specified number of times
  • Includes a library of pre-made and tested aliases to automate most common tasks, such as configuring stockpiles for important item types or creating hauling routes for quantum stockpiles.
  • Skips sending key sequences when the cursor is over a tile that does not have a stockpile or building
  • Instant halting of query blueprint application when keystroke errors are detected, such as when a key sequence leaves us stuck in a submenu

Editing Blueprints

The format of Quickfort-compatible blueprint files is straightforward.

It is recommended to use a spreadsheet editor such as Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice to edit these files, but any text editor will do.

The first line (or upper-left cell) of the spreadsheet should look like this:

#dig This is a decription.

The keyword "dig" tells Quickfort we are going to be using the Designations menu in DF. The following "mode" keywords are understood:

dig     Designations menu (d)
build   Build menu (b)
place   Place stockpiles menu (p)
zone    Activity zones menu (i)
query   Set building tasks/prefs menu (q)

There are also "meta" blueprints, but we'll talk about those later.

Optionally following this keyword and a space, you may enter a comment. This comment will appear in the output of quickfort list when run from the DFHack# prompt. You can use this space for explanations, attribution, etc.

Below this line begin entering the keys you want sent in each cell. For example, we could dig out a 4x4 room like so (spaces are used as column separators here for clarity, but a real .csv file would have commas):

#dig
d d d d #
d d d d #
d d d d #
d d d d #
# # # # #

Note the # symbols at the right end of each row and below the last row. These are completely optional, but can be helpful when visualizing the layout.

Once the dwarves have that dug out, let's build a walled-in bedroom within our dug-out area:

#build
Cw Cw Cw Cw #
Cw b  h  Cw #
Cw       Cw #
Cw Cw    Cw #
#  #  #  #  #

Note my generosity - in addition to the bed (b) I've built a chest (h) here for the dwarf as well. Note that you must use the full series of keys needed to build something in each cell, e.g. 'Cw' enters DF's constructions submenu (C) and selects walls (w).

I'd also like to place a booze stockpile in the 2 unoccupied tiles in the room.

#place Place a food stockpile
` ` ` ` #
` ` ` ` #
` f(2x1)#
` ` ` ` #
# # # # #

This illustration may be a little hard to understand. The f(2x1) is in column 2, row 3. All the other cells are empty. QF considers both "`" (backtick -- the character under the tilde) and "~" (tilde) characters within cells to be empty cells; this can help with multilayer or fortress-wide blueprint layouts as 'chalk lines'.

With f(2x1), we've asked QF to place a food stockpile 2 units wide by 1 high unit. Note that the f(2x1) syntax isn't actually necessary here; we could have just used:

#place Place a food stockpile
` ` ` ` #
` ` ` ` #
` f f ` #
` ` ` ` #
# # # # #

QF is smart enough to recognize this as a 2x1 food stockpile, and creates it as such rather than as two 1x1 food stockpiles. Quickfort recognizes any connected region of identical designations as a single stockpile. The tiles can be connected orthogonally or diagonally, just as long as they are touching somehow.

Lastly, let's turn the bed into a bedroom and set the food stockpile to hold only booze.

#query
` ` ` ` #
` r&  ` #
` booze #
` ` ` ` #
# # # # #

In column 2, row 2 we have "r&". This sends the "r" key to DF when the cursor is over the bed, causing us to 'make room' and "&", which is a special symbol that expands to "{Enter}", to indicate that we're done.

In column 2, row 3 we have "booze". This is one of many alias keywords defined in the included baseline aliases file. This particular alias sets a food stockpile to carry booze only. It sends the keys needed to navigate DF's stockpile settings menu, and then sends an Escape character ("^" or "{ESC}") to exit back to the map. It is important to exit out of any menus that you enter while in query mode so that the cursor can move to the next tile when it is done configuring the current tile.

Check out the included blueprint library to see many more examples. Read the baseline aliases file for helpful pre-packaged aliases, or create your own in dfhack-config/quickfort/aliases.txt in your DFHack installation.

