Copying campaign info from one campaign to another

[dlinacre]

So I have a question I can't find in the forum already.

I'm DMing two different groups through 5E Lost Mines of Phandelver. I've made a few changes to the campaign (rewrites of the info, bullet points instead of large paragraphs etc). Rather than re-write the campaign twice, I'd like to copy over the campaign details from Campaign 1 to Campaign 2. If I do a straight copy from the AppData folder, it takes character sheets, maps and everything - which obviously I don't want!

So does anyone know if there's a way just copy just the 'Story' tab over rather than everything? I suppose I'd also need maps, and images and everything else (apart from Characters and 'Live' data (such as positions on maps and stuff)...

Thanks

Darren

[Mask_of_winter]

I think you can check box for the sections you want only in the export window. You can also drop individual links to be added to the module as well.

[Andraax]

Have you tried just copying the module's .xml file from the "moduledb" directory under campaign 1 to campaign 2?

[Blahness98]

Or just export the story using the /export command from the first campaign and use it as an adventure module? Otherwise, edit the xml and copy out the story section from one campaign to the other.

[Andraax]

I don't think you can export changes made to a module in a campaign... Those changes are not saved in the campaign specific data per-se - they're saved in another db (the one I mentioned).

[Trenloe]

The easiest way is probably to copy the campaign directory like you already did and then remove the information you don't want from within the FG interface. Delete stuff you don't want (character sheets etc.), remove tokens from maps (right-click on the token on the map and select remove token), if you've added maps you don't want open the campaign images folder and remove the maps you don't want, etc.. This will probably take you 10-15 minutes to prune away the stuff you don't want but keep the manual changes you do want.

[Andraax]

No, the easiest way is to copy the one file I mentioned. I just tested it and it works. Also has the benefit of being able to copy module changes from one campaign to another *existing* campaign, and editing the destination campaign is not required.

[Trenloe]

No, the easiest way is to copy the one file I mentioned. I just tested it and it works. Also has the benefit of being able to copy module changes from one campaign to another *existing* campaign, and editing the destination campaign is not required.
This is a good way if the only edits that were made within the original campaign were against a specific module. If *any* additions (new records) were made to the campaign then these won't be brought across by just copying the moduledb file/s. I was covering all bases when I said copy the campaign and remove what you don't want.

[Zacchaeus]

I'm with Trenloe here because what he describes is exactly how I've done it in the past (without knowing that this was the best way - for the reasons he gives) and it has worked a treat. It doesn't take long to remove what you don't need and leaves all the other bits fully intact.

[Andraax]

This is a good way if the only edits that were made within the original campaign were against a specific module. If *any* additions (new records) were made to the campaign then these won't be brought across by just copying the moduledb file/s. I was covering all bases when I said copy the campaign and remove what you don't want.

If you're adding new stuff that you want to appear in both campaigns, you should create a module with the new information, and open that module in both campaigns. Your technique *will not work* if the destination campaign already exists - you will wipe out anything that already exists in the second campaign.

[Andraax]

I'm with Trenloe here because what he describes is exactly how I've done it in the past (without knowing that this was the best way - for the reasons he gives) and it has worked a treat. It doesn't take long to remove what you don't need and leaves all the other bits fully intact.

Once you try it with an existing second campaign, and wipe out all the work you had done with it, you'll understand why it's not the best way...

[Trenloe]

Once you try it with an existing second campaign, and wipe out all the work you had done with it, you'll understand why it's not the best way...
In order to wipe out all of the changes made in an existing second campaign the user would have to manually delete all of the records. There's not a chance of an "oops I accidentally pressed a couple of buttons and all of my work disappeared" situation. Making a copy of the original campaign automatically includes your suggested approach (copying moduledb file/s) but also automatically includes any additions/edits the GM may have made outside of the modules. Don't be afraid of making a copy of your original campaign and modifying the copy. If you accidentally remove stuff you want just make another copy and go through it again.

I completely get where you're coming from and your approach is completely valid for certain situations. People can copy individual moduledb files around *if* they only made changes to records within that specific module. They can do their edits within a copy of the campaign - which will cover *all* changes/edits they made in their original campaign - be it against module records or new campaign records.

In the end - there are a number of options here. Go with the one that you're comfortable with, does what you want and hits all of the data that you originally modified/added.

[Andraax]

So, if I have an ongoing campaign named "Campaign 1" and another ongoing campaign named "Campaign 2", and I copy the contents of the first campaign directory into the second campaign directory, I won't lose the entire contents of the second campaign?

I find this hard to believe.

[Trenloe]

So, if I have an ongoing campaign named "Campaign 1" and another ongoing campaign named "Campaign 2", and I copy the contents of the first campaign directory into the second campaign directory, I won't lose the entire contents of the second campaign?
I think we've been talking at cross purposes here. I have always been talking about copying one campaign completely into a new campaign.

If you're copying data from one active campaign into another active campaign then you're more than likely going to have to do this manually. Even copying over the moduledb entries could result in invalid links/links opening the wrong record. It all depends what edits you've made. If you've added any campaign links into module records then the chances are that these will be invalidated by just copying the moduledb file across.

For example: In your campaign you've added a new map. You've dragged a link for that map to a module story entry, which is stored in the moduledb file. Copying said moduledb file to a new campaign will have the link, but the image records won't be valid - or it will open a completely different image. FG doesn't reference filenames, so copying over the image file into the new campaign probably won't create the same image reference number that the link uses. There would be similar issues for any links/pushpins added to a module map from campaign records - the link references probably wouldn't work.

[Andraax]

I think we've been talking at cross purposes here. I have always been talking about copying one campaign completely into a new campaign.

And yet you replied to - and even quoted - my post, which said "Once you try it with an existing second campaign, and wipe out all the work you had done with it, you'll understand why it's not the best way..."

I know it's not a problem with a *new* campaign.

The OP specifically asked "does anyone know if there's a way just copy just the 'Story' tab over rather than everything?" - my solution will copy over the edited story entries correctly, without having to delete anything and without risk of wiping out an existing campaign.

The best bet, however, is still what I mentioned - create a new module with your changed information and just open that module in both campaigns. That's how I would do it.

[Trenloe]

The OP specifically asked "does anyone know if there's a way just copy just the 'Story' tab over rather than everything?" - my solution will copy over the edited story entries correctly, without having to delete anything and without risk of wiping out an existing campaign.
Seeing as you're now being very picky about exact wording of the original post and your own response. "Your solution" does not copy over the "story" tab - your solution will only copy over edited entries from a specific module - it will not copy over the whole story tab.

You're also not quoting the whole relevant section of the OP: "o does anyone know if there's a way just copy just the 'Story' tab over rather than everything? I suppose I'd also need maps, and images and everything else (apart from Characters and 'Live' data (such as positions on maps and stuff)..." Which goes on to mention maps, images and everything else (apart from characters and "live" data).

Anyway, hopefully the OP has got what he needed from this thread - where both of us haven't provided 100% complete solutions to what the OP requested. :)