Feedback on Build 5

[RPTroll]

I liked the ability to drop groups on the map. This is great for gaming. The custom fields are great!

Here's my vote for a few things I'd like to see.

Editable fields in IT - I'd like to be able to edit things like hit points and ammo on the main screen vs. bringing up an edit screen.

Cloning in GT - in group tool, the edit window for a creature in the group has the count box editable but it doesn't do anything. If the count edit works I can save my favorite monsters (1 per group file) and add them to encounters jiffy quick.

Macro sent to maptool chat - the ability to define chat macros in IT to run in the maptool chat. A button would be nice but text would do.

Two of these requests are custom field related. Maybe on the 'add custom names' dialog you could add a few more options to make it editable in the init screen or create a macro button for MT chat.

My 2 cents,
Troll

[jay]

Editable fields in IT - I'd like to be able to edit things like hit points and ammo on the main screen vs. bringing up an edit screen.

I can do something loke this in the table view, not in the list view.

Cloning in GT - in group tool, the edit window for a creature in the group has the count box editable but it doesn't do anything. If the count edit works I can save my favorite monsters (1 per group file) and add them to encounters jiffy quick.

Duplicates don't show in group tool, it just shows the count field. When you drag them to the map or init tool, then it will show multiple items. There will be one for each item in the count. If this isn't what's happening, it's a bug

Macro sent to maptool chat - the ability to define chat macros in IT to run in the maptool chat. A button would be nice but text would do.

This will have to wait until we do a tighter integration between map tool and init tool. Since Trevor is really busy on map tool enhancements, it could take awhile. I'll create a tracker so it isn't forgotten.

[RPTroll]

The count thingee didn't show up in IT when changed in GT and it reverts to the old value when you re-edit so its probably a bug.

Thanks for adding the traker. You guys are taking cool to a whole new level. (in geek cool terms that is)

[jay]

The count thingee didn't show up in IT when changed in GT

The count doesn't ever show up in IT. When you drag something with a count to IT, that number of items should show up in the IT encounter list. Or did I misunderstand you?

it reverts to the old value when you re-edit so its probably a bug.

This is a bug.

[RPTroll]

When I made the count change and then added the group to IT it showed only one thingee.

[jay]

I think that is because of the bug that is keeping the count from changing. If you go to the add window and type something like "Orc x5", it should show a count of 5 in the group window's table. If you drag that 5 of them should show up.

I found the bug and fixed it, look for it in the next build.

[RPTroll]

Setting the count on creation works fine. Its just the edit that appears broke.

(possible bug in following paragraph)
I did some work with init tool this morning getting ready for tomorrow's game. I added custom properties for AC, Hitpoints, Weap1 and Weap2. Next I went to GroupTool and I created a group called 'PCs' and tried to drag tokens from maptool into it but it didn't work. I created a dummy first entry called xxx and was then able to drag tokens into group tool just fine but I wasn't able to delete the first dummy entry. I save the group and exited, came back in and am still not able to delete the dummy entry from group tool. If I add the group to IT I can delete it.

(feature request 1)
Would it be possible to save the current encounter to a group file? I looked around but couldn't find a way to do this. The reason I ask is that some values like hit points will change and I want to be able to save that off as is and work with other groups. The example would be an orc war party that ran away from one encounter but appears later in the adventure.

Another use for this would be to have several groups of different types of monster that you combine into one encounter to save off as a group called room37 that can be called up later when the players actually get to room 37.

(feature request 2)
The ability to export/import the list into/from a spreadsheet format would be nice. This way I could export my lists, rapidly edit them and then put them back in place. I would guess Java has some standard libraries for this.

This also gives me the ability to create lists via macro or script and import them into the tool. Where this comes in handy is for parsing xml files or pulling data from a database to create lists.

I know this may sound odd, but this is where I"m going with this request. The SRD rules are available in a number of formats. The comunity could write the code to extract this data into the spreadsheet format that can be loaded into IT/GT. This also paves the way for an interface between other non-RPTools packages and InitTool.

The other option would be some sort of XML format but this wouldn't be as easy for non-coders to work with as something in Excel (read standard) format. CSV is another option but it won't handle token images.

The other reason is that the underlying files will change structure invalidating older versions of the save file. If there is some sort of neutral format, it might make it easier to export/import into the new save file structure.

[Phergus]

... I created a dummy first entry called xxx and was then able to drag tokens into group tool just fine but I wasn't able to delete the first dummy entry....

I posted a stack trace for Jay about this as well.

(feature request 1)
Would it be possible to save the current encounter to a group file?

Good idea for the very reasons you listed.

(feature request 2)
The ability to export/import the list into/from a spreadsheet format would be nice.

Something I had suggested as well (CSV or XML). I would like to be able to do this for Creature Categories, Groups, Encounters, etc.. Would make it easy to generate info from my existing digital sources.