Area expansion syntax

In Quickfort, the following blueprints are equivalent:

#dig a 3x3 area
d d d #
d d d #
d d d #
# # # #

#dig the same area with d(3x3) specified in row 1, col 1
d(3x3)#
` ` ` #
` ` ` #
# # # #

The second example uses Quickfort's "area expansion syntax", which takes the form:

cmds(WxH)

In Quickfort the above two examples of specifying a contiguous 3x3 area produce identical output: a single 3x3 designation will be performed, rather than nine 1x1 designations as the first example might suggest.

Area expansion syntax can only specify rectangular areas. If you want to create extent-based structures (e.g. farm plots or stockpiles) in different shapes, use the first format above. For example:

#place L shaped food stockpile
f f ` ` #
f f ` ` #
f f f f #
f f f f #
# # # # #

Area expansion syntax also sets boundaries, which can be useful if you want adjacent, but separate, stockpiles of the same type:

#place Two touching but separate food stockpiles
f(4x2)  #
~ ~ ~ ~ #
f(4x2)  #
~ ~ ~ ~ #
# # # # #

As mentioned previously, "~" characters are ignored as comment characters and can be used for visualizing the blueprint layout. The blueprint can be equivalently written as:

#place Two touching but separate food stockpiles
f(4x2)  #
~ ~ ~ ~ #
f f f f #
f f f f #
# # # # #

since the area expansion syntax of the upper stockpile prevents it from combining with the lower, freeform syntax stockpile.

Area expansion syntax can also be used for buildings which have an adjustable size, like bridges. The following blueprints are equivalent:

#build a 4x2 bridge from row 1, col 1
ga(4x2)  `  #
`  `  `  `  #
#  #  #  #  #

#build a 4x2 bridge from row 1, col 1
ga ga ga ga #
ga ga ga ga #
#  #  #  #  #

Automatic area expansion

Buildings larger than 1x1, like workshops, can be represented in any of three ways. You can designate just their center tile with empty cells around it to leave room for the footprint, like this:

#build a mason workshop in row 2, col 2 that will occupy the 3x3 area
`  `  `  #
`  wm `  #
`  `  `  #
#  #  #  #

Or you can fill out the entire footprint like this:

#build a mason workshop
wm wm wm #
wm wm wm #
wm wm wm #
#  #  #  #

This format may be verbose for regular workshops, but it can be very helpful for laying out structures like screw pump towers and waterwheels, whose "center point" can be non-obvious.

Finally, you can use area expansion syntax to represent the workshop:

#build a mason workshop
wm(3x3)  #
`  `  `  #
`  `  `  #
#  #  #  #

This style can be convenient for laying out multiple buildings of the same type. If you are building a large-scale block factory, for example, this will create 20 mason workshops all in a row:

#build line of 20 mason workshops
wm(60x3) #

Quickfort will intelligently break large areas of the same designation into appropriately-sized chunks.

Minecart tracks

There are two ways to produce minecart tracks, and they are handled very differently by the game. You can carve them into hard natural floors or you can construct them out of building materials. Constructed tracks are conceptually simpler, so we'll start with them.

Constructed Tracks

Quickfort supports the designation of track stops and rollers through the normal mechanisms: a #build blueprint with CS and some number of 'd' and 'a' characters (for selecting dump direction and friction) in a cell designates a track stop and a #build blueprint with Mr and some number of 's' and 'q' characters (for direction and speed) designates a roller. This can get confusing very quickly and is very difficult to read in a blueprint. Constructed track segments don't even have keys associated with them at all!

To solve this problem, Quickfort provides the following keywords for use in build blueprints:

-- Track segments --
trackN
trackS
trackE
trackW
trackNS
trackNE
trackNW
trackSE
trackSW
trackEW
trackNSE
trackNSW
trackNEW
trackSEW
trackNSEW

-- Track/ramp segments --
trackrampN
trackrampS
trackrampE
trackrampW
trackrampNS
trackrampNE
trackrampNW
trackrampSE
trackrampSW
trackrampEW
trackrampNSE
trackrampNSW
trackrampNEW
trackrampSEW
trackrampNSEW

-- Horizontal and vertical roller segments --
rollerH
rollerV
rollerNS
rollerSN
rollerEW
rollerWE

Note: append up to four 'q' characters to roller keywords to set roller
speed. E.g. a roller that propels from East to West at the slowest speed can
be specified with 'rollerEWqqqq'.

