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View Full Version : [Tenian's Parser] no weapons when grabbing AV1 scrape



Nephilim667
August 11th, 2010, 10:46
Hi Everyone,

I'm using Tenian's great tools, the 4e Parser, to download the scrapes from DDI (and turn them into FG2 modules).

I tried to download the Adventerers Vault I today, but it seems the scrapper doesn't find any weapons, armor or equipment anymore.
This is reproduceable with diffrent versions of the parser; also with the latest one 4.0.103 .
(Downloading this data did work earlier this year.)

It looks like Tenian's Parser doesn't find any equip/waepon/armor data on the DDI site.

Was there a change by WotC?
Can/will Tenian fix this problem somewhen soon?

Thanks in advance and regards
Neph

Zeus
August 11th, 2010, 11:04
You can find more information on this issue here (https://dnd-4e.blogspot.com/).

Its not down to the Parser not working but rather down to the poor job Wizards did updating the Compendium in July. Effectively, metadata has changed causing searching on specific content to not work as previously.

You will now need to wait to see how Wizards will resolve the issue (if they plan to that is) before being able to re-scrape. Following the next update (20/08 I believe) I would re-check to see if the problem still persists.

Nephilim667
August 11th, 2010, 11:23
Hey Zeuss,

thanks for the quick reply.
I feared the problem is linked to the changes WotC made on the compendium. :cry:

As I would actually need those data until weekend, I need some kind of work around for this issue.
What would you suggest? Copy the data manually into a text file?
(OMG ... that is a LOT of work as I also need some more sourcebooks: PHB1-3, DP, AP, MP1+3, PP, ...)

Regards
Neph

<off topic>
Is there a chance to scrape not only a single book but a list of books from DDI via batch or something?
If Tenian still developing his tool? Maybe I can offer ome help.
</off topic>

Zeus
August 11th, 2010, 12:21
Yes you can cut n paste the PDF text equivalents and Parse the content that way. A lot more work, agreed, but in the absence of a working functional scrape not much else in the way of alternatives.

For some content, like class powers there is little or no need to change the markup once copied into a text file, so in some cases its not as hard as you might think. Take a look at the Parser Document (included with the Program) which details the syntax each content type requires.

I would suggest parsing the content that you actually require as opposed to parsing the whole set of manuals at the moment. This would at least allow you to play this weekend and you can alway add to them (assuming you keep you module source files) allowing you to build them up over time.

I am not aware of a means of scraping multiple books at once using the Parser.