**GETTING STARTED** Loading and Upgrading a Framework
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:33 am
Follow this link to get an extensive description on how to install MT and start a server.
LOADING A FRAMEWORK
Note on Terminology: a 'framework' is the same as a 'campaign' file (ends on .cmpgn)
First of, if you're completely unfamiliar with Maptools check out the tutorials website
If you have downloaded the campaign file and it has for some obscure reason NOT the .cmpgn extension, then rename it to .cmpgn or it will not work!! If you see files like "content.xml" and "assets", then you have just did what you should NOT do --> unzip the file.
It *is* of course possible that the creator did zip the campaign file, but that should be mentioned in the post.
UPGRADING A FRAMEWORK (update a running campaign with a new version of a framework)
As of MT version 77 its possible to export maps. This usually is the best way to upgrade your running campaign file with a new released framework. What you need to do is:
1. Load the new FW attached to the post
2. Export the map(s): menu --> map --> export map --> save them to some place where you can find them back
3. Export the FW campaign properties: menu --> Edit --> Campaign Properties --> Export, etc.
4. Export the Campaign macros: right click on the campaign panel --> export macro set... --> etc.
5. Load your current running campaign that you wish to update (MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BACKUP !!!)
6. Delete any framework related maps. These are usually the ones that contain lib:xxx tokens (if you have any personal tokens on those maps, move them first to another map): menu --> map --> delete map
7. Load maps (you just saved): menu --> map --> import map (if you do this while the old maps are still in your campaign, then you will likely get a lot of error reports)
8. Import the FW campaign properties: menu --> Edit --> Campaign Properties --> Import
9. Load the Campaign macros: right click on the campaign panel --> import macro set... --> etc.
10. Save the updated campaign (advise: do NOT overwrite your old campaign file) and reload it again. (This is needed so all onCampaignLoad macros (if any) will be activated)
et voila, you have updated your running campaign
Now you'll probably ask yourself: why not the other way round? After all you can also export the maps from your old campaign and import them in the new FW?
Yes you can! And its possibly faster if you only have a few maps. BUT EVERYTHING gets reset! that is fog of war, token light, token sight (not sure about states). This is done for obvious reasons: to prevent major errors from happening. After all when you exchange maps between to different frameworks each with their own sight types, then all the imported tokens have an 'unknown' sight type, leading to all kinds of doo. So to prevent this all this is reset on load.
LOADING A FRAMEWORK
Note on Terminology: a 'framework' is the same as a 'campaign' file (ends on .cmpgn)
First of, if you're completely unfamiliar with Maptools check out the tutorials website
- To get started make sure you have the latest version of java.
- Next, make sure that you have a version of maptool that is the same or higher as the one the framework is build in. Usually the original post of the Framework mentions in which version its build. (Note that if its a REALLY old version that you will need to load and save it in inbetween versions as the Framework file might not be compatible with the latest versions)
- Start maptools with the launcher (executable) and set the following values 1024, 64 and 2 (in that order), unless the topic mentions different numbers.
- load the campaign file attached to the post. DO NOT UNZIP IT!!* (menu-->file-->open campaign)
If you have downloaded the campaign file and it has for some obscure reason NOT the .cmpgn extension, then rename it to .cmpgn or it will not work!! If you see files like "content.xml" and "assets", then you have just did what you should NOT do --> unzip the file.It *is* of course possible that the creator did zip the campaign file, but that should be mentioned in the post.
UPGRADING A FRAMEWORK (update a running campaign with a new version of a framework)
As of MT version 77 its possible to export maps. This usually is the best way to upgrade your running campaign file with a new released framework. What you need to do is:
1. Load the new FW attached to the post
2. Export the map(s): menu --> map --> export map --> save them to some place where you can find them back
3. Export the FW campaign properties: menu --> Edit --> Campaign Properties --> Export, etc.
4. Export the Campaign macros: right click on the campaign panel --> export macro set... --> etc.
5. Load your current running campaign that you wish to update (MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BACKUP !!!)
6. Delete any framework related maps. These are usually the ones that contain lib:xxx tokens (if you have any personal tokens on those maps, move them first to another map): menu --> map --> delete map
7. Load maps (you just saved): menu --> map --> import map (if you do this while the old maps are still in your campaign, then you will likely get a lot of error reports)
8. Import the FW campaign properties: menu --> Edit --> Campaign Properties --> Import
9. Load the Campaign macros: right click on the campaign panel --> import macro set... --> etc.
10. Save the updated campaign (advise: do NOT overwrite your old campaign file) and reload it again. (This is needed so all onCampaignLoad macros (if any) will be activated)
et voila, you have updated your running campaign
Now you'll probably ask yourself: why not the other way round? After all you can also export the maps from your old campaign and import them in the new FW?
Yes you can! And its possibly faster if you only have a few maps. BUT EVERYTHING gets reset! that is fog of war, token light, token sight (not sure about states). This is done for obvious reasons: to prevent major errors from happening. After all when you exchange maps between to different frameworks each with their own sight types, then all the imported tokens have an 'unknown' sight type, leading to all kinds of doo. So to prevent this all this is reset on load.