-- Track stops that (optionally) dump to the N/S/E/W --
trackstop
trackstopN
trackstopS
trackstopE
trackstopW

Note: append up to four 'a' characters to trackstop keywords to set friction
amount. E.g. a stop that applies the smallest amount of friction can be
specified with 'trackstopaaaa'.

As an example, you can create an E-W track with stops at each end that dump to their outside directions with the following blueprint:

#build Example track
trackstopW trackEW trackEW trackEW trackstopE

Note that the only way to build track and track/ramp segments is with the keywords. The UI method of using "+" and "-" keys to select the track type from a list does not work since DFHack Quickfort doesn't actually send keys to the UI in order to build buildings. The text in your spreadsheet cells is mapped directly into DFHack API calls. Only query-mode blueprints still send actual keycodes to the UI.

Carved Tracks

In the game, you carve a minecart track by specifying a beginning and ending tile and the game "adds" the designation to the tiles. You cannot designate single tiles. For example to carve two track segments that cross each other, you might use the cursor to designate a line of three vertical tiles like this:

`  start here  `  #
`  `           `  #
`  end here    `  #

Then to carve the cross, you'd do a horizonal segment:

`           `  `         #
start here  `  end here  #
`           `  `         #

This will result in a carved track that would be equivalent to a constructed track of the form:

#build
`       trackS     `       #
trackE  trackNSEW  trackW  #
`       trackN     `       #
#       #          #       #

To carve this same track with a dig blueprint, you'd use area expansion syntax with a height or width of 1 to indicate the segments to designate:

#dig
`       T(1x3)  `  #
T(3x1)  `       `  #
`       `       `  #
#       #       #  #

"But wait!", I can hear you say, "How do you designate a track corner that opens to the South and East? You can't put both T(1xH) and T(Wx1) in the same cell!" This is true, but you can specify both width and height, and for tracks, QF interprets it as an upper-left corner extending to the right W tiles and down H tiles. For example, to carve a track in a closed ring, you'd write:

#dig
T(3x3)  `  T(1x3)  #
`       `  `       #
T(3x1)  `  `       #
#       #  #       #

Which would result in a carved track simliar to a constructed track of the form:

#build
trackSE  trackEW  trackSW  #
trackNS  `        trackNS  #
trackNE  trackEW  trackNW  #
#        #        #        #

Multilevel blueprints

Multilevel blueprints are accommodated by separating Z-levels of the blueprint with #> (go down one z-level) or #< (go up one z-level) at the end of each floor.

#dig Stairs leading down to a small room below
j  `  `  #
`  `  `  #
`  `  `  #
#> #  #  #
u  d  d  #
d  d  d  #
d  d  d  #
#  #  #  #

The marker must appear in the first column of the row to be recognized, just like a modeline.

Modeline optional markers

The modeline has some additional optional components that we haven't talked about yet. You can:

• give a blueprint a label by adding a label() marker
• set a cursor offset by adding a start() marker
• hide a blueprint with a hidden() marker

The full modeline syntax, when everything is specified, is:

#mode label(mylabel) start(X;Y;STARTCOMMENT) hidden() comment

Note that all elements are optional except for the initial #mode. Here are a few examples of modelines with optional elements before we discuss them in more detail:

#dig start(3; 3; Center tile of a 5-tile square) Regular blueprint comment
#build label(noblebedroom) start(10;15)
#query label(configstockpiles) No explicit start()  means cursor is at upper left corner
#meta label(digwholefort)
#dig label(digdining) hidden() managed by the digwholefort meta blueprint

Blueprint labels

Labels are displayed in the quickfort list output and are used for addressing specific blueprints when there are multiple blueprints in a single file or spreadsheet sheet (see Packaging a set of blueprints below). If a blueprint has no label, the label becomes the ordinal of the blueprint's position in the file or sheet. For example, the label of the first blueprint will be "1" if it is not otherwise set, the label of the second blueprint will be "2" if it is not otherwise set, etc. Labels that are explicitly defined must start with a letter to ensure the auto-generated labels don't conflict with user-defined labels.