[dorpond]

Sorry for interjecting; I like your new Avatar Phergus!

[Phergus]

Thank you!

[Emryys]

I like your new Avatar Phergus!

I want to use RPTools to play the "Hexey" Cow RPG you have there...

[jay]

Setting the count on creation works fine. Its just the edit that appears broke.

Yes, it is broke and there is already a tracker on it.

(possible bug in following paragraph)
I did some work with init tool this morning getting ready for tomorrow's game. I added custom properties for AC, Hitpoints, Weap1 and Weap2. Next I went to GroupTool and I created a group called 'PCs' and tried to drag tokens from maptool into it but it didn't work. I created a dummy first entry called xxx and was then able to drag tokens into group tool just fine but I wasn't able to delete the first dummy entry. I save the group and exited, came back in and am still not able to delete the dummy entry from group tool. If I add the group to IT I can delete it.

This is also a bug that I added to the tracker.

(feature request 1)
Would it be possible to save the current encounter to a group file? I looked around but couldn't find a way to do this. The reason I ask is that some values like hit points will change and I want to be able to save that off as is and work with other groups. The example would be an orc war party that ran away from one encounter but appears later in the adventure.

I think I can do this, the only problem I have is that I don't save the image for creatures in IT at full size. They were made smaller so that they didn't take up a lot of space in the encounter file.

Requirements questions:

• Do you need to add and/or update the groups in an existing group file?
• Do you need full sized icons for tokens?
• Groups don't support timers so these have to be deleted. This OK?

Another use for this would be to have several groups of different types of monster that you combine into one encounter to save off as a group called room37 that can be called up later when the players actually get to room 37.

Wouldn't it just be easier for me to allow dragging one group into another? I just told Phergus that this was a bug, but if it turns out to be useful we could call it a feature instead

(feature request 2)
The ability to export/import the list into/from a spreadsheet format would be nice. This way I could export my lists, rapidly edit them and then put them back in place. I would guess Java has some standard libraries for this.

I have no problems exporting/importing data from a simple data format. Excel ain't that format though I did a little research and it isn't to difficult to do, but it is very windows specific. Don't want anything like that in RPtools. And I don't want to read the files direct, I'd end up spending more time doing that than adding new functionality..

XML would be a pretty good format since it is already built into java. I'm not sure how easy it would be to get at the icons though. Once it is in XML we can write XSLT transforms for it. CSV is pretty easy to do as well, except for the images. I prefer XML over CSV, just because it is easier to deal with in code.

The other reason is that the underlying files will change structure invalidating older versions of the save file. If there is some sort of neutral format, it might make it easier to export/import into the new save file structure.

I agree with this. I'll add a tracker to change the save format. This is my preferred way of handling your import/export request. I am leaning towards java's XML format, which is a little screwy but we can do XSLT to make it something better. I'll have to check and see how it handles images first though.

[RPTroll]

Requirements questions:

• Do you need to add and/or update the groups in an existing group file?
• Do you need full sized icons for tokens?
• Groups don't support timers so these have to be deleted. This OK?

The only reason I thought to save the image was to load it back in. Whatever reference you use so it comes out as a token in maptool would be fine.

Wouldn't it just be easier for me to allow dragging one group into another? I just told Phergus that this was a bug, but if it turns out to be useful we could call it a feature instead

Any method that gets me the ability to build groups from other groups is fine.

I have no problems exporting/importing data from a simple data format. Excel ain't that format though I did a little research and it isn't to difficult to do, but it is very windows specific. Don't want anything like that in RPtools. And I don't want to read the files direct, I'd end up spending more time doing that than adding new functionality..

XML would be a pretty good format since it is already built into java. I'm not sure how easy it would be to get at the icons though. Once it is in XML we can write XSLT transforms for it. CSV is pretty easy to do as well, except for the images. I prefer XML over CSV, just because it is easier to deal with in code.

The only reason I thought of a spreadsheet format is because excel has become the default spreadsheet format that just about everything can read. The other nice thing about it is I can do database queries to create groups with custom fields. Note, this is a nice to have vs. a gotta have. Any ability to export would be good. CSV is nice and easy to edit but XML is, in the end, more flexible. Whatever you and the users decide is fine by me since I can slice and dice it up with perl or something else a little less magical than Java.

[Emryys]

All this XML, CVS stuff is good, and I know I can Learn what ever I need, but for the entry level people you will still want a simple GUI and methods of editing/customization...

I'm sure you clever guys already have that in mind

[RPTroll]

That's why I thought a spreadsheet format would be good. CSV sort of gets you there. Or you could offer a choice of CSV, xls, <whatever open office is>, and XML.

I know there's gotta be something out there that takes a table/list object and saves it as an xls.