New User Questions on Different PCs/Effects/Token

[Furio74]

New user here (as of a week or so ago).

Are you able to log in (as DM) from a different computer? Say once you have set everything up for an adventure (loading maps, custom encounters, treasure etc) and then you need to use a different computer how does that work?

Also, I just noticed that almost all of the effects from Rob Twohy seem to be automating D&D 5E, is this not something Fantasy Grounds should be ready to do out of the box?

Also, if I want to use the D&D 5E SRD monsters, how do I change the token?

Thanks!

[LordEntrails]

Welcome!

No, you can not log in as DM from a different computer. But you can copy your campaign from one computer to another so that you can then DM from there. Just note that you will then have two copies of your campaign and you will need to keep them sync'd. If you are creating your own content, see the link in my sig about Adventure Creation.

FG automates a lot of stuff, but no, it was never a design goal of the developers to automate everything. You can do everything that Rob's packages do manually, and their are instructions on how to do much of it in the forums or the wiki, but if you don't want to take the time you can use Rob's packages.

Unlock the monster. Or if you are creating custom stuff, copy the monster and then unlock it and drag your new token to the monster. Or in the encounter, drag the new token to the encounter instance. Or in the CT, drag the new token to the monster. The first way will be for all instances of that monster, the others will just be for that instance.

[Bidmaron]

Welcome!

No, you can not log in as DM from a different computer. But you can copy your campaign from one computer to another so that you can then DM from there. Just note that you will then have two copies of your campaign and you will need to keep them sync'd. If you are creating your own content, see the link in my sig about Adventure Creation.

Just do not be tempted to use a cloud service for your files. FG is a database program, and it will only be a matter of time until your database gets corrupted when the cloud and your local file lose synchronization.

[Furio74]

Thanks LordEntrails in advance for being patient.

In terms of synching, what would you suggest? Being new I'm not sure how I would do that, for example, if I had a laptop and a PC, does this make sense:
I started the work in the PC. I need to do work on the laptop on it, so I copy the files from my PC to the laptop, where I run the adventure. Let's assume I change something in my adventure on the laptop, do I just finally (after the adventure) copy my laptop files back to my PC? This seems quite a bit involved (maybe not after doing it a few times), are there plans to somehow accommodate this type of work style? (I imagine I am not alone in this type of scenario!).

For the token, you say unlock the monster, but when I drag out a monster from the SRD, I cannot unlock the small lock symbol at the top of the monster. Please advise.

Thanks

[Furio74]

Just do not be tempted to use a cloud service for your files. FG is a database program, and it will only be a matter of time until your database gets corrupted when the cloud and your local file lose synchronization.

Thanks for the heads up Bidmaron! Will do.

[Bidmaron]

You could turn off live updates on the cloud, but at some point you would forget to do that, and your files would be screwed. It is just best not to use cloud service to synchronize database files. (you could use a non-synchronizing dropbox or the like to drag the file to and then drag from dropbox on the other computer)

You only have to copy the db.xml file within the campaign folder, but there are settings that are also saved in that folder, so it is best to drag over the whole folder for your campaign. If you click the folder icon on top right of launch screen, it will take you to the FG data folder. Look within that for a folder with the name of your campaign. That is the folder you will want to duplicate onto your other computer.

[Trenloe]

You only have to copy the db.xml file within the campaign folder, but there are settings that are also saved in that folder, so it is best to drag over the whole folder for your campaign.

Don't just copy the DB.XML file - always copy the whole campaign directory that you've worked on. The data in that folder works hand-in-hand with the FG database (db.xml), unless you know everything that FG does, and what changes you've made in FG and which files they affect, you can't rely on copying individual files to give you all changes you've made.

[LordEntrails]

Thanks LordEntrails in advance for being patient.

In terms of synching, what would you suggest? Being new I'm not sure how I would do that, for example, if I had a laptop and a PC, does this make sense:
I started the work in the PC. I need to do work on the laptop on it, so I copy the files from my PC to the laptop, where I run the adventure. Let's assume I change something in my adventure on the laptop, do I just finally (after the adventure) copy my laptop files back to my PC? This seems quite a bit involved (maybe not after doing it a few times), are there plans to somehow accommodate this type of work style? (I imagine I am not alone in this type of scenario!).

Basically yes. There is a post (which I can't find) where someone posted a batch file to help people do this. You just have to remember where the latest file is. and always copy it from there before you use it somewhere else.

You can also use a thumb drive to store it, but remember that they go bad after someone like only 500 uses, so make sure you keep a second backup of it. Also, as Birdmaron says, if you use a cloud program, it can corrupt things.

If you are comfortable with batch scripts, you could write one to copy from a network drive prior to starting FG and then copying it backup there after you exit. But... *shrugs*

For the token, you say unlock the monster, but when I drag out a monster from the SRD, I cannot unlock the small lock symbol at the top of the monster. Please advise.

Thanks

If you can't unlock it, then you have to copy it first, just drag and drop it back onto the NPC list.

[Furio74]

Thanks Trenloe.

[Mirloc]

Thanks LordEntrails in advance for being patient.

In terms of synching, what would you suggest? Being new I'm not sure how I would do that, for example, if I had a laptop and a PC, does this make sense:
I started the work in the PC. I need to do work on the laptop on it, so I copy the files from my PC to the laptop, where I run the adventure. Let's assume I change something in my adventure on the laptop, do I just finally (after the adventure) copy my laptop files back to my PC? This seems quite a bit involved (maybe not after doing it a few times), are there plans to somehow accommodate this type of work style? (I imagine I am not alone in this type of scenario!).

For the token, you say unlock the monster, but when I drag out a monster from the SRD, I cannot unlock the small lock symbol at the top of the monster. Please advise.

Thanks

I have FG installed on a laptop and a desktop. I find the laptop better for the table, but I have a dual monitor setup with the desktop that I find better to work on the adventures before copying them over to the laptop for portability and what-not. As a note: 1 - My desktop saves all Fantasy Grounds data to D:\FGDATA\ which is shared on the local network. 2 - My laptop saves all Fantasy Grounds data to C:\FGDATA\ which is NOT shared at all. 3 - I use Windows for Fantasy Grounds, I love Linux and whatnot, but for me it's just easier to use Windows for some things.

With that said, I have a software called Beyond Compare that I use to sync the files. Beyond Compare is fairly inexpensive, I use the Standard edition (It's $30.00 US), and have been very happy with the results. When I finish up the last of the updates on the desktop, I open the laptop and run Beyond Compare, and have a saved session that compares \\desktop\FGDATA\ to C:\FGDATA\

The results are I can see when there are new files, newer files than the laptop has, and (this should never be the case) but files newer on the laptop than the desktop. I click to update from Left (\\desktop\FGDATA\) to right (C:\FGDATA\) when it's done, I shutdown the laptop and go run a session. When I'm done, I return to the desktop, boot up the laptop and run the saved session in Beyond Compare and copy from RIGHT (C:\FGDATA\) to LEFT (\\desktop\FGDATA) thus updating the desktop with any changes in the status of the game files. (See the attached screenshot).

Beyond Compare has 2 components, a manual and an automatic option. I NEVER user the automatic option, but I also know 100% for sure that the files are up to date on both computers.

For those who don't use Windows, Beyond Compare is available for OS X and Linux platforms - I just don't use them, so I can't give you any feel for how the software works in those environments.