PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framework

These are tools and utilities that make it easier to run games. This includes Lib: macro tokens dropped into MapTool to manage the game, a conversion file for CharacterTool to allow use in MapTool, or just about anything else you can think of -- except graphics with macros and anything specific to a particular campaign framework. Those are already covered by the Tilesets subforum and the Links and External Resources forum.

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PinkRose
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by PinkRose »

It is an awesome tool.
Where are you stuck Darakonis?
I can't write a how-to, but I'll help you get over which ever hurdle you are at.
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Natha
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by Natha »

PinkRose wrote: I can't write a how-to
That would be great.
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PinkRose
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by PinkRose »

How to make a Monster Token.
Using a legal pdf of MM1. b76 of MapTool.

1. Import a Token into MapTool.
2. Double-click on the token, opening the "Edit Token" window.
3. Click "Config" tab, and change the "Properties" drop-down to "DNA". Click "OK"
4. Select the token again. If you have the Character Sheet window open, it should show the new token with default attributes.
5. Hit "F3".
5a. If you don't have F3 set up, here are the steps.
a. Select the Lib:RegExParser.
b. Drag the macros from the Selection window to the Global Window
c. Right-click "Launch StatCard Entry" from the Global Window. Select "Edit".
d. In the upper right, select "F3" from the "Hot Key" drop down menu.
e. Check "Apply to Selected Tokens" in the bottom left corner. Click "OK"
f. Select the monster token. Hit "F3".
6. Copy and paste the monster info. (CTRL-C from the pdf, then CTRL-V to the "save to token" box.)
7. Make sure "Save to token" and the red box "Attempt to create powers..." are checked.
8. Click "Save".
8a. If a pop-up pops up that says "Value for match.125...", don't worry. It just means the MonsterInput didn't parse something correctly. I type in something silly like BAM, then hit "OK" so that I will see what ever didn't parse. (It will show up as BAM on the Character Sheet)
9. The Character Sheet should update with your token and all the info. You are kinda done.

10. If you want to clean-up your monster, here are some following tips.
11. Click "edit" in the top right of the Character Sheet. (the pencil and paper icon)
12. Look for "BAM" in any entries and change it to what ever it is supposed to be.
13. The first time you edit, You MUST select "Calculate from Total" for "Defense", "Skill" and "Base Speed". If not, the calculations will become incorrect.
14. You can go through each power and clean it up. Atks and dmg should be correct same with type of damage. "Chat Output" will be where you find all the text. I copy and paste to the appropriate spots, ie. effects, trigger, etc.
15. PROFIT!!

If you have any questions, or if I messed something up, please don't hesitate to ask.
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Natha
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by Natha »

Thank you PinkRose. Perfect.

But, I must have missed something, I thought the parser could use also the "MM3" format for monstrers. Am I wrong ?
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PinkRose
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by PinkRose »

It can.

Replace Step 6. with the following...

6a. Click "Click to switch to MM3 monster format" at the top of the "MonsterInput" window.
6b. Copy and paste the monster info. (CTRL-C from the pdf, then CTRL-V to the "save to token" box.)
6c. You may choose to check the boxes, "Output complete power text..." and "Group all MM3 powers..."


As an addendum, it is possible that if you put BAM in as a value, you'll get an error, because it needs to be a number.
Select "Save" again and this time put "0" in one of the pop-ups, so you'll only have one "0" to find.
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Zalarian
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by Zalarian »

I ran into the following bug on both this version of the Monster Parser as well as the previous one having to do with monsters having the streetwise skill. There are likely better ways to handle this but thought I would post the fix I used to correct this.

On the parser token under the macro called StatsParser, find the line:
<!--Refresh temp stat card from original to get rid of previous addons and replace Str with #-->[h: tempStatCard=replace(getProperty("StatCard"),"Str","#")]
and replace with the following:
<!--Refresh temp stat card from original to get rid of previous addons and replace Str with #-->
[h: tempStatCard=replace(getProperty("StatCard"),"Streetwise","Sxxeetwise")]
[h: tempStatCard=replace(tempStatCard,"Str","#")]
[h: tempStatCard=replace(tempStatCard,"Sxxeetwise","Streetwise")]
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by Darakonis »

Thanks PR!

I wasn't using the right macro; didn't realize "Launch StatCard Entry" was the one to use. I kept trying to use the ones under "Monsters."

Great tool; thanks travistt.

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travist627
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by travist627 »

Zalarian wrote:I ran into the following bug on both this version of the Monster Parser as well as the previous one having to do with monsters having the streetwise skill. There are likely better ways to handle this but thought I would post the fix I used to correct this.