Start positions

Start positions specify a cursor offset for a particular blueprint, simplifying the task of blueprint alignment. This is very helpful for blueprints that are based on a central staircase, but it helps whenever a blueprint has an obvious "center". For example:

#build start(2;2;center of workshop) a mason workshop
wm wm wm #
wm wm wm #
wm wm wm #
#  #  #  #

will build the workshop centered on the cursor, not down and to the right of the cursor.

The two numbers specify the column and row (or X and Y offset) where the cursor is expected to be when you apply the blueprint. Position 1;1 is the top left cell. The optional comment will show up in the quickfort list output and should contain information about where to position the cursor.

Hiding blueprints

A blueprint with a hidden() marker won't appear in quickfort list output unless the --hidden flag is specified. The primary reason for hiding a blueprint (rather than, say, deleting it or moving it out of the blueprints/ folder) is if a blueprint is intended to be run as part of a larger sequence managed by a meta blueprint.

Packaging a set of blueprints

A complete specification for a section of your fortress may contain 5 or more separate blueprints, one for each "phase" of construction (dig, build, place stockpiles, designate zones, query building adjustments).

To manage all the separate blueprints, it is often convenient to keep related blueprints in a single file. For .xlsx spreadsheets, you can keep each blueprint in a separate sheet. Online spreadsheet applications like Google Sheets make it easy to work with multiple related blueprints, and, as a bonus, they retain any formatting you've set, like column sizes and coloring.

For both .csv files and .xlsx spreadsheets you can also add as many blueprints as you want in a single file or sheet. Just add a modeline in the first column to indicate the start of a new blueprint. Instead of multiple .csv files, you can concatenate them into one single file.

For example, you can store multiple blueprints together like this:

#dig label(digbed)
d d d d #
d d d d #
d d d d #
d d d d #
# # # # #
#build label(buildbed)
b   f h #
        #
        #
n       #
# # # # #
#place label(placebed)
        #
f(2x2)  #
        #
        #
# # # # #
#query label(boozebed)
        #
booze   #
        #
        #
# # # # #
#query label(roombed)
r{+ 3}& #
        #
        #
        #
# # # # #

Of course, you could still choose to keep your blueprints in single-sheet .csv files and just give related blueprints similar names:

bedroom.1.dig.csv
bedroom.2.build.csv
bedroom.3.place.csv
bedroom.4.query.csv

But the naming and organization is completely up to you.

Meta blueprints

Meta blueprints are blueprints that script a series of other blueprints. Many blueprint packages follow this pattern:

• Apply dig blueprint to designate dig areas
• Wait for miners to dig
• Apply build buildprint to designate buildings
• Apply place buildprint to designate stockpiles
• Apply query blueprint to configure stockpiles
• Wait for buildings to get built
• Apply a different query blueprint to configure rooms

Those three "apply"s in the middle might as well get done in one command instead of three. A meta blueprint can encode that sequence. A meta blueprint refers to other blueprints by their label (see the Modeline optional markers section above) in the same format used by the DFHack# quickfort command: "<sheet_name>/", or just "/" for blueprints in .csv files or blueprints in the same spreadsheet sheet as the #meta blueprint that references them.

A few examples might make this clearer. Say you have a .csv file with the following blueprints defined:

#dig label(digbedroom)
...
#build label(buildbedroom)
...
#place label(placebedroom)
...
#query label(querystockpilesbedroom)
...
#query label(makeroombedroom)
...

Note how I've given them all labels so we can address them safely. If I hadn't given them labels, they would receive default labels of "1", "2", "3", etc, but those labels would change if I ever add more blueprints at the top. This is not a problem if we're just running the blueprints from the quickfort list command, but meta blueprints need a label that isn't going to change over time.

