Create the character at spawn when it can't be made in place

create_character needs a free spot within 200 tiles and does not
generate chunks to find one, so it failed for a player teleported into
a chunk that does not exist yet, and where there is only water or void.
The download then failed and left the player as a spectator.

Resolves #1187

packages/web_ui/src/components/ModPackViewPage.tsx

@@ -182,7 +182,6 @@ function SearchModsTable(props: SearchModsTableProps) {
 
 	return <>
 		<Input
-			autoFocus
 			placeholder="Search Mods"
 			style={{ marginBottom: 8 }}
 			onChange={(event) => {

packages/web_ui/src/components/ModsPage.tsx

@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-import React, { Fragment, useState, useContext, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from "react";
+import React, { Fragment, useState, useContext, useEffect, useMemo } from "react";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import {
-	Button, Form, Input, InputRef, Modal, Popconfirm, Space, Table, Typography, Upload, Alert, Select, Tooltip,
-	notification,
+	Button, Form, Input, Modal, Popconfirm, Space, Table, Typography, Upload, Alert, Select, Tooltip, notification,
 } from "antd";
 import {
 	ImportOutlined, PlusOutlined, SearchOutlined, DownloadOutlined,
@@ -148,7 +147,6 @@ function SearchModsButton() {
 	const account = useAccount();
 	const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
 	const [form] = Form.useForm();
-	const nameInputRef = useRef<InputRef>(null);
 	const [searchText, setSearchText] = useState("");
 	const [factorioVersion, setFactorioVersion] = useState<lib.MajorMinorVersion>("2.0");
 
@@ -335,7 +333,6 @@ function SearchModsButton() {
 			title="Search Mod Portal"
 			open={open}
 			onCancel={() => { setOpen(false); }}
-			afterOpenChange={visible => { if (visible) { nameInputRef.current?.focus(); } }}
 			width={1000}
 			footer={[
 				<Button key="close" onClick={() => { setOpen(false); }}>
@@ -352,7 +349,7 @@ function SearchModsButton() {
 				initialValues={{ factorioVersion: factorioVersion, name: searchText }}
 			>
 				<Form.Item name="name" label="Filter by Name or Title">
-					<Input ref={nameInputRef} placeholder="Start typing to filter..." />
+					<Input placeholder="Start typing to filter..." />
 				</Form.Item>
 				<Form.Item
 					name="factorioVersion"

plugins/player_sync/module/serialize.lua

@@ -1271,8 +1271,23 @@ local function ensure_character(player)
 		player.teleport(force.get_spawn_position(planet_surface), planet_surface)
 	end
 
-	-- Create and return the character
+	-- create_character needs a free spot within 200 tiles and does not generate chunks to find one. It fails in a chunk
+	-- which does not exist yet, such as one the player was teleported into a moment ago, and where water or void is all
+	-- there is. The character is then made at the force's spawn. From a missing chunk it is moved back, as the game
+	-- generates the chunks around a character. Otherwise there is nowhere to stand, and it stays at the spawn.
 	if not player.create_character() then
+		surface = player.surface
+		local position = player.position
+		local force = player.force --[[@as LuaForce]]
+		local missing_chunk = not surface.is_chunk_generated({ math.floor(position.x / 32), math.floor(position.y / 32) })
+		player.teleport(force.get_spawn_position(surface), surface)
+		if player.create_character() and missing_chunk then
+			player.teleport(position, surface)
+		end
+	end
+
+	-- Return the character
+	if not player.character then
 		error(string.format(
 			"Failed to create character (controller: %s, physical: %s, surface: %s, connected: %s, driving: %s)",
 			controller_to_name[player.controller_type],