On the parser token under the macro called StatsParser, find the line:
<!--Refresh temp stat card from original to get rid of previous addons and replace Str with #-->[h: tempStatCard=replace(getProperty("StatCard"),"Str","#")]
and replace with the following:
<!--Refresh temp stat card from original to get rid of previous addons and replace Str with #-->
[h: tempStatCard=replace(getProperty("StatCard"),"Streetwise","Sxxeetwise")]
[h: tempStatCard=replace(tempStatCard,"Str","#")]
[h: tempStatCard=replace(tempStatCard,"Sxxeetwise","Streetwise")]
Thanks, Zalarian! I'm very slowly starting to edit the token again. I have put your fix in the current version I'm working on.

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PinkRose
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by PinkRose »

YAY!
Welcome back, TravisT.

Can't wait to see the new and improved parser.
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travist627
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by travist627 »

OK, folks, I'm back on track with editing. :D I've updated the first post with a preview and with instructions.

I would like to start squashing the annoying popup bugs from when the parser runs into something it's not expecting. You know, where it prompts you to enter in a value. So, when you run into one of those please note what field it was asking a value for (see PR's "BAM" post and what monster (and source) you were dealing with. Squashing those usually means coding lots of IF statements or restructuring the parsing parameters, so any and all information helps out. Since almost all powers seem to break a rule, it's going to be hard to ever get 100% accuracy, but I'd like to at least get where we never get bugged by a popup.

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PinkRose
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by PinkRose »

StatsParser: Sets private rolls and private health options to on, and sets hidden rolls to off. Code is documented, so you can see where to change it if needed. In the future, these will be an option on the parser token itself.
I think you have that slightly mixed up.
Looking at the code, I see the following
Private Health = 1
Hidden Rolls = 1
Private Rolls = 0

And, I'm not sure I understand what the 1 & 0 are supposed to do.
The FF button is not a private roll. The Play button has the option checked for private roll.
The FF button is not a hidden roll. The Play button does not have the option checked for hidden roll.
And Private is not checked for either Hit Points or Surge macro, but it is checked for the Rest macro.

And, Vulnerability didn't show up. Tested on a Ghost Beholder.
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travist627
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by travist627 »

PinkRose wrote:
StatsParser: Sets private rolls and private health options to on, and sets hidden rolls to off. Code is documented, so you can see where to change it if needed. In the future, these will be an option on the parser token itself.
I think you have that slightly mixed up.
Looking at the code, I see the following
Private Health = 1
Hidden Rolls = 1
Private Rolls = 0

And, I'm not sure I understand what the 1 & 0 are supposed to do.
The FF button is not a private roll. The Play button has the option checked for private roll.
The FF button is not a hidden roll. The Play button does not have the option checked for hidden roll.
And Private is not checked for either Hit Points or Surge macro, but it is checked for the Rest macro.

And, Vulnerability didn't show up. Tested on a Ghost Beholder.
Yep, I got that backwards for what I set them to. I'll fix that tomorrow sometime. Also, the FF has never been private, but that may be by DN's design. I had hoped that it would go by a token's options, but found out a long time ago that it wasn't the case. I did want to have a default in there, however, so I wouldn't have to click the options every time I use the play button or edit each token individually (one of my players will snoop to check the base attack values, so I have to hide them to help keep the metagaming to a minimum :) ).

A 1 switches the option on, and a 0 switches it off, just like binary. A future version of the parser will have checkmarks for those default values so nobody has to dig in the code.

As for vulnerability, you can thank WOTC. In MM1 they used "Vulnerable," and now they're using "Vulnerability" on the stat card. I tested on some MM1 monsters and it worked. I put in a fix for the next version (06) so it will check for either.

Thanks for testing it out!

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travist627
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by travist627 »

PinkRose wrote:And Private is not checked for either Hit Points or Surge macro, but it is checked for the Rest macro.
This seems to be a framework issue. I noticed when I clicked the health link on the sheet that the private roll option was not automatically checked, but when I clicked on a damage link from a PC token's power and applied it to the monster token, the private roll option was indeed checked.

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travist627
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by travist627 »

Posted 06 and updated the help text in this thread. Also updated the preview pics. I did a simple paste from Monster Builder for the Elder Red Dragon using the settings you see in the screen grab. Got the exact character sheet seen in the result capture...with no popups. Seems to do rather well with the meat-and-potatoes types of creatures.

I don't know if I'm even going to ever try to attempt parsing up something like a beholder's multiple eye attacks that fall under a single standard action. At least it didn't choke when I fed it the Beholder Eye Tyrant. :)

I've started looking at things for 07. I've already edit it to set the DNA_HealingSurgeBase value along with the other surge values so that they are not lost when you edit the monster's stats. Any other glaring problems that I can start looking at?

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travist627
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Re: PDF Monster Parser for DN's D&D4e Character Sheet Framew

Post by travist627 »

PinkRose wrote:The FF button is not a private roll.
The FF button is not a hidden roll.
See my most recent post in the framework thread. I put in a fix for the FF button that works for what I'm trying to do.

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