So let's add a meta blueprint to this file that will combine the middle three blueprints into one:

#meta plan bedroom: combines build, place, and stockpile config blueprints
/buildbedroom
/placebedroom
/querystockpilesbedroom

Now your sequence is shortened to:

• Apply dig blueprint to designate dig areas
• Wait for miners to dig
• Apply meta buildprint to build buildings and designate/configure stockpiles
• Wait for buildings to get built
• Apply the final query blueprint to configure the room

You can use meta blueprints to lay out your fortress at a larger scale as well. The #< and #> notation is valid in meta blueprints, so you can, for example, store the dig blueprints for all the levels of your fortress in different sheets in a spreadsheet, and then use a meta blueprint to designate your entire fortress for digging at once. For example, say you have a spreadsheet with the following layout:

Sheet name	contents
dig_farming	one #dig blueprint, no label
dig_industry	one #dig blueprint, no label
dig_dining	four #dig blueprints, with labels "main", "basement", "waterway", and "cistern"
dig_guildhall	one #dig blueprint, no label
dig_suites	one #dig blueprint, no label
dig_bedrooms	one #dig blueprint, no label

We can add a sheet named "dig_all" with the following contents (we're expecting a big fort, so we're planning for a lot of bedrooms):

#meta dig the whole fortress (remember to set force_marker_mode to true)
dig_farming/1
#>
dig_industry/1
#>
#>
dig_dining/main
#>
dig_dining/basement
#>
dig_dining/waterway
#>
dig_dining/cistern
#>
dig_guildhall/1
#>
dig_suites/1
#>
dig_bedrooms/1
#>
dig_bedrooms/1
#>
dig_bedrooms/1
#>
dig_bedrooms/1
#>
dig_bedrooms/1

Note that for blueprints without an explicit label, we still need to address them by their auto-generated numerical label.

Generating manager orders

Quickfort can generate manager orders to make sure you have the proper items in stock to apply a build-mode blueprint.

Many items can be manufactured from different source materials. Orders will always choose rock when it can, then wood, then cloth, then iron. You can always remove orders that don't make sense for your fort and manually enqueue a similar order more to your liking. For example, if you want silk ropes instead of cloth ropes, make a new manager order for silk ropes and then remove the generated cloth rope order.

Anything that requires generic building materials (workshops, constructions, etc.) will result in an order for a rock block. One "Make rock blocks" job produces four blocks per input boulder, so the number of jobs ordered will be the number of blocks you need divided by four (rounded up). You might end up with a few extra blocks, but not too many.

If you want your constructions to be in a consistent color, be sure to choose a rock type for all of your 'Make rock blocks' orders by selecting the order and hitting d. You might want to set the rock type for other non-block orders to something different if you fear running out of the type of rock that you want to use for blocks.

There are a few building types that will generate extra manager orders for related materials:

• Track stops will generate an order for a minecart
• Traction benches will generate orders for a table, mechanism, and rope

Tips and tricks

• During blueprint application, especially query blueprints, don't click the mouse on the DF window or type any keys. They can change the state of the game while the blueprint is being applied, resulting in strange errors.

• After digging out an area, you may wish to smooth and/or engrave the area before starting the build phase, as dwarves may be unable to access walls or floors that are behind/under built objects.

• As of DF 0.34.x, it is no longer possible to build doors (d) at the same time that you build adjacent walls (Cw). Doors must now be built after walls are constructed for them to be next to. This does not affect the more common case where walls exist as a side-effect of having dug-out a room in a #dig blueprint.

Caveats and limitations

• Buildings will be designated regardless of whether you have the required materials, but if materials are not available when the construction job is picked up by a dwarf, the buildings will be canceled and the designations will disappear. Until the buildingplan plugin can be extended to support all building types, you should use quickfort orders to pre-manufacture all the materials you need for a #build-mode blueprint before you apply it.

• If you use the jugs alias in your #query-mode blueprints, be aware that there is no way to differentiate jugs from other types of tools in the game. Therefore, jugs stockpiles will also take nest boxes and other tools. The only workaround is not to have other tools lying around in your fort.

• #zone-mode blueprints can currently only initialize zones with a single activity type.

• Weapon traps and upright spear/spikes can currently only be built with a single weapon.

• Pressure plates can be built, but they cannot be configured yet.

• Building instruments, bookcases, display furniture, and offering places are not yet supported by DFHack.

• This script is relatively new, and there are bound to be bugs! Please report them at the DFHack issue tracker so they can be addressed.

Links

Quickfort links

• Quickfort command syntax
• Quickfort forum thread
• Quickfort blueprints library
• DFHack issue tracker
• Quickfort source code

Related tools

• DFHack's blueprint plugin can generate blueprints from actual DF maps.
• Python Quickfort is the previous, Python-based implementation that DFHack's quickfort script was inspired